Friendship between saints: Padre Pio and John Paul II

Padre Pio, Italian Capuchin, (1887-1968), canonized in 2002, in a multitudinous ceremony by St. John Paul II under the name of St. Pio of Pietrelcina, this holy priest received an extraordinary spiritual gift to serve all the men and women of his time. This gift marked his life, filling it with suffering, not only with the physical pain caused by his stigmata, but also with the moral and spiritual suffering caused by those who considered him a madman or a swindler.

Padre Pio, generous dispenser of God's mercy

The reality is that this saint helped thousands of people to return to the faith, to convert and come closer to God. Padre Pio performed amazing healings. And predictions difficult to contrast, such as the one made to Karol Wojtyla himself, predicting his future papacy. The Frenchman Emanuele Brunatto credited that same gift of prophecy that allowed him to find out from time to time what was going to happen. "It is Jesus," explained Padre Pio, "who sometimes lets me read his personal notebook...".

Privilege of a penitent

At the Mass of canonization on June 16, 2002 in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, St. John Paul II affirmed that ".Padre Pio was a generous dispenser of divine mercyHe made himself available to everyone by welcoming them, giving them spiritual direction and especially by administering the sacrament of penance. I too, in my youth, had the privilege of benefiting from his availability to penitents. The ministry of the confessional, which is one of the distinctive features of his apostolate, attracted countless crowds of the faithful to the convent of San Giovanni Rotondo".

How did John Paul II and Padre Pio meet?

The relationship between Padre Pio and St. John Paul II is not only due to the fact that the beatification and canonization ceremonies of the Capuchin friar were held during the Polish pope's pontificate, but also because, in 1948, Karol Wojtyla met Padre Pio at San Giovanni Rotondo.

The first meeting of two saints

It was in April 1948 that Karol Wojtyla, a newly ordained priest, decided to meet Padre Pio. "I went to San Giovanni Rotondo to see Padre Pio, to participate in his Mass and, if possible, to go to confession with him." 

This first meeting was very important for the future pope. This was reflected years later in a letter he sent in his own handwriting, written in Polish, to the Father Guardian of the convent of San Giovanni Rotondo: "I spoke with him in person and exchanged a few words, it was my first meeting with him and I consider it the most important".

While Padre Pio was celebrating the Eucharist, the young Wojtyla took special notice of the friar's hands, where the stigmata could be seen covered by a black scab. "On the altar of San Giovanni Rotondo the sacrifice of Christ Himself was being fulfilled, and. during confession, Padre Pio offered a clear discernment and simple, addressing the penitent with great love".

The painful wounds of Padre Pio

The young priest was also interested in Padre Pio's wounds: "The only question I asked him was which wound caused him the most pain. I was convinced it was the one on my heart, but Padre Pio surprised me when he said: 'No, the one that hurts me the most is the one on my back, the one on my right side.

This sixth shoulder injuryas the one Jesus suffered while carrying the cross or the patibulum on the road to Calvary. It was the sore "that hurt the most", because it had festered and had never "been treated by the doctors".

The letters of John Paul II and Padre Pio date back to the Council period.

The letter dated November 17, 1962 read: "Venerable Father, I ask you to pray for a forty-year-old mother of four daughters who lives in Krakow, Poland. During the last war she was in the concentration camps in Germany for five years, and is now in grave danger of health, even life, due to cancer.

Pray that God, with the intervention of the Blessed Virgin, will show mercy to her and her family. In Christo obligatissimus, Carolus Wojtyla".

At that time, Monsignor Wojtyla, who was in Rome, received the news of the serious illness of Wanda Poltawska. Convinced that Padre Pio's prayer had a special power before God, he decided to write to him to ask for help and prayers for the woman, mother of four daughters. 

This letter came to Padre Pio from Angelo BattistiAngelo, an official of the Vatican Secretariat of State and administrator of the House of the Relief of Suffering. He himself recounts that after reading the contents to him, Padre Pio uttered the famous phrase: "I can't say no to this one!", and added: "Angelo, keep this letter because one day it will be important".

