Krakow, Poland, Jul 28, 2016 / 02:28 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Married couples were the focus of Pope Francis’ second “balcony talk” in Poland on Thursday, receiving from him three words he has often said are key to a successful marriage. “Sometimes they ask me how to make it so that the family always goes forward and overcomes difficulties,” the Pope said July 28, adding that when this happens, “I suggest to them to practice three words.” Speaking in his native Spanish, he said these words “can help to live married life because in married life there are difficulties,” adding that marriage is something we have to take care of, “because it’s forever.” The three words are “permission, thanks, and forgiveness.” Pope Francis was speaking at the end of his first full day in Poland, where he is spending July 27-31 for World Youth Day. Each night when he comes back to Krakow after the day’s activities, Francis is set to appear on the balcony of the local archbishop’s palace to address youth gathered below. The tradition was begun by St. John Paul II, who spoke to youth from the balcony every time he visited his homeland as Pope – had been Krakow's archbishop from 1964 until his 1978 election as Bishop of Rome. It was continued by Benedict XVI when he visited Poland in 2006, and is now being carried on by Francis. In yesterday’s encounter Francis recounted the moving story of a young student who rediscovered his faith after leaving school to volunteer for WYD in designing the banners that currently line Krakow’s streets, but passed away from cancer before the event arrived. He praised the young man’s faith, and encouraged the youth gathered to spread the joy of their faith in Christ throughout the city. In his speech from the balcony Thursday, he focused on married couples, explaining that whenever he sees a young couple is getting married or has just done so, “I tell them they are the ones who have courage, because it’s not easy to form a family.” “It’s not easy to make a life commitment, it takes courage, and I congratulate them because they have courage,” he said, noting that the three words “permission, thanks, and forgiveness” come in handy every day of married life. On the topic of permission, the Pope said to “always ask your spouse, the wife to the husband and the husband to the wife, ‘what do you think, what do you think if we do this?’” rather than just “running over” the other without getting their opinion. He also stressed the need to be grateful, “because it’s the spouses who confer the sacrament of marriage, one to the other. And this sacramental relationship is maintained with this sentiment of gratitude, of thanks.” The third word, he noted, is forgiveness, which is “a very hard word to say.” In marriage, mistakes are always made, he said, noting that the important thing is to know how recognize one’s mistakes and ask for forgiveness. This “does a lot of good,” Francis continued, urging families and engaged couples to “remember these three words, which will help you to a lot in married life: permission, thank you, and forgiveness.” In marriage “there are always problems or discussions. It’s habitual and it happens that the husband and wife argue, raise their voice, fight,” he said, noting that “somethings the plates fly.” “But don’t panic when this happens,” he said, and advised couples to never finish a day without making peace, “because the cold war the day after is very dangerous.” A simple gesture is enough to make this peace, he said, tapping his face twice, adding that “when there is love, a gesture fixes everything.” Pope Francis then invited the youth to pray for all the families who were present, for those who are married and those who are engaged, and led the crowd in praying a Hail Mary, each country in their own language.   Read more

Krakow, Poland, Jul 28, 2016 / 11:58 am (CNA/EWTN News).- For young people who have given up on life, or who waste their existence seeking out “empty thrills,” Pope Francis proposes an alternative: Look to Christ, for only he can bring lasting fulfillment. “Jesus can give you true passion for life” and “can inspire us not to settle for less, but to give the very best of ourselves,” the Pope said July 28 during a massive welcoming ceremony at Krakow's Blonia Park, one of his first encounters with young people during this year's World Youth Day celebrations. In his address to the crowds, the Roman Pontiff observed how many young people are entering into an “early retirement,” and “throw in the towel” before their lives have begun. Others, he said, “waste their lives” seeking out “empty thrills” in order to feel alive. “It is disturbing to see young people squandering some of the best years of their lives, wasting their energies running after peddlers of fond illusions,” he said. He challenged young people instead to seek out lasting fulfillment from another source. “To find fulfillment, to gain new strength, there is