Pope Francis celebrated Mass in St. Peter's Basilica for the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God.
Every Jan. 1, the Church celebrates this feast which highlights the role of the Blessed Mother in the History of Salvation.
Therefore, in his homily Pope Francis explained that in the womb of this woman, Mary, a New Alliance was forged.
POPE FRANCIS
'In God, there will forever be our humanity and Mary will forever be the Mother of God. She is both woman and mother: this is what is essential. From her, a woman, salvation came forth and thus there is no salvation without a woman.'
The pope said that in order to make the world a more human place, it is necessary to 'start again from the woman,' because the salvation of humanity 'came forth from the body of a woman.' Thus, he strongly condemned violence against them.
POPE FRANCIS
'Women are sources of life. Yet they are continually insulted, beaten, raped, forced to prostitute themselves and to suppress the life they bear in the womb. Every form of violence inflicted upon a woman is a blasphemy against God, who was born of a woman. Humanity’s salvation came forth from the body of a woman: we can understand our degree of humanity by how we treat a woman’s body.'
Pope Francis condemned the forms of explicit and implicit violence suffered by millions of women around the world. He regretted the woman's body and motherhood are also subject to the logic of consumerism.
POPE FRANCIS
'In our day, too, motherhood is demeaned, because the only growth that interests us is economic growth. There are mothers who risk difficult journeys desperately seeking to give a better future to the fruit of their womb, yet are deemed redundant by people with full stomachs but hearts empty of love.'
During the homily the pope also praised Mary's attitude, 'who kept all things in her heart.' He assured only those who look with the eyes of the heart can see well.
POPE FRANCIS
'Only those who see with the heart see things properly, because they know how to “look into” each person: to see a brother apart from his mistakes, a sister apart from her failings, hope amid difficulty. They see God in all persons and things.'
Pope Francis ended his homily with a proposal for 2020: live with the desire to take care of others and care about the dignity of every woman.
Ángeles Conde
Translation: Melissa Butz