Thanks for the healing

A few days later, the woman underwent a new diagnostic examination which showed that the cancerous tumor had completely disappeared. Eleven days later, John Paul II again wrote her a letter, this time to thank her.

The letter said: "Venerable Father, the woman who lives in Krakow, Poland, mother of 4 girls, was suddenly cured on November 21 before surgery. We give thanks to God and also to you, Venerable Father.

I express my sincere thanks on behalf of the lady, her husband and the whole family. In Christ, Karol Wojtyla, Capitular Bishop of Krakow". On that occasion the friar said: "Praise be to the Lord!

"Look at the fame that Padre Pio has achieved; the followers he has gathered around him from all over the world. But why, because he was a philosopher, because he was a wise man, because he had the means?
Nothing of the sort: because he said Mass humbly, went to confession from morning to night and was, it is difficult to say, a representative sealed with the wounds of Our Lord. A man of prayer and suffering". Pope St. Paul VI, February 1971.

Karol Wojtyla praying at the tomb of Padre Pio in San Giovanni Rotondo.

John Paul II's visits to the tomb of Padre Pio

Wojtyla returned to San Giovanni Rotondo on two more occasions. The first, when he was Cardinal of Krakow, in 1974 and the second, when he was already proclaimed Pope, in 1987. On these two trips he visited the mortal remains of Padre Pio and prayed kneeling at the tomb of the Capuchin friar. 

In the autumn of 1974, then Cardinal Karol Wojtyla, was back in Rome and, "as the anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood (November 1, 1946) approached, he decided to commemorate the anniversary in San Giovanni Rotondo and celebrate the Mass at the tomb of Padre Pio. Due to a series of vicissitudes (November 1 was particularly rainy) the group composed of Wojtyla, Deskur and six other Polish priests was delayed considerably, arriving in the evening around 9 pm.

Unfortunately Karol Wojtyla could not fulfill his wish to celebrate Mass at Padre Pio's tomb on the day of his ordination to the priesthood. So he did it the next day. Stefano Campanella, director of Padre Pio TV.

Love for penitents

Padre Pio "had a simple and clear discernment and treated the penitent with great love," John Paul II wrote that day in the visitors' book of the convent in San Giovanni Rotondo.

In May 1987, St. John Paul II, now Pope, visited the tomb of Padre Pio on the occasion of the first centenary of his birth.

Before more than 50,000 people, His Holiness proclaimed: "Great is my joy at this meeting, and it is for several reasons. As you know, these places are linked to personal memories, that is, to my visits to Padre Pio during his earthly life, or spiritually after his death, at his tomb.

St. Pio of Pietrelcina

On May 2, 1999, John Paul II beatified the stigmatized friar, and on June 16, 2002, he proclaimed him a saint. On that day, St. John Paul II canonized him under the name of St. Pio of Pietrelcina. In the homily of his sanctification, John Paul recited the prayer he composed for Padre Pio: 

"Humble and beloved Padre Pio: Teach us too, we ask you, humility of heart, so that we may be considered among the little ones of the Gospel, to whom the Father has promised to reveal the mysteries of his Kingdom. 

Help us to pray without ever tiring, in the certainty that God knows what we need before we ask him for it. Reach out to us with a gaze of faith capable of readily recognizing in the poor and the suffering the very face of Jesus. 

Sustain us in the hour of struggle and trial, and if we fall, grant that we may experience the joy of the sacrament of forgiveness. Transmit to us your tender devotion to Mary, Mother of Jesus and our Mother. 

Accompany us on our earthly pilgrimage towards the happy homeland, where we too hope to arrive to contemplate eternally the glory of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Did St. Pio and St. Josemaría have a relationship?

According to several sources, There is no record that St. Josemaría Escrivá and Padre Pio of Pietrelcina ever met personally.

Although they did not meet directly, there was an indirect relationship and mutual respect between them. Padre Pio even defended Opus Dei on one occasion. It is related that an Italian businessman, Luigi Ghisleri, who had doubts about the Work, consulted Padre Pio, who replied: "Don't worry. Opus Dei is God's work, it is a holy thing!

