APOSTOLIC JOURNEY OF HIS HOLINESS POPE FRANCIS IN BUDAPEST, ON THE OCCASION OF THE CONCLUSIVE HOLY MASS OF THE 52nd INTERNATIONAL EUCHARISTIC CONGRESS, AND IN SLOVAKIA (12-15 SEPTEMBER 2021) HOLY MASS HOMILY OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS Esplanade of the National Sanctuary (Šaštin) Wednesday, September 15, 2021

In the Temple of Jerusalem, Mary's arms extend towards those of the old Simeon, who can welcome Jesus and recognize him as the Messiah sent for the salvation of Israel. In this scene we contemplate who Mary is: she is the Mother who gives us her Son Jesus. This is why we love and venerate her. And in this National Shrine of Šaštín, the Slovak people come, with faith and devotion, because they know that it is she who gives us Jesus. In the "logo" of this Apostolic Journey there is a road drawn inside a heart surmounted by the Cross: Mary is the path that leads us into the Heart of Christ, who gave his life for love of us.

In the light of the Gospel we have heard, we can look to Mary as a model of faith. And we recognize three characteristics of faith: the journey, prophecy and compassion. First of all, Mary's faith is a faith that sets out on a journey. The girl of Nazareth, as soon as she received the Angel's announcement, "set out on her way to the mountain" (Lk 1:39), to go to visit and help Elizabeth, her cousin. She did not consider it a privilege to have been called to become the Mother of the Savior; he did not lose the simple joy of his humility for having received the visit of the Angel; she did not stand still to contemplate herself, within the four walls of her house. On the contrary, she lived that gift received as a mission to be fulfilled; felt the need to open the door, leave the house; he gave life and body to the impatience with which God wants to reach all men to save them with his love. For this reason Mary sets out: to the comfort of habits she prefers the unknowns of the journey, to the stability of the house the fatigue of the road, to the security of a quiet religiosity the risk of a faith that is put into play, making itself a gift of love for the other. Today's Gospel also shows us Mary on her way: towards Jerusalem where, together with her husband Joseph, she presents Jesus in the Temple. And her whole life will be a journey after her Son, as the first disciple, up to Calvary, at the foot of the Cross. Mary always walks.

Thus, the Virgin is the model of the faith of this Slovak people: a faith that sets out, always animated by a simple and sincere devotion, always on a pilgrimage in search of the Lord. And, walking, you overcome the temptation of a static faith, which is satisfied with some rite or old tradition, and instead go out of yourself, carry the joys and sorrows in your backpack, and make life a pilgrimage of love towards God and brothers. Thanks for this testimony! And please, stay on the road, always. Don't stop! And I would also like to add one thing. I said: “Don't stop”, but when the Church stops, it gets sick; when the bishops stop, they make the Church sick; when the priests stop, they make God's people sick.

Mary's is also a prophetic faith. With her very life, the young girl of Nazareth is a prophecy of God's work in history, of his merciful action that overturns the logic of the world, raising the humble and lowering the proud (cf. Lk 1,52). She, representative of all the "poor of Jahweh", who cry out to God and await the coming of the Messiah, Mary is the Daughter of Zion announced by the prophets of Israel (cf. Zep 3,14-18), the Virgin who will conceive God with us, Emmanuel (cf. Is 7:14). As the Immaculate Virgin, Mary is an icon of our vocation: like her, we are called to be holy and immaculate in love (cf. Eph 1: 4), becoming the image of Christ.

Israel's prophecy culminates in Mary, because she carries in her womb the Word of God made flesh, Jesus. He fully and definitively fulfills God's plan. Of him, Simeon says to his Mother: "He is here for the ruin and the resurrection. of many in Israel, a sign of contradiction "(Lk 2:34).

Let's not forget this: faith cannot be reduced to sugar that sweetens life. Can not be done. Jesus is a sign of contradiction. He came to bring light where darkness is, bringing darkness out into the open and forcing them to surrender. For this reason the darkness always struggles against him. Whoever welcomes Christ and opens himself to him rises again; whoever rejects it closes himself in the dark and ruins himself. Jesus told his disciples that he did not come to bring peace, but a sword (cf. Mt 10:34): in fact, his Word, as a double-edged sword, enters our life and separates the light from the darkness, asking us to choose. It says: "Choose". In front of Jesus one cannot remain lukewarm, with “the foot in two shoes”. No, you can't. Welcoming him means accepting that he reveals my contradictions, my idols, the suggestions of evil; and that he becomes resurrection for me, He who always raises me up, who takes me by the hand and makes me start again. It always lifts me up.

And it is precisely these prophets that Slovakia also needs today. You, Bishops: prophets who go down this path. It is not a question of being hostile to the world, but of being "signs of contradiction" in the world. Christians who know how to show, with their life, the beauty of the Gospel. Who are weavers of dialogue where positions become rigid; which make fraternal life shine, where often in society one is divided and hostile; that spread the good scent of hospitality and solidarity, where personal selfishness and collective selfishness often prevail; who protect and guard life where the logic of death reigns.

Mary, Mother of the journey, sets out on the journey; Mary, Mother of prophecy; finally, Mary is the Mother of compassion. His faith is compassionate. She who defined herself as "the handmaid of the Lord" (cf. Lk 1:38) and who, with maternal care, took care not to let wine be lacking at the wedding at Cana (cf. Jn 2: 1-12), shared with the Son the mission of salvation, up to the foot of the Cross. At that moment, in the excruciating pain experienced on Calvary, she understood Simeon's prophecy: "A sword will pierce your soul too" (Lk 2:35). The suffering of the dying Son, who took upon himself the sins and sufferings of humanity, also pierced her. Jesus torn in the flesh, Man of pains disfigured by evil (cf. Is 53: 3); Mary, torn in the soul, compassionate Mother who collects our tears and at the same time comforts us, showing us the definitive victory in Christ.

And Mary of Sorrows, under the cross, simply remains. It is under the cross. She does not run away, she does not try to save herself, she does not use human artifices and spiritual anesthetizers to escape the pain. This is the proof of compassion: staying under the cross. To remain with the face marked by tears, but with the faith of one who knows that in his Son God transforms pain and overcomes death.

And we too, looking at the Virgin Mother of Sorrows, open ourselves to a faith that becomes compassionate, which becomes a sharing of life towards those who are wounded, those who suffer and those who are forced to carry heavy crosses on their shoulders. A faith that does not remain abstract, but makes us enter into the flesh and makes us in solidarity with those in need. This faith, with God's style, humbly and quietly, lifts the pain of the world and irrigates the furrows of history with salvation.

Dear brothers and sisters, may the Lord always keep you amazed, keep you grateful for the gift of faith! And may Mary Most Holy obtain for you the grace that your faith always remains on the way, that it has the breath of prophecy and that it is a faith rich in compassion.

Final greeting at the end of the Holy Mass Dear brothers and sisters! The time has now come to take my leave of your country. In this Eucharist I gave thanks to God for having given me to come among you; and to conclude my pilgrimage in the devoted embrace of your people, celebrating together the great religious and national feast of the Patroness, the Virgin of Sorrows.

I sincerely thank you, dear brother Bishops, for all the preparation and welcome. I renew my gratitude to the President of the Republic and to the civil authorities. I am grateful to all those who collaborated in various ways, especially with their prayers. And I am pleased to renew my greeting to the Members and Observers of the Ecumenical Council of Churches who honor us with their presence. I carry you all in my heart. Ďakujem všetkým! [Thank you all!]

Link of original: https://www.vatican.va/content/francesco/it/homilies/2021/documents/20210915-omelia-sastin.html