During his Angelus address on the solemnity of the Assumption, Pope Francis reminded Catholics that the Blessed Virgin Mary always “goes before us on the journey.”
Reflecting on the Gospels and the encounter between Mary and her cousin Elizabeth, the pope reminded pilgrims that the Mother of God is not a “motionless wax statue” but a “woman on the move following Jesus as a disciple of the kingdom.”
The pope said Mary is an example for all Christians who share her same desire to announce the joy of Jesus Christ with those around us.
“This expression of the Gospel is beautiful: Mary set out and went (Lk 1:39),” he said.
“It means that Mary does not consider the news that she received from the angel as a privilege but, on the contrary, she leaves home and sets out with haste”.
During his address, Pope Francis also emphasised that each person’s life on earth is a continuous journey toward the final encounter with God.
Pope Francis said it is a journey in which we are not alone, but accompanied by the Mother of God, who with her Assumption into heaven, “she enjoys the joy of eternal life forever.”
“The Blessed Virgin is she who goes before us on the journey, reminding us all that our life is also a continuous journey toward the horizon of the final encounter with the Lord,” he said.
“For this reason, the Blessed Virgin can help us on our journey toward the Lord”.
After praying the Angelus in Latin together with pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Francis prayed for people suffering around the world.
He especially prayed for those suffering from violence in Ukraine, the Middle East, Palestine, Israel, Sudan, and Myanmar.
Pope Francis will visit Southeast Asia in the coming weeks.
He is set to travel to Indonesia, Papua New Guinea, East Timor and Singapore from September 2-13, making it the longest international trip of Pope Francis’ papacy.