Moreover, the founder of Opus Dei, St. Josemaría, was convinced of Padre Pio's holiness and defended him whenever anyone questioned the figure of the Capuchin. Both saints were elevated to the altars by St. John Paul II, becoming important intercessors for the Church.

Bibliography

- La Brújula Cotidiana interviews the director of Padre Pio TV, Stefano Campanella.
- Interview with Polish Archbishop Andrew Maria Deskur, 2004.
- Homily of John Paul II. Mass of Sanctification, 2002.

St. Matthew, Apostle and Evangelist, September 21

Every September 21st, the Church celebrates the feast of St. MatthewSt. Matthew, apostle and evangelist, was one of the twelve disciples who followed Jesus and were direct witnesses of his life, teachings, Passion and Resurrection. St. Matthew, also known as Levi, offers us a profound example of conversion, dedication and fidelity to the evangelizing mission, qualities that continue to inspire priests and faithful today.

His life shows how a personal encounter with Jesus can completely transform a person's heart and lead to a radical commitment. The figure of St. Matthew helps us to know the history of early Christianity and to understand how to live the priestly vocation and evangelizing commitment.

Matthew in his position as tax collector before meeting Jesus. Facebook image via The Chosen.

Before being called by Jesus, Matthew practiced the profession of tax collector in Capernaum. This work, which was socially frowned upon by the Jewish people and often associated with corruption, did not prevent Jesus from choosing him as a disciple. The choice of Matthew underlines a central message of the Gospel: God calls each personregardless of its past, in order to transform it and place it at the service of its mission.

Upon hearing Jesus' invitation, Matthew promptly responded by leaving what he was doing and going away. This resolute act of total self-giving is an opening of the heart to a vocation and serves as a model for all those who feel a call to the priesthood, to total self-giving in celibacy or to the consecrated life. Matthew understood that true richness is found in the surrender of one's life to God and in the mission of bringing his message to others.

Matthew dedicated himself to following Jesus and being a witness of his work. Later, he will write the Gospel that bears his nameThe first of the four gospels of the New Testament and one of the three synoptic gospels, in which he presents Jesus as the promised Messiah and fulfilling the prophecies of the Old Testament. He tries to convince the Jews through this relationship with the scriptures that he knew well. This Gospel emphasizes Jesus' closeness to the needy and the value of daily life.

Matthew, together with Jesus, takes notes for his Gospel. Facebook image via The Chosen.

The Gospel of Matthew

The Gospel according to St. Matthew is characterized by its pedagogical and moral approachThe book was addressed to both Jews and Christians of all times. His contributions include:

This Gospel thus becomes a source of inspiration for priests and laityreminding them that evangelizing does not mean just preaching words, but setting an example that transforms lives and communities.

Priests: continuers of the mission

Priests are called to be references for all disciples of JesusThe mission of the apostles, continuing the work of Matthew and the twelve apostles. His mission is framed in three basic dimensions:

  1. Preaching the GospelThe aim of the project is to transmit the message of Christ in a clear and accessible way, adapted to the present times.
  2. Administering the sacramentsThe sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation, Marriage, Priestly Ordination and Anointing of the Sick are the most frequent sacraments of the Eucharist and Confession.
  3. Pastoral accompaniment of the faithfulTo guide, educate and support people in their spiritual growth and in the living of their faith.

In a rapidly changing world, priests face the challenge of bringing the faith to new contexts: globalized cities, digital societies, pluralistic cultures. Following the example of St. Matthew, priests are called to adapt to new media and channels of communication. communication without losing the authenticity of the Christian message.

The evangelization in the 21st century has been transformed by digitalization and the global reach of the internet. Social networks, blogs, podcasts and live broadcasts allow the voice of the Gospel to reach millions of people who otherwise would not have direct contact with the Church.

Examples of current initiatives include:

These examples are just a sample that allows evangelizing young people and adults in their natural contextsThe Gospel is a way of integrating faith into daily life and making the witness of Christian life more palpable. Just as St. Matthew transmitted his experience with Jesus through his Gospel, today priests and digital evangelizers seek to share the faith in a concrete and close way.

