Pope Francis says "When we feel loved, we experience a force that sets love in motion; as the apostle Paul says, “the love of Christ impels us” FULL TEXT

POPE FRANCIS at the GENERAL AUDIENCE
in the Vatican's Audience Hall on Wednesday, 5 February 2025
_______________________________________

The following text includes parts that were not read out loud, but should be considered as such.

Cycle of Catechesis – Jubilee 2025. Jesus Christ our Hope. I. The Infancy of Jesus. 4. « Blessed are you who believed » (Lk 1:45). The Visitation and the Magnificat

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!

Today we will contemplate the beauty of Jesus Christ our hope in the mystery of the Visitation. The Virgin Mary visits Saint Elizabeth; but it is above all Jesus, in His mother’s womb, who visits His people (cf. Lk 1:68), as Zechariah says in his hymn of praise.

After the astonishment and wonder at what has been announced to her by the Angel, Mary gets up and sets out on a journey, like all those who are called to in the Bible, because “the only act with which man can respond to God who is revealed to him is that of unlimited readiness” (H.U. von Balthasar, Vocation, Rome 2002, 29). This young daughter of Israel does not choose to protect herself from the world; she does not fear dangers and the judgements of others, but goes out towards other people.

When we feel loved, we experience a force that sets love in motion; as the apostle Paul says, “the love of Christ impels us” (2Cor 5:14), it drives us, it moves us. Mary feels the push of this love, and goes to help a woman who is her relative, but also an elderly woman who, after a long wait, is welcoming an unhoped-for pregnancy, difficult to deal with at her age. But the Virgin also goes to Elizabeth to share her faith in the God of the impossible and her hope in the fulfilment of His promises.

The encounter between the two women produces a surprising impact: the voice of Mary, “full of grace”, who greets Elizabeth provokes the prophecy in the child the older woman is carrying in her womb, and inspires in her a dual blessing: “Most blessed are you among women, and blessed is the fruit of your womb!” (Lk 1:42). And also a beatitude: “Blessed are you who believed that what was spoken to you by the Lord would be fulfilled” (v. 45).

Faced with the recognition of the messianic identity of her Son and her mission as mother, Mary does not speak of herself but of God, and raises a praise full of faith, hope and joy, a song that resounds every day in the Church during the prayer of Vespers: the Magnificat (Lk 1:46-55).

This praise to God the saviour, which gushed forth from the heart of his humble servant, is a solemn memorial that synthesizes and fulfils the prayer of Israel. It is interwoven with biblical resonances, a sign that Mary does not want to sing “out of the choir” but to tune in with the forefathers, exalting her compassion for the humble, those little ones whom Jesus in his preaching will declare “blessed” (cf. Mt 5:1-12).

The prominent presence of the paschal motif also makes the Magnificat a hymn of redemption, which has as its backdrop the memory of the liberation of Israel from Egypt. The verbs are all in the past, imbued with a memory of the love that lights up the present with faith and illuminates the future with hope: Mary sings of the grace of the past, but she is the woman of the present who carries the future in her womb.

The first part of this canticle praises God’s action in Mary, a microcosm of the people of God who adhere fully to the covenant (vv. 46-50); the second ranges from the work of the Father in the macrocosm of the history of His son (vv. 51-55), through three key words: memory, mercy, promise.

The Lord, who bowed down to the humble Mary to fulfil “great things” in her and make her the mother of the Lord, began to save His people starting from the exodus, remembering the universal blessing promised to Abraham (cf. Gen 12:1-3). The Lord God who is the faithful for ever, showered an uninterrupted stream of merciful love “from age to age” (v. 50) upon the people loyal to the covenant, and now manifests the fullness of salvation in His Son, sent to save the people from their sins. From Abraham to Jesus Christ and the community of believers, the Passover thus appears as the hermeneutical category for understanding every subsequent liberation, up to that realized by the Messiah in the fullness of time.
GREETINGS:

Dear brothers and sisters, let us ask the Lord today for the grace to be able to wait for the fulfilment of every one of His promises; and to help us to welcome Mary’s presence in our life. By following her example, may we all discover that every soul that believes and hopes “conceives and begets the Word of God” (Saint Ambrose, Exposition of the Gospel according to Luke 2, 26).
I extend a cordial welcome to the Italian-speaking pilgrims. In particular, I greet the pilgrimage of the Diocese of Mazara del Vallo with Bishop Monsignor Angelo Giurdanella; I greet the faithful of Sant’Angelo all’Esca, the Benedict XVI Oratory of Buccinasco and the students of the San Paolo school of Pogliano Milanese. I hope that the visit to the tombs of the Apostles will inspire a renewed desire to adhere to Christ and to bear witness in your communities.


