"That Mary, Queen of the World and Star of Evangelization, may accompany all missionaries in proclaiming her Son Jesus" - Comment on the Missionary Intention for May 2012

Friday, 27 April 2012

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - By the will of God, Mary, Mother of the Incarnate Word, is inextricably linked to the person and work of her Son. With her "yes", pronounced once and for all and renewed every day, She put herself at the Lord’s disposal. Mary is the model and type of Church.
In the Lucan passage of the Visitation, we see Mary sets off for Ain Karim to assist her cousin Elizabeth. She had just received Jesus in her womb, conceived by the Holy Spirit. Flooded with joy, she began to walk quickly. Love pushes her to bring the Good News to Elizabeth: The Savior, Jesus, is among men. Maria cannot keep this grace for herself. As Pope Benedict XVI said: " that of Mary is an authentic missionary journey. It is a journey that leads her far from home, impels her into the world to places alien to her daily habits. Here, also for all of us, lies the secret of our lives as men and women and Christians. Our existence, as individuals and as a Church is projected outside ourselves. As had happened to Abraham, we are asked to come out of ourselves, from where we feel safe, to reach out to others in different places and surroundings. It is the Lord who asks this of us: You shall receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be my witnesses ... to the end of the earth" (Acts 1.8). (Speech for the conclusion of the Marian month, May 31, 2010).
On the one hand, Mary goes before us in the pilgrimage of faith. She trusted God and, leaving behind her safety, she set off. She followed her son right to the end, and accompanied him to the cross. And thus became the Mother of the Church. She accompanies us with motherly love, and reminds us that Her Son is always with us, as he promised us: " I am with you always, to the close of the age" (Mt 28, 20).
Benedict XVI noted that Mary stayed with Elizabeth for three months, and during this time she dedicated herself to helping and caring for her and giving the attention she needed in her delicate state, given her late motherhood. Mary, who proclaimed herself "servant of the Lord," dedicated herself to serving men, where she discovered the presence of God.
But the main purpose of her journey was not simply the service of charity, but bring to Elizabeth the son she had conceived in her womb. Maria wants, above all, to help others to meet Jesus "We are thus at the heart and culmination of the evangelizing mission. We have come to the truest meaning and most genuine purpose of every missionary journey: to give people the living and personal Gospel, which is the Lord Jesus Christ himself. And Jesus’ Gospel is a communication and a gift which - as Elizabeth testifies- fills the heart with joy: "For at the moment the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the infant in my womb leaped for joy. " (Lk 1.44). Jesus is the only true treasure to give to humanity. It is for Him that the men and women of our time have a deep longing, even when they seem to ignore or reject him. "(Benedict XVI, Conclusion of the speech of the Marian month, May 31, 2010)..
May the Mother of God accompany our missionaries in their difficulties, accompany them with her maternal love, make them feel the pleasure and the joy of bringing Christ to men. (Agenzia Fides 27/4/2012)


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