The shepherds saw the infant Jesus, but did not see Mary’s heart, Pope tells pilgrims
January 02, 2025
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CWN Editor's Note: In his January 1 Angelus address, Pope Francis reflected on Luke 2:16-21, the Gospel reading at the Mass of the day, and discussed “what the shepherds saw in Bethlehem, namely, the infant Jesus, and also ... what they did not see, that is, the heart of Mary.”
Reflecting on the infant Jesus, the Pope told pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square that “this Hebrew name means ‘God saves,’ and this is precisely what He will do. Indeed, the Lord came into the world to give us His very life.”
“The heart of Mary, the Virgin Mother, corresponds to the newborn Messiah, who manifests the mercy of the Father,” he continued. “This heart is the ear that listened to the proclamation of the Archangel; this heart is the hand of the bride given to Joseph; this heart is the embrace that enveloped Elizabeth in her old age. Hope beats in the heart of Mary, Our Mother; hope beats for the redemption and salvation of every creature.”
The Pope concluded:
We can each ask ourselves: do I know how to remain in silence to contemplate the birth of Jesus? And do I try to cherish in my heart this Advent, its message of goodness and salvation? And how can I reciprocate such a great gift with a gratuitous gesture of peace, forgiveness, reconciliation? ... May Mary, the Holy Mother of God, teach us to keep the joy of the Gospel in our hearts and bear witness to it in the world.The above note supplements, highlights, or corrects details in the original source (link above). About CWN news coverage.
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