“The mystery of the
Immaculate Conception is a source of inner light, hope and comfort. In
the middle of life’s trials, especially the contradictions that man
experiences in and around himself, Mary, the Mother of Christ, tells us
that Grace is greater than sin, that God’s mercy is stronger than evil
and can transform it into goodness,” Benedict XVI said in today’s
Angelus.
In his address, the Holy Father stressed the value of
the Solemnity celebrated by the Church on 8 December, that of the
Immaculate Conception of Mary, according to which Mary was never touched
by original sin and evil.
This dogma was proclaimed in 1854, a few
years before the apparitions in Lourdes, where the “Lady” described her
as the “Immaculate Conception”.
“Sadly, every day we experience evil,” the Pontiff
said, “which manifests itself in many ways in relationships and events,
but is rooted in the heart of man, a wounded and sick heart, incapable
of healing itself. The Holy Scriptures tell us that disobedience to the
will of God is the origin of each evil and that death has taken over
because human freedom has succumbed to the temptation of the Evil One.
However, God does not fail in his plan of love and life. Through a slow
and patient journey of reconciliation he has prepared a new and
everlasting covenant, sealed by the blood of his Son who, to offer
himself in atonement, was “born of a woman” (Gal 4:4). This
woman, the Virgin Mary, benefited in advance from the redeeming death of
her Son for she was preserved from the contagion of guilt since
conception. Therefore, with her immaculate heart, she tells us: Trust in
Jesus, He will save you!”
The Pope went on to explain the meaning of the title
“Full of Grace” the Church uses when addressing Mary in the Hail Mary
(Ave Maria) prayer.
“This expression, so familiar [to us] since infancy
because we repeat it every time we recite the Hail Mary, offers us the
explanation for the mystery we celebrate today. In fact, Mary, since the
moment her parents conceived her, was the object of a singular
preference on the part of God, who, in his eternal design, chose her to
be the mother of his Son, who was made man, and consequently preserved
her from original sin. Therefore, the Angel spoke to her using this
name, which literally means to ‘be always filled with God’s love and
grace’.”
Before reciting the Angelus prayer and greeting
various groups, Benedict XVI reminded those present that at 4 pm (CET)
he would be in Piazza di Spagna for the traditional tribute to the
statue of the Immaculate that is located at the top of the column that
overlooks the square.
SIC: AN/INT'L