a way,” he said. “It is not a thing or an object, but a person, and he is alive. His name is Jesus Christ.” The Pope then went off script, enthusiastically calling on the young people to answer: “Can you buy Jesus Christ? Is Jesus Christ sold in stores? Jesus Christ is a gift! A gift from the Father!” Thursday evening's welcome ceremony marks Pope Francis' first full day in Poland during his July 27-31 trip for the 31st World Youth Day. In his address to the crowds, Pope Francis began by expressing his gratitude toward St. John Paul II, who founded World Youth Day in the 1980s. “From his place in heaven, he is with us and he sees all of you,” he said. “So many young people from such a variety of nations, cultures and languages but with one aim, that of rejoicing that Jesus is living in our midst.” The Pope explained that in rekindling our enthusiasm to follow Christ and our desire to be his disciples, we are saying he is alive. “What better opportunity to renew our friendship with Jesus than by building friendships among yourselves!” he said. “What better way to build our friendship with Jesus than by sharing him with others! “What better way to experience the contagious joy of the Gospel than by striving to bring the Good News to all kinds of painful and difficult situations!” Citing the theme of this WYD – “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall find mercy” – Francis said, “blessed indeed are they who can forgive, who show heartfelt compassion, who are capable of offering the very best of themselves to others.” Francis remarked on the “festive mood” of the event in Poland, and with all the young people taking part both in person and via modern media, “we are going to make this World Youth Day an authentic Jubilee celebration.” “Nothing is more beautiful than seeing the enthusiasm, dedication, zeal and energy with which so many young people live their lives,” he said. “When Jesus touches a young person’s heart, he or she becomes capable of truly great things.” The Roman Pontiff described his excitement in listening to the young people share their dreams, their questions, and “impatience with those who say that things cannot change.” “It is beautiful and heartwarming to see all that restlessness!” he said. “Today the Church looks to you and wants to learn from you, to be reassured that the Father’s Mercy has an ever-youthful face, and constantly invites us to be part of his Kingdom.” “Knowing your enthusiasm for mission, I repeat: mercy always has a youthful face!” A merciful heart is one which seeks to go beyond its comfort zone, to go out and embrace everyone, the Roman Pontiff continued. It is also a “place of refuge” for the homeless, refugees, and migrants; “it knows the meaning of tenderness and compassion.” “To say the word 'mercy' along with you is to speak of opportunity, future, commitment, trust, openness, hospitality, compassion and dreams.” The Pope then spoke off the cuff, saying that "when the heart is open, it is able to dream; there is a room for mercy, there is room to caress those who suffer." “There is room to place oneself  next to those who lack peace in their heart, or who lack the necessities of life, or who lack the most beautiful thing: the faith.” Francis discouraged young people from entering into an “early retirement” – referring particularly to those “who are defeated even before they begin to play, who walk around glumly as if life has no meaning.” “Deep down, young people like this are bored… and boring!” he said. The Pope also said he is troubled when young people “waste their lives looking for thrills or a feeling of being alive by taking dark paths and in the end having to pay for it… and pay dearly.” “It is disturbing to see young people squandering some of the best years of their lives, wasting their energies running after peddlers of fond illusions.” He challenged young people with an alternative: to seek the “power of grace” which gives them a “lasting sense of life and fulfillment.” “To find fulfillment, to gain new strength, there is a way. It is not a thing or an object, but a person, and he is alive. His name is Jesus Christ.” “Jesus can give you true passion for life,” he said, and “can inspire us not to settle for less, but to give the very best of ourselves.” “Jesus challenges us, spurs us on and helps us keep trying whenever we are tempted to give up. Jesus pushes us to keep our sights high and to dream of great things.” Francis spoke of the Gospel account of Christ visiting the home of his friends Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. As the account goes, Martha is kept busy with the duties of entertaining Christ, while Mary simply visits with their guest. “Our many jobs and responsibilities can make us a bit like Martha: busy, scattered, constantly running from place to place. But we can also be like Mary: whenever we see a beautiful landscape, or look at a video from a friend on our cellphone, we can stop and think, stop and listen…” “Jesus wants to stop and enter our home,” Pope Francis reflected. “He will look at us hurrying about with all our concerns, as he did with Martha… and he will wait for us to listen to him, like Mary, to make space for him amid the bustle.” In a challenge to young people, the Pope said that if they “want a complete life”, they must begin by letting themselves “be open and attentive.” This is “because happiness is sown and blossoms in mercy,” he said: “That is his answer, his offer, his challenge, his adventure: mercy.” Francis turned to Mary of Nazareth, and her “daring 'Yes'” which “launched her on the adventure of mercy.” “All generations would call her blessed,” he said: “to all of us she is the 'Mother of Mercy'.” The Pope challenged all the youth present to pray that they may be launched “on the adventure of mercy.” “Launch us on the adventure of building bridges and tearing down walls, barriers and barbed wire,” he prayed. “Launch us on the adventure of helping the poor, those who feel lonely and abandoned, or no longer find meaning in their lives.” “Here we are, Lord! Send us to share your merciful love,” he concluded, expressing his desire to welcome Christ “in our midst during this World Youth Day.” “We want to affirm that our lives are fulfilled when they are shaped by mercy, for that is the better part, and it will never be taken from us.” Read more

Krakow, Poland, Jul 28, 2016 / 11:58 am (CNA/EWTN News).- For young people who have given up on life, or who waste their existence seeking out “empty thrills,” Pope Francis proposes an alternative: Look to Christ, for only he can bring lasting fulfillment. “Jesus can give you true passion for life” and “can inspire us not to settle for less, but to give the very best of ourselves,” the Pope said July 28 during a massive welcoming ceremony at Krakow's Blonia Park, one of his first encounters with young people during this year's World Youth Day celebrations. In his address to the crowds, the Roman Pontiff observed how many young people are entering into an “early retirement,” and “throw in the towel” before their lives have begun. Others, he said, “waste their lives” seeking out “empty thrills” in order to feel alive. “It is disturbing to see young people squandering some of the best years of their lives, wasting their energies running after peddlers of fond illusions,” he said. He challenged young people instead to seek out lasting fulfillment from another source. “To find fulfillment, to gain new strength, there is a way,” he said. “It is not a thing or an object, but a person, and he is alive. His name is Jesus Christ.” The Pope then went off script, enthusiastically calling on the young people to answer: “Can you buy Jesus Christ? Is Jesus Christ sold in stores? Jesus Christ is a gift! A gift from the Father!” Thursday evening's welcome ceremony marks Pope Francis' first full day in Poland during his July 27-31 trip for the 31st World Youth Day. In his address to the crowds, Pope Francis began by expressing his gratitude toward St. John Paul II, who founded World Youth Day in the 1980s. “From his place in heaven, he is with us and he sees all of you,” he said. “So many young people from such a variety of nations, cultures and languages but with one aim, that of rejoicing that Jesus is living in our midst.” The Pope explained that in rekindling our enthusiasm to follow Christ and our desire to be his disciples, we are saying he is alive. “What better opportunity to renew our friendship with Jesus than by building friendships among yourselves!” he said. “What better way to build our friendship with Jesus than by sharing him with others! “What better way to experience the contagious joy of the Gospel than by striving to bring the Good News to all kinds of painful and difficult situations!” Citing the theme of this WYD – “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall find mercy” – Francis said, “blessed indeed are they who can forgive, who show heartfelt compassion, who are capable of offering the very best of themselves to others.” Francis remarked on the “festive mood” of the event in Poland, and with all the young people taking part both in person and via modern media, “we are going to make this World Youth Day an authentic Jubilee celebration.” “Nothing is more beautiful than seeing the enthusiasm, dedication, zeal and energy with which so many young people live their lives,” he said. “When Jesus touches a young person’s heart, he or she becomes capable of truly great things.” The Roman Pontiff described his excitement in listening to the young people share their dreams, their questions, and “impatience with those who say that things cannot change.” “It is beautiful and heartwarming to see all that restlessness!” he said. “Today the Church looks to you and wants to learn from you, to be reassured that the Father’s Mercy has an ever-youthful face, and constantly invites us to be part of his