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John Paul II in Lourdes, France
As
an introduction to the recitation of the Rosary in front of the Grotto
of the Apparitions, on August 14, the Holy Father said: “Kneeling here, before the grotto of Massabielle, I feel deeply that I
have reached the goal of my pilgrimage. This cave, where Mary appeared,
is the heart of Lourdes. It reminds us of the cave of Mount Horeb where
Elijah met the Lord, who spoke to Him in `a still small voice' (1 Kg
19:12). Here the Blessed Virgin asked Bernadette to recite the Rosary,
as She herself hold the beads. This grotto has thus become a unique
school of prayer where Mary teaches everyone to gaze with burning love
upon the face of Christ... As we turn to Mary Most Holy, let us pray
together with Bernadette: `Good Mother, have mercy on me; I give myself
entirely to You, that You may give me to Your dear Son, whom I wish to
love with my whole heart. Good Mother, grant me a heart all aflame for
Jesus'.” Later
in the evening, as an introduction to the torchlight procession, John
Paul II said: “When the Virgin Mary appeared to Bernadette in the grotto at
Massabielle, She began a dialogue between Heaven and earth which has
lasted through time, and continues to this day. Speaking to the young
girl, Mary asked that people should come here in procession, as if to
signify that this dialogue cannot be limited to words, but must become a
journey at Her side along the pilgrim way of faith, hope and love. “Here in Lourdes, for more than a century, the Christian people have
faithfully responded to that maternal summons, walking each day behind
Christ in the Blessed Sacrament and processing each night amid songs and
prayers in honour of the Lord's Mother. “This year the Pope joins you in this act of devotion and love for the
Most Holy Virgin, the glorious woman of the Book of Revelation, crowned
with twelve stars (cf. Rev 12,1). Holding in our hands the lighted
torch, we recall and profess our faith in the Risen Christ. From Him the
whole of our life receives light and hope. “To you, dear brothers and sisters, I entrust a particular intention
for our prayer this evening: join me in imploring the Virgin Mary to
obtain for our world the longed-for gift of peace. May forgiveness and
brotherly love take root in human hearts. May every weapon be laid down,
and all hatred and violence put aside. May everyone see in his neighbour
not an enemy to be fought, but a brother to be accepted and loved, so
that we may join in building a better world.”
“`Que soy era Immaculada Councepciou'. The words which Mary spoke to
Bernadette on March 25, 1858 have a particular resonance this year, as
the Church celebrates the 150th anniversary of the solemn definition of
the dogma of the Immaculate Conception by Blessed Pius IX in the
Apostolic Constitution Ineffabilis Deus. “I have greatly wished to make this pilgrimage to Lourdes in order to
celebrate an event which continues to give glory to the Triune God.
Mary's Immaculate Conception is the sign of the gracious love of the
Father, the perfect expression of the redemption accomplished by the
Son, and the beginning of a life completely open to the working of the
Spirit. (...) “By Her words and Her silence, the Virgin Mary stands before us as a
model for our pilgrim way. It is not an easy way: as a result of the
fall of our first parents, humanity is marked by the wounds of sin,
whose consequences continue to be felt also among the redeemed. But evil
and death will not have the last word! Mary confirms this by Her whole
life, for She is a living witness of the victory of Christ, our
Passover. “The faithful have understood this. That is why they throng to this
grotto in order to hear the maternal counsels of the Blessed Virgin. In
Her they acknowledge "the woman clothed in the sun" (Rev
12:1), the Queen resplendent before the throne of God (cf. Responsorial
Psalm), ever interceding on their behalf. “Today the Church celebrates Mary's glorious Assumption body and soul
into Heaven. The two dogmas of the Immaculate Conception and the
Assumption are closely related. Both proclaim the glory of Christ the
Redeemer and the holiness of Mary, whose human destiny is even now
perfectly and definitively realized in God. “`When
I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to
myself, that where I am, there you may be also' (Jn 14: 3). Mary is the
pledge of the fulfilment of Christ's promise. Her Assumption thus
becomes for us `a sign of sure hope and consolation' (cf. Lumen Gentium, 68). “Dear brothers and sisters! From this grotto of Massabielle the Blessed
Virgin speaks to us too, the Christians of the third millennium. Let us
listen to Her! “Listen to her, young people who seek an answer capable of giving
meaning to your lives. Here you can find that answer. It is a demanding
one, yet it is the only answer which is genuinely satisfying. For it
contains the secret of true joy and peace. “From this grotto I issue a special call to women. Appearing here, Mary
entrusted Her message to a young girl, as if to emphasize the special
mission of women in our own time, tempted as it is by materialism and
secularism: to be in today's society a witness of those essential values
which are seen only with the eyes of the heart. To you, women, falls the
task of being sentinels of the Invisible! I appeal urgently to all of
you, dear brother and sisters, to do everything in your power to ensure
that life, each and every life, will be respected from conception to its
natural end. Life is a sacred gift, and no one can presume to be its
master. “Finally, Our Lady of Lourdes has a message for everyone. Be men and
women of freedom! But remember: human freedom is a freedom wounded by
sin. It is a freedom which itself needs to be set free. Christ is its
liberator; He is the one who "for freedom has set us free"
(cf. Gal 5:1). Defend that freedom! “Dear friends, in this we know we can count on Mary, who, since She
never yielded to sin, is the only creature who is perfectly free. I
entrust you to Her. Walk beside Mary as you journey towards the complete
fulfilment of your humanity!” Dear brothers and sisters, may the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary
remind you that heaven is our true home and the goal of our life's
journey. Upon you and your families I invoke God's abundant blessings.”
This article was published in the August-September, 2004 issue of “Michael”. |
On
August 14-15, 2004, Pope John Paul II made a pilgrimage to the famous
shrine of Lourdes, France, to celebrate the 150
On
Sunday, August 15, the Feast of the Assumption, the Sovereign Pontiff
celebrated an outdoor Mass in front of 300,000 people. Here are excerpts
from his homily: