Article: Roman Catholic Church And The Last Days

Pope Francis on September 24, 2018, celebrated Mass at the Shrine of the Mother of God, Aglona (Latvia). The Holy Father is in Latvia on the third of his four-day trip to the Baltic Nations of Lithuania, Latvia, and Estonia. Below is the Vatican-provided text of his homily at Mass.

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Truly, we can say that what Saint Luke tells us at the beginning of the book of the Acts of the Apostles is being repeated here today: we are joined together in prayer, in the company of Mary our Mother (cf. Acts 1:14). Today we make our own the theme of this Visit: “Show yourself as Mother!” Show us, Mother, where you continue to sing your Magnificat. Show us the places where your Son is crucified, that we may encounter your steady presence at the foot of the cross.

 

The first thing John mentions is that Mary “stands near the cross of Jesus”, close to her Son. She stood there, at the foot of the cross, with unwavering conviction, fearless and immovable. This is the main way that Mary shows herself – she stands near those who suffer, those from whom the world flees, including those who have been put on trial, condemned by all, deported. Nor is it that they are simply oppressed or exploited; they are completely “outside the system”, on the very fringes of society (cf. Evangelii Gaudium, 53). The Mother also stands close by them, steadfast beneath their cross of incomprehension and suffering.