Kingdom.” “Knowing your enthusiasm for mission, I repeat: mercy always has a youthful face!” A merciful heart is one which seeks to go beyond its comfort zone, to go out and embrace everyone, the Roman Pontiff continued. It is also a “place of refuge” for the homeless, refugees, and migrants; “it knows the meaning of tenderness and compassion.” “To say the word 'mercy' along with you is to speak of opportunity, future, commitment, trust, openness, hospitality, compassion and dreams.” The Pope then spoke off the cuff, saying that "when the heart is open, it is able to dream; there is a room for mercy, there is room to caress those who suffer." “There is room to place oneself  next to those who lack peace in their heart, or who lack the necessities of life, or who lack the most beautiful thing: the faith.” Francis discouraged young people from entering into an “early retirement” – referring particularly to those “who are defeated even before they begin to play, who walk around glumly as if life has no meaning.” “Deep down, young people like this are bored… and boring!” he said. The Pope also said he is troubled when young people “waste their lives looking for thrills or a feeling of being alive by taking dark paths and in the end having to pay for it… and pay dearly.” “It is disturbing to see young people squandering some of the best years of their lives, wasting their energies running after peddlers of fond illusions.” He challenged young people with an alternative: to seek the “power of grace” which gives them a “lasting sense of life and fulfillment.” “To find fulfillment, to gain new strength, there is a way. It is not a thing or an object, but a person, and he is alive. His name is Jesus Christ.” “Jesus can give you true passion for life,” he said, and “can inspire us not to settle for less, but to give the very best of ourselves.” “Jesus challenges us, spurs us on and helps us keep trying whenever we are tempted to give up. Jesus pushes us to keep our sights high and to dream of great things.” Francis spoke of the Gospel account of Christ visiting the home of his friends Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. As the account goes, Martha is kept busy with the duties of entertaining Christ, while Mary simply visits with their guest. “Our many jobs and responsibilities can make us a bit like Martha: busy, scattered, constantly running from place to place. But we can also be like Mary: whenever we see a beautiful landscape, or look at a video from a friend on our cellphone, we can stop and think, stop and listen…” “Jesus wants to stop and enter our home,” Pope Francis reflected. “He will look at us hurrying about with all our concerns, as he did with Martha… and he will wait for us to listen to him, like Mary, to make space for him amid the bustle.” In a challenge to young people, the Pope said that if they “want a complete life”, they must begin by letting themselves “be open and attentive.” This is “because happiness is sown and blossoms in mercy,” he said: “That is his answer, his offer, his challenge, his adventure: mercy.” Francis turned to Mary of Nazareth, and her “daring 'Yes'” which “launched her on the adventure of mercy.” “All generations would call her blessed,” he said: “to all of us she is the 'Mother of Mercy'.” The Pope challenged all the youth present to pray that they may be launched “on the adventure of mercy.” “Launch us on the adventure of building bridges and tearing down walls, barriers and barbed wire,” he prayed. “Launch us on the adventure of helping the poor, those who feel lonely and abandoned, or no longer find meaning in their lives.” “Here we are, Lord! Send us to share your merciful love,” he concluded, expressing his desire to welcome Christ “in our midst during this World Youth Day.” “We want to affirm that our lives are fulfilled when they are shaped by mercy, for that is the better part, and it will never be taken from us.” Read more

Krakow, Poland, Jul 28, 2016 / 11:58 am (CNA/EWTN News).- For young people who have given up on life, or who waste their existence seeking out “empty thrills,” Pope Francis proposes an alternative: Look to Christ, for only he can bring lasting fulfillment. “Jesus can give you true passion for life” and “can inspire us not to settle for less, but to give the very best of ourselves,” the Pope said July 28 during a massive welcoming ceremony at Krakow's Blonia Park, one of his first encounters with young people during this year's World Youth Day celebrations. In his address to the crowds, the Roman Pontiff observed how many young people are entering into an “early retirement,” and “throw in the towel” before their lives have begun. Others, he said, “waste their lives” seeking out “empty thrills” in order to feel alive. “It is disturbing to see young people squandering some of the best years of their lives, wasting their energies running after peddlers of fond illusions,” he said. He challenged young people instead to