| Castel Gandolfo (Fides Service) – Continuing his spiritual pilgrimage towards the Shrine of Pompei where he will go on 7 October the Feast of Our Lady of the Rosary, on Sunday 21 September, during the Angelus address Pope John Paul II meditated on the “mysteries of light which “integrate traditional moments of the childhood, passion and glory of Christ with those just as important of his public life”: the Baptism at the River Jordan, the Wedding Feast at Cana, the announcement of the Kingdom, the Transfiguration on mount Tabor and the institution of the Eucharist.
“The presence of Mary in these mysteries – the Pope said – is mostly in the background except on one occasion: the Wedding Feast at Cana where the Mother of Jesus plays a determinant role. It is Mary in fact who points out to her Son that there is no more wine; and when he replies that his “hour has not yet come” she urges him with maternal impulse, and she says to the servants; “Do whatever he tells you to do” (Jn 2,5). This shows that she better than anyone else knows the innermost intentions of Jesus. She knows him from “heart to heart” because from the beginning she treasured and meditated every word (cfr Lk 2, 19.51). This is why the Blessed Virgin is the first teacher of Christian prayer: at her school we learn to contemplate the face of the :Lord to assimilate his sentiments, to accept his values with generous coherence”.
Lastly the Holy Father urged those present to follow Christ “along the path of his mysteries of salvation with the ardent love of the Virgin Mary” and he added: “In these last weeks of the Year of the Rosary let us feel more than ever united in praying the Holy Rosary, particularly for families and for peace in the world” SL (Fides Service 22/9/2003 EM lines 20 Words: 302)
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