Matthew listens to the words that Jesus speaks to him. Facebook image via The Chosen.

A call for everyone

St. Matthew is a model for priests and evangelizers, and also for all Christians. His life reminds us that we are all called to be witnesses to the Gospel. This implies:

Evangelization is not only a task for priests; every member of the faithful has a role to play in the evangelization process. to bring the message of Christ to their environmentinspiring others with concrete works.

St. Matthew, apostle and evangelist, teaches us that the true vocation is born of a personal encounter with Jesus and is expressed in the dedication of one's life to the service of others. His story is a reminder that no matter what a person's past, God always offers an opportunity for conversion.

In the 21st century, priests and evangelizers continue their work, adapting to the new means of communication and finding innovative ways of reaching people's heartsas St. Matthew reached out to his contemporaries with the power of the Holy Spirit and the Gospel. Following his example, we are all called to be active disciples, witnesses and agents of transformation in the world.

 "As Jesus passed by, he saw a man named Matthew sitting at the tax counter, and he said to him, "Follow me."" If Jesus could transform a tax collector into a servant, a traitor into his close friend, he can also transform us into children of God, into his close friends.

Marian Family Day at Torreciudad

Torreciudad commemorated on this occasion a very special event: the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the opening for worship of the new temple dedicated to the Virgin.

A meeting marked by joy, prayer and the certainty of sharing the faith as a family. As the Vicar of Opus Dei in Spain, Fr. Ignacio Barrera, said: "How much beauty and joy can be transmitted by a family that prays!

The CARF FoundationThe Foundation, faithful to its commitment to priestly formation and to the universal Church, was one of the sponsors of this event, thus joining in the joy of the families who came to the Aragonese sanctuary.

The praying family

The main event was the Eucharist celebrated on the esplanadeIgnacio Barrera, Vicar of Opus Dei in Spain, who invited all those present to be "sowers of peace and joy," recalling the words of St. Josemaría: families are called to be "luminous and joyful homes.

In a world so often marked by haste, division and uncertainty, Barrera recalled that "the Lord will take care of the rest and will kindle many other lights" if each family tries to give witness to love in their daily lives: "The Lord will take care of the rest and will kindle many other lights" if each family tries to give witness to love in their daily lives.Give light in your homes, schools, workplaces, etc.... How much beauty and joy can be transmitted by a family that prays, that loves one another, that forgives one another and is united". And he asked: "Don't you think that there is much need for this in our time, in social life, in political life, in the work environment?

This day breathes fraternity and prayer. After praying the Angelus, there was a varied presentation of offerings by the participating associations, parishes, schools and groups, who offered flowers, products of the earth, images of the Virgin, children's handicrafts and other symbols of gratitude and faith.

In a gesture full of tenderness, the parents offered their children to the Virgin of Torreciudadentrusting them with their future and asking for her protection. This moment, lived with tears and smiles, was a testimony of what it means to walk together as a Christian family: to allow ourselves to be guided by Mary towards her Son.

torreciudad-jornada-mariana-de-la-familia-carf
In dialogue with Nachter and Roseanne.

Nachter and Roseanne

The day was full of moments of encounter and testimony. The couple formed by Nachter and Roseanneknown for their humor and closeness in social networks, shared their experience on "how to improve our family relationships with a lot of humor. They recalled that "laughing with others, not at others" is a simple key to living charity in the home, and that "in the face of pain, it is essential that our life is not defined by suffering, but by the help we give each other. And above all God, who is Father and we can fully trust in Him, even if sometimes we do not understand Him".

torreciudad-jornada-mariana-de-la-familia-carf
A group of volunteers.

A simple gesture

Throughout the day, more than 200 volunteers collaborated in the reception, parking, information and cleaning services, together with the Guardia Civil, Turismo de Aragón, the regions of Somontano, Ribagorza and Cinca Medio, the municipalities of Secastilla and El Grado, the CARF Foundation and the Mahou San Miguel Group. In addition, hygiene products were collected for needy families, which will be delivered through Cáritas Diocesana de Barbastro-Monzón: a simple gesture that embodies Christian love made service.