seek out lasting fulfillment from another source. “To find fulfillment, to gain new strength, there is a way,” he said. “It is not a thing or an object, but a person, and he is alive. His name is Jesus Christ.” The Pope then went off script, enthusiastically calling on the young people to answer: “Can you buy Jesus Christ? Is Jesus Christ sold in stores? Jesus Christ is a gift! A gift from the Father!” Thursday evening's welcome ceremony marks Pope Francis' first full day in Poland during his July 27-31 trip for the 31st World Youth Day. In his address to the crowds, Pope Francis began by expressing his gratitude toward St. John Paul II, who founded World Youth Day in the 1980s. “From his place in heaven, he is with us and he sees all of you,” he said. “So many young people from such a variety of nations, cultures and languages but with one aim, that of rejoicing that Jesus is living in our midst.” The Pope explained that in rekindling our enthusiasm to follow Christ and our desire to be his disciples, we are saying he is alive. “What better opportunity to renew our friendship with Jesus than by building friendships among yourselves!” he said. “What better way to build our friendship with Jesus than by sharing him with others! “What better way to experience the contagious joy of the Gospel than by striving to bring the Good News to all kinds of painful and difficult situations!” Citing the theme of this WYD – “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall find mercy” – Francis said, “blessed indeed are they who can forgive, who show heartfelt compassion, who are capable of offering the very best of themselves to others.” Francis remarked on the “festive mood” of the event in Poland, and with all the young people taking part both in person and via modern media, “we are going to make this World Youth Day an authentic Jubilee celebration.” “Nothing is more beautiful than seeing the enthusiasm, dedication, zeal and energy with which so many young people live their lives,” he said. “When Jesus touches a young person’s heart, he or she becomes capable of truly great things.” The Roman Pontiff described his excitement in listening to the young people share their dreams, their questions, and “impatience with those who say that things cannot change.” “It is beautiful and heartwarming to see all that restlessness!” he said. “Today the Church looks to you and wants to learn from you, to be reassured that the Father’s Mercy has an ever-youthful face, and constantly invites us to be part of his Kingdom.” “Knowing your enthusiasm for mission, I repeat: mercy always has a youthful face!” A merciful heart is one which seeks to go beyond its comfort zone, to go out and embrace everyone, the Roman Pontiff continued. It is also a “place of refuge” for the homeless, refugees, and migrants; “it knows the meaning of tenderness and compassion.” “To say the word 'mercy' along with you is to speak of opportunity, future, commitment, trust, openness, hospitality, compassion and dreams.” The Pope then spoke off the cuff, saying that "when the heart is open, it is able to dream; there is a room for mercy, there is room to caress those who suffer." “There is room to place oneself  next to those who lack peace in their heart, or who lack the necessities of life, or who lack the most beautiful thing: the faith.” Francis discouraged young people from entering into an “early retirement” – referring particularly to those “who are defeated even before they begin to play, who walk around glumly as if life has no meaning.” “Deep down, young people like this are bored… and boring!” he said. The Pope also said he is troubled when young people “waste their lives looking for thrills or a feeling of being alive by taking dark paths and in the end having to pay for it… and pay dearly.” “It is disturbing to see young people squandering some of the best years of their lives, wasting their energies running after peddlers of fond illusions.” He challenged young people with an alternative: to seek the “power of grace” which gives them a “lasting sense of life and fulfillment.” “To find fulfillment, to gain new strength, there is a way. It is not a thing or an object, but a person, and he is alive. His name is Jesus Christ.” “Jesus can give you true passion for life,” he said, and “can inspire us not to settle for less, but to give the very best of ourselves.” “Jesus challenges us, spurs us on and helps us keep trying whenever we are tempted to give up. Jesus pushes us to keep our sights high and to dream of great things.” Francis spoke of the Gospel account of Christ visiting the home of his friends Martha, Mary, and Lazarus. As the account goes, Martha is kept busy with the duties of entertaining Christ, while Mary simply visits with their guest. “Our many jobs and responsibilities can make us a bit like Martha: busy, scattered, constantly running from place to place. But we can also be like Mary: whenever we see a beautiful