Pope Francis prayed the traditional noon-day prayer of the Angelus on Monday, as the Church celebrated the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, and the 57th World Day of Peace.
In his reflection ahead of the Marian prayer, the Pope encouraged Christians to place the New Year under the “caring gaze” of the Blessed Virgin Mary.
He noted that the day’s Gospel reading depicts Mary as remaining “in a silence filled with wonder and adoration for the marvels that God is performing,” as the shepherds come to worship her Son, Jesus.
Mary, said the Pope, “makes room within herself for the One who is born. In silence and adoration, she places Jesus at the center and bears witness to Him as the Savior.”
Cathedral of silence
Pope Francis pointed out that Mary, as a good mother, never sought to take the place of her Son, but became the first “cathedral of silence”, a place where God and man can meet.
Our mothers, too, he added, “bring us into the world and then continue to follow our development, often unnoticed, so that we can grow.”
“Let us remember this,” he said. “Love never suffocates; love makes space for the other and allows them to grow.”
Healthy love never overpowers others
As the new year dawns, the Holy Father invited everyone to look to Mary and our own mothers “with grateful hearts”.
“Let us think about and also look to mothers,” he said, “to learn that love which is cultivated especially in silence, that knows how to make space for the other, respecting their dignity, allowing the freedom to express themselves, rejecting all forms of possession, domination, and violence.”
The Pope noted that his message for the 57th World Day of Peace recalls that temptation of humanity to break peaceful coexistence due to a thirst for power and lust for profit.
“Love, on the other hand, is made of respect and kindness,” he said. “In this way, it breaks down barriers and helps to live fraternal relationships, to build societies that are more just and humane, and more peaceful.”
Discreet, life-giving love
In conclusion, Pope Francis prayed that Mary, the Mother of God, might help us to grow in love that gives live to others.
“May Mother of God and our Mother, in the new year, help us to grow in this gentle, silent, and discreet love that generates life, and open paths in the world for peace and reconciliation.”