On the 50th anniversary of the church, this Marian Day once again showed the vibrant heart of the Church: families united by faith, praying, forgiving and trusting in God.. The CARF Foundationpresent among them, shares this mission of radiating hope and forming priestly hearts that serve so many families throughout the world.

Torreciudad, once again, was light. A light that is born of Mary and that, through the family, illuminates society with the joy of the Gospel.

torreciudad-jornada-mariana-de-la-familia-carf
The Virgin of Torreciudad in procession during the recitation of the Rosary.

Mayors encourage repeat business

Javier Betorz, delegate of the Government of Aragon in Huesca, stressed that "Torreciudad is an undoubted focus of attraction, therefore has our full support in promoting religious and cultural tourism". Mari Carmen Obis, mayoress of El Grado, has pointed out the importance of the festival "in these calls to share our heritage and our joy, so that they reach new visitors".

José Luis Arasanz, deputy mayor of Secastilla, and Ana María Rabal, councilor, trust in the road axis project with El Grado and Graus through the municipality. Antonio Comps, mayor of Castejón del Puente, thinks that "the day is a very important event for Alto Aragón, with a deep positive meaning for the family and as an element of promotion".

Fernando Torres, mayor of Barbastro, said he was "very happy to repeat another edition, and to have shared the concern of the sanctuary for the damage caused by last night's storm", while for José Pedro Sierra, mayor of Peraltilla, "the best thing is that I have seen many people, with families that we hope will repeat and make our environment known".

José María Civiac, president of the Cinca Medio region and mayor of Alfántega, commented that "I have seen many people, willing to travel a long way sometimes, and of course, we must all work together to increase the number of visitors".

Lola Ibort, councilor in Almudévar and provincial deputy, said in her second attendance to this day, that "I am very happy to return because I share so many values that promote the family, which is so important. And these young families are, at the same time, the best ambassadors of our territory".

Also in attendance were the mayoress of El Pueyo de Santa Cruz, Teresa Rupín, and municipal representatives from Puente de Montañana, Arén, Enate and Artasona.

Marta Santínjournalist specializing in religion.

Christ, will they have met Him?

The Christian faith, the Holy Mass, is either a living encounter with Christ or it is not. That is why the Liturgy guarantees us the possibility of such an encounter with Him.

In a letter to his family dated July 14, 1929 in New York, Federico García Lorca writes: "Solemnity in religious matters is cordiality, because it is a living proof, for the senses, of the immediate presence of God. It is like saying: God is with us, let us worship and adore him (...) They are the exquisite forms, the nobility with God".

I do not know what Federico had in his heart and in his head when he wrote these words. I can suggest that they are a manifestation of his poet's soul and of his ability to appreciate the beauty of an encounter with the living God; and I do so, because before those lines, he wrote: "Now I understand the fervent spectacle, unique in the world, which is a Mass in Spain".

Holy Mass, an encounter with the living Christ

In his Apostolic Letter "Desiderio Desideravi"in the section The Liturgy: place of encounter with Christ Pope Francis wrote: "Herein lies all the powerful beauty of the Liturgy (...) The Christian faith is either a living encounter with Him, or it is not. The Liturgy guarantees us the possibility of such an encounter. A vague memory of the Last Supper is of no use to us; we need to be present at that Supper, to be able to hear his voice, to eat his Body and drink his Blood: we need him.

In the Eucharist and in all the Sacraments we are guaranteed the possibility of encountering the Lord Jesus and of being touched by the power of his Passover. The saving power of Jesus' sacrifice, of each of his words, of each of his gestures, looks, feelings, reaches us in the celebration of the Sacraments" (nn, 10-11).

"A living encounter with Christ. And if in all the Sacraments Jesus Christ is present and acts, in a very particular way, sacramentally, he does so in the Holy Sacrament of the Blessed Sacrament. Mass.

"It is the Sacrifice of Christ, offered to the Father with the cooperation of the Holy Spirit: an oblation of infinite value, which eternalizes the Redemption in us (...) The Holy Mass thus places us before the primordial mysteries of faith, because it is the very gift of the Trinity to the Church. Thus it is understood that it is the center and the root of the Christian's spiritual life....