landscape, or look at a video from a friend on our cellphone, we can stop and think, stop and listen…” “Jesus wants to stop and enter our home,” Pope Francis reflected. “He will look at us hurrying about with all our concerns, as he did with Martha… and he will wait for us to listen to him, like Mary, to make space for him amid the bustle.” In a challenge to young people, the Pope said that if they “want a complete life”, they must begin by letting themselves “be open and attentive.” This is “because happiness is sown and blossoms in mercy,” he said: “That is his answer, his offer, his challenge, his adventure: mercy.” Francis turned to Mary of Nazareth, and her “daring 'Yes'” which “launched her on the adventure of mercy.” “All generations would call her blessed,” he said: “to all of us she is the 'Mother of Mercy'.” The Pope challenged all the youth present to pray that they may be launched “on the adventure of mercy.” “Launch us on the adventure of building bridges and tearing down walls, barriers and barbed wire,” he prayed. “Launch us on the adventure of helping the poor, those who feel lonely and abandoned, or no longer find meaning in their lives.” “Here we are, Lord! Send us to share your merciful love,” he concluded, expressing his desire to welcome Christ “in our midst during this World Youth Day.” “We want to affirm that our lives are fulfilled when they are shaped by mercy, for that is the better part, and it will never be taken from us.” Read more

Czestochowa, Poland, Jul 28, 2016 / 04:44 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Those who embrace their own littleness become the “spokespersons” of God, Pope Francis said during Mass at the shrine of Our Lady of Czestochowa, celebrating the 1050 anniversary of Poland becoming a Christian nation. It was the first major event of the Pope's trip to the country for the 31st World Youth Day. “To be attracted by power, by grandeur, by appearances, is tragically human,” the pontiff said in his homily. “But to give oneself to others, eliminating distances, dwelling in littleness and living the reality of one’s everyday life: this is exquisitely divine.” “The little ones speak (God's) own language, that of the humble love that brings freedom,” he said. “So he calls the simple and receptive to be his spokespersons; he entrusts to them the revelation of his name and the secrets of his heart.” According to official estimates, some 500,000 people attended the July 28 Mass with Pope Francis outside the Jasna Góra monastery, where the famous image of Our Lady of Czestochowa is housed. The event at Poland's leading Marian marked the first public Mass during Pope's July 27-31 trip to the nation for WYD, which is taking place in Krakow. The Mass was a celebration of the “baptism” of Poland, which became a Christian nation in 966 upon the baptism of its first historic ruler, Mieszko I. Francis centered his homily for the Mass on the readings, starting with Paul's letter to the Galatians. This reading speaks of Jesus coming at the “fullness of time” which, the Pope said, was “a gift of grace: God filled our time out of the abundance of his mercy. Out of sheer love he inaugurated the fullness of time.” The pontiff noted the particular significance of God entering into history by being “born of a woman.” “There was no triumphal entrance or striking epiphany of the Almighty. He did not reveal himself as a brilliantly rising sun, but entered the world in the simplest of ways, as a child from his mother,” he said. Citing Saint Luke's Gospel, the Pope said: “Thus, contrary to our expectations and perhaps even our desires, the kingdom of God, now as then, 'does not come in a way that attracts attention,' but rather in littleness, in humility.” Pope Francis turned his reflection to the day's Gospel which recounts Jesus' first miracle -- turning water into wine, at the request of his mother, during the wedding feast at Cana. “Today’s Gospel takes up this divine thread delicately passing through history,” he said. “Time shortens, God always shows himself in littleness.” This miracle was not an an “amazing deed done before the crowd” or a response to a “political question,” the pontiff observed. Rather, it was a “simple miracle” in a small village, one which “brings joy to the wedding of a young and completely anonymous family.” Despite its “littleness,” the miracle is nonetheless “a great sign, for it reveals to us the spousal face of God, a God who sits at table with us, who dreams and holds communion with us,” the Pope said. “It tells us that the Lord does not keep his distance, but is near and real. He is in our midst and he takes care of us, without making decisions in our place and without troubling himself with issues of power.” The desire for power is a human temptation, the pontiff said. Unlike us, Jesus “prefers to let himself be contained in little things.” “To be attracted by power, by grandeur, by appearances, is tragically human,” he