In the Mass, the life of grace, which was deposited in us by Baptism and which grows strengthened by Confirmation, is brought to its fullness. When we participate in the Eucharist," writes St. Cyril of Jerusalem, "we experience the deifying spiritualization of the Holy Spirit, who not only configures us to Christ, as happens in Baptism, but also christifies us completely, associating us with the fullness of Christ Jesus" (Josemaría Escrivá. Christ Is Passing By, nn. 86 and 87).

cristo santa misa torreciudad

The beauty of the liturgy at Holy Mass

These texts referring to the beauty of the Liturgy expressed in the celebration of the Holy Mass came to my mind on Sunday afternoon. After taking care of a sick person, I went to a church to accompany the Lord for a while. It was a quarter of an hour before the celebration, at 8:00 in the evening. The parishioners began to arrive, in silence and a certain recollection. A large number of the men were wearing shorts, and a smaller number of women as well.

Would they have shown up in those clothes at the party of a family friend? Or at a meeting with their bosses in the area of their professional work? Would they have gone with those clothes to receive an award for a professional performance, for a published book, etc.?

At the entrance door to the church there were none of those signs - which surely all readers will remember - prohibiting entry into the church dressed in that way. Perhaps the priests would not have said anything when they saw them on other occasions approaching in this way to receive Jesus Christ in Communion.

A good number -more than a hundred- of these men and women approached the altar to receive Communion. As soon as the Mass was over, the church emptied. The priest kept the interior silence for barely half a minute, after picking up the altar, without kneeling as he passed in front of the tabernacle. And the faithful who remained in the church thanking God for having received the Eucharist were barely a dozen. Were the parishioners aware of having met the Son of God made man? And of having lived with Jesus all the moments of the Mass, and of having "eaten" Him in the Holy Host?

Original published in Religion Confidential

Ernesto Juliá, ernesto.julia@gmail.com

Nativity of the Virgin Mary: September 8th

Each September 8the Church celebrates the Nativity of the Virgin MaryThe feast that commemorates the birth of the Mother of God. The celebration is closely linked to the solemnity of the Immaculate Conception (December 8), for nine months later the Church contemplates the gift of his birth.

Mary's birth is seen as the beginning of the fulfillment of the divine promises: she is the woman chosen to be the Mother of the Savior.

Many centuries had passed since God, on the threshold of Paradise, promised our first parents the coming of the Messiah. Hundreds of years in which the hope of the people of Israel, depositary of the divine promise, was centered on a maiden, of the lineage of David, that shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel, which means God with us. (Is 7, 14). Generation after generation, the pious Israelites awaited the birth of the Mother of the Messiah, the one who is to give birth, as Micah explained against the backdrop of Isaiah's prophecy (cf. My 5, 2).

The birth of the Virgin by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo. Louvre Museum, Paris.

The birth of Mary, announcement of Salvation

Several Popes have described this feast as the dawn announcing the arrival of the Sun of righteousness: Jesus Christ.. At words of St. John Paul IIThe birth of the Virgin Mary is a luminous sign that prepares for the Incarnation of the Son of God.

The liturgy calls her "the root of our joy" because in Mary the plan of salvation begins to become visible. The prophet Micah, quoted on this feast, announces that the Savior will be born in Bethlehem and that he himself will be peace. Mary, daughter of Israel and mother of the Messiah, is the bridge between the promise and its fulfillment.

Mary, sign of peace and hope

Pope Francis recalled that this feast also speaks of peace. In the readings of the day, the word peace resounds three times, because the arrival of Mary prepares the heart of humanity to receive Christ, the Prince of Peace.

To celebrate the birth of the Virgin Mary is to recognize her as star of hope. She enlightens the Church and every Christian, inviting us to live open to God, as she did, and to let Christ transform our lives.

Mary model of holiness

The Nativity of the Virgin Mary is not only a historical memory, but a feast that encourages us to look at life with faith: Mary is a model of holiness and spiritual beauty.the perfect creature that God prepared for his Son.