said. “But to give oneself to others, eliminating distances, dwelling in littleness and living the reality of one’s everyday life: this is exquisitely divine.” Pope Francis reflected on three ways in which God saves humanity. This is achieved by Jesus' littleness, by his closeness to his people, and by his concrete actions. Reflecting on Jesus' “littleness,” the Pope noted his special love for “the little ones, to whom the kingdom of God is revealed.” “The little ones speak his own language, that of the humble love that brings freedom. So he calls the simple and receptive to be his spokespersons; he entrusts to them the revelation of his name and the secrets of his heart,” he said. He cited examples of this littleness, such as the martyrs who “defenseless power of the Gospel shine forth,” as well as ordinary people who witnessed “the Lord’s love amid great trials.” The Pope also remembered the Polish saints, St. John Paul II and St. Faustina, describing them as “meek and powerful heralds of mercy.” He also noted the significance of this significant anniversary of Poland's baptism falling during the Jubilee Year of Mercy. Pope Francis then reflected on God's nearness to his people, and his desire “to come down to our everyday affairs, to walk with us.” Reflecting on the 1050 years of Christianity in Poland, he said “we do well before all else to thank God for having walked with your people, having taken you by the hand and accompanied you in so many situations.” “That is what we too, in the Church, are constantly called to do: to listen, to get involved and be neighbours, sharing in people’s joys and struggles, so that the Gospel can spread every more consistently and fruitfully: radiating goodness through the transparency of our lives.” Finally, Pope Francis spoke of God in his reality, as manifested in the Word becoming flesh, “born of a mother.” “The eternal is communicated by spending time with people and in concrete situations,” the Pope explained. Addressing the people of Poland, the pontiff said: “Your own history, shaped by the Gospel, the Cross and fidelity to the Church, has seen the contagious power of a genuine faith, passed down from family to family, from fathers to sons and above all from mothers and grandmothers, whom we need so much to thank.” Pope Francis indicated to the image of Our Lady of Czestochowa, and reflected on Mary as a sign of “the fullness of time.” “In her, we find complete conformity to the Lord,” he said, adding that there is a “Marian thread” woven into history with the “divine thread.” “If there is any human glory, any merit of our own in the fullness of time, it is she,” he said. Mary is that space, preserved free from sin, where God chose to mirror himself.” “She is the stairway God took to descend and draw near to us. She is the clearest sign of the fullness of time.” Reflecting on Mary's “littleness,” the Pope noted how God “was so pleased with her that he let his flesh be woven from hers, so that the Virgin became the Mother of God.” The pontiff addressed the pilgrims who travel to the Shrine of Czestochowa, the “spiritual capital” of Poland. “May she continue to point the way,” and help you to weave in your own lives the humble and simple thread of the Gospel.” At the Jasna Góra shrine, like at Cana, Pope Francis said “Mary offers us her nearness, and helps us to discover what we need to live life to the full.” Acting with a “mother's love,” Mary teaches us “to avoid hasty decisions and grumbling in our communities,” he said. “As the Mother of a family, she wants to keep us together. Through unity, the journey of your people has surmounted any number of harsh experiences.” Addressing the crowds, the pontiff prayed that Mary may “obtain for you the desire to leave behind all past wrongs and wounds, and to build fellowship with all, without ever yielding to the temptation to withdraw or to domineer.” Pope Francis also spoke of the “great realism” which Mary demonstrated at the wedding in Cana, taking to heart the people's problems, and handling them “discreetly, efficiently and decisively.” He encouraged the faithful to ask for the grace to be able to imitate Mary's “sensitivity” and “creativity in serving others,” and to know the beauty of serving others, “without favourites or distinctions.” “The transition from before to after Christ means little if it remains a date in the annals of history,” Francis concluded. “May each one of us be able to make an interior passage, a Passover of the heart, towards the divine 'style' incarnated by Mary,” he said. “May we do everything in littleness, and accompany others at close hand, with a simple and open heart.” Read more

Krakow, Poland, Jul 28, 2016 / 03:00 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pilgrims from across the globe travel to World Youth Day by plane, train and automobile. But not Victor Jacquemont, Antoine Lescuyer, and Humbert Canot. The three young men, all in their early ... Read more