Its birth marks the beginning of salvationShe is the link between the promises of the Old Testament and their fulfillment in Christ. For the faithful, her feast is an occasion to renew their trust in God and to ask for the grace to live with the same docility and faith that Our Lady had.

When the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of a woman, born under the Law, to redeem those who were under the Law, so that we might receive the adoption of sons. (Gal 4, 4-5). God is careful to choose his Daughter, Spouse and Mother. And the holy Virgin, the very high Lady, God's most beloved creature, conceived without original sin, came to our earth. She was born in the midst of a profound silence. They say that in autumn, when the fields sleep. None of his contemporaries realized what was happening. Only the angels in heaven made merry.

Of the two genealogies of Christ that appear in the Gospels, the one recorded by St. Luke is most probably that of Mary. We know that she was of noble lineage, a descendant of David, as the prophet had pointed out when speaking of the Messiah.a shoot shall come forth from the stock of Jesse, and from its roots shall blossom a scion (Is 11, 1)-and as St. Paul confirms when he writes to the Romans about Jesus Christ, born of the seed of David after the flesh (Rm 1, 3).

An apocryphal writing from the second century, known as the Protoevangelium of Santiago, has transmitted to us the names of her parents - Joachim and Anna - which the Church inscribed in the liturgical calendar. Various traditions place the place of Mary's birth in Galilee or, more probably, in the holy city of Jerusalem, where the ruins of a 5th century Byzantine basilica have been found, built over the so-called "holy city of Jerusalem". Santa Ana housevery close to the Probationary pool. No wonder the liturgy puts on Mary's lips some phrases from the Old Testament: I have settled in Zion. In the beloved city he has given me rest, and in Jerusalem is my dominion. (Sir 24, 15).

Gospel reading of the day

✠ A reading from the Holy Gospel according to St. Matthew1:1-16. 18-23

Book of the origin of Jesus Christ, son of David, son of Abraham.

Abraham begat Isaac, Isaac begat Jacob, Jacob begat Judah and his brothers. Judah begat, of Tamar, Pharez and Zarah, Pharez begat Eshron, Eshron begat Aran, Aran begat Amminadab, Amminadab begat Nahshon, Nahshon begat Salmon, Salmon begat, of Rachab begat Boaz, Boaz begat, of Ruth, Obed, Obed begat Jesse, Jesse begat David the king.

David by Uriah's wife begat Solomon, Solomon begat Rehoboam, Rehoboam begat Abijah, Abijah begat Asaph, Asaph begat Jehoshaphat, Jehoshaphat begat Jehoran, And Joran begat Uzziah, and Uzziah begat Johanan, and Johanan begat Ahaz, and Ahaz begat Hezekiah, and Hezekiah begat Manasseh, and Manasseh begat Amos, and Amos begat Josiah; Josiah begat Jechoniah and his brothers, at the time of the Babylonian exile.

After the Babylonian exile, Jechoniah begat Shealtiel, Shealtiel begat Zerubbabel, Zerubbabel begat Abiud, Abiud begat Eliakim, Eliakim begat Azor, Azor begat Zadok, Zadok begat Zadok, Zadok begat Aquinas, Aquinas begat Eliud, Eliud begat Eleazar, Eleazar begat Mattan, Mattan begat Jacob; And Jacob begat Joseph, the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ.

The generation of Jesus Christ was like this: Mary, his mother, was betrothed to Joseph and, before they lived together, it turned out that she was expecting a son by the work of the Holy Spirit.

Joseph, her husband, being just and not wanting to defame her, decided to divorce her privately. But, no sooner had he taken this resolution, than an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream and said:
"Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary your wife, for the child in her is from the Holy Spirit. She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."

All this happened to fulfill what the Lord had spoken through the prophet:
"Behold: the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel, which means "God-with-us"."

Bibliography

Opusdei.org. Life of Mary.

Catechesis of the Pope: Jesus Christ, Our Hope

General Audience with Pope Leo XIV in St. Peter's Square, September 3, 2025.

Dear brothers and sisters:

At the heart of the passion story, at the brightest and at the same time darkest moment of the life of Jesus ChristJohn's Gospel gives us two words that contain an immense mystery: "I thirst" (19:28), and immediately afterwards: "All things are accomplished" (19:30). These last words, but loaded with a whole life, reveal the meaning of the entire existence of the Son of God. On the cross, Jesus does not appear as a victorious hero, but as a beggar of love. He does not proclaim, he does not condemn, he does not defend himself. He humbly asks for what he cannot give himself in any way.

Jesus Christ crucified, full expression of Love

The thirst of the Crucified is not only the physiological need of a broken body. It is also, and above all, the expression of a profound desire: that of love, of relationship, of communion. It is the silent cry of a God who, having wanted to share everything of our human condition, also allows himself to be pierced by this thirst. A God who is not ashamed to beg for a sip, because in this gesture he tells us that love, to be true, must also learn to ask and not only to give.

"I thirst," Jesus says, and in this way he manifests his humanity and ours as well. None of us can be enough for ourselves. No one can save himself. Life is "fulfilled" not when we are strong, but when we learn to receive. And precisely at that moment, after having received from the hands of others a sponge soaked in vinegar, Jesus proclaims: "All is fulfilled". Love has made itself needy, and precisely because of this it has carried out its work.

Jesús

This is the Christian paradox: God saves not by doing, but by allowing himself to be done. Not by overcoming evil with force, but by accepting to the end the weakness of love. On the cross, Jesus teaches us that the human being is not fulfilled in power, but in trusting openness to others, even when they are hostile and enemies. Salvation does not lie in autonomy, but in humbly recognizing one's own need and knowing how to express it freely.

The fulfillment of our humanity in God's design is not an act of force, but a gesture of trust. Jesus does not save with a coup d'effect, but by asking for something that alone cannot be given. And here opens a door to true hope: if even the Son of God has chosen not to be sufficient for himself, then his thirst - for love, for meaning, for justice - is not a sign of failure, but of truth.

Letting ourselves be loved by Jesus Christ

This truth, apparently so simple, is difficult to accept. We live in an age that rewards self-sufficiency, efficiency and performance. However, the Gospel shows us that the measure of our humanity is not what we can conquer, but our capacity to let ourselves be loved and, when necessary, to help.

Jesus saves us by showing us that asking is not unworthy, but liberating. It is the way out of the concealment of sin, to return to the space of communion. From the beginning, sin has generated shame. But forgiveness, the true forgiveness, is born when we can look our need in the face and no longer fear being rejected.

The thirst of Jesus on the cross is then also our thirst. It is the cry of wounded humanity that continues to seek living water. And this thirst does not distance us from God, but unites us to him. If we have the courage to recognize it, we can discover that our fragility is also a bridge to heaven. Precisely in asking - not in possessing - a path of freedom opens up, because we stop pretending to be enough for ourselves.

In fraternity, in the simple life, in the art of asking without shame and offering without calculation, is hidden a joy that the world does not know. A joy that brings us back to the original truth of our being: we are creatures made to give and receive love.

Dear brothers and sisters, in the thirst for Christ we can recognize all our thirst. And learn that there is nothing more human, nothing more divine, than to know how to say: I need. Let us not be afraid to ask, especially when it seems to us that we do not deserve it. Let us not be ashamed to reach out. It is precisely there, in that humble gesture, where salvation is hidden.

A moment of the catechesis on Jesus Christ during Pope Leo XIV's general audience in St. Peter's Square (@Vatican Media).

Pope Leo's final appeal

Dramatic news is coming from Sudan, particularly from Darfur. In El Fasher, many civilians are trapped in the city, victims of shortages and violence. In Tarasin, a devastating landslide has caused numerous deaths, leaving behind pain and despair. And, as if that were not enough, the spread of cholera threatens hundreds of thousands of already exhausted people. I am closer than ever to the Sudanese people, particularly families, children and displaced persons.

I pray for all the victims. I sincerely appeal to those responsible and to the international community to ensure humanitarian corridors and to launch a coordinated response to stop this humanitarian catastrophe. It is time to initiate a serious, sincere and inclusive dialogue between the parties to end the conflict and restore hope, dignity and peace to the people of Sudan.