And let us think of the countries that are suffering from war: the tormented Ukraine, Israel, Palestine ... So many countries that are suffering there. Let us remember the displaced persons of Palestine and pray for them.


Finally, my thoughts go to the young people, the sick, the elderly and newlyweds. As the Apostle Paul exhorts, I encourage you to be joyful in hope, strong in tribulations, persevering in prayer, solicitous for the needs of the brothers (see Rom 12:12-13).


My blessing to all!


I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors, especially those coming from Ireland, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and the United States, and offer my good wishes that the Jubilee will be for all of you a season of spiritual renewal and growth in the joy of the Gospel. Upon you and your families I gladly invoke God’s blessings of wisdom, strength and peace.

Je salue cordialement les groupes de pèlerins de langue française, venus de France et de Belgique, en particulier le diocèse de Bordeaux, les Collèges Stanislas et La Rochefoucauld de Paris, le Centre Madeleine Daniélou et les étudiants du Loiret et de Bruxelles. Demandons au Seigneur de renforcer notre foi dans l’accomplissement de ses promesses et mettons-nous à l’école de Marie, en cultivant un cœur disponible pour Dieu et les frères pour rendre notre monde plus joyeux et plus fraternel. Que Dieu vous bénisse.


[Saluto cordialmente i gruppi di pellegrini francofoni provenienti dalla Francia e dal Belgio, in particolare la diocesi di Bordeaux, i collegi Stanislas e La Rochefoucauld di Parigi, il Centro Madeleine Daniélou e gli studenti di Loiret e di Bruxelles. Chiediamo al Signore di rafforzare la nostra fede nel compimento delle sue promesse e seguiamo la scuola di Maria, coltivando un cuore aperto a Dio e ai fratelli, per rendere il nostro mondo più gioioso e più fraterno. Dio vi benedica.]

I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors, especially those coming from Ireland, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines and the United States, and offer my good wishes that the Jubilee will be for all of you a season of spiritual renewal and growth in the joy of the Gospel. Upon you and your families I gladly invoke God’s blessings of wisdom, strength and peace.

[Saluto i pellegrini di lingua inglese, specialmente quelli provenienti da Irlanda, Indonesia, Malaysia, le Filippine e Stati Uniti, con l’augurio che il Giubileo sia per voi un’occasione di rinnovamento spirituale e di crescita nella gioia del Vangelo. Su voi e sulle vostre famiglie invoco di cuore i doni divini di sapienza, di forza e di pace.]

Liebe Brüder und Schwestern deutscher Sprache, nach dem Beispiel Marias wollen auch wir Christus zu den Menschen unserer Zeit bringen und in ihnen die Hoffnung und Freude wecken, die Elisabet und ihr Kind bei dieser Begegnung erfüllte. Denken wir an das Große, das der Herr auch an uns tun möchte!

[Cari fratelli e sorelle di lingua tedesca, seguendo l’esempio di Maria, portiamo anche noi Cristo agli uomini del nostro tempo, suscitando in loro la speranza e la gioia che hanno riempito Elisabetta e il suo figlio durante questo incontro. Pensiamo alle grandi cose che il Signore vuole fare anche per noi!]

Saludo cordialmente a los peregrinos de lengua española. En este Año jubilar, los invito a elevar a Dios el canto del Magníficat, como María, recordando con gratitud las grandes cosas que Él ha hecho en nuestra vida. Que Jesús los bendiga y la Virgen Santa los proteja. Muchas gracias.

我向讲中文的人们致以诚挚的问候。亲爱的弟兄姐妹们，我敦促你们永远做和平的缔造者。我降福大家！

[Rivolgo il mio cordiale saluto alle persone di lingua cinese. Cari fratelli e sorelle, vi esorto ad essere sempre costruttori di pace. A tutti la mia benedizione!]

Saúdo cordialmente todos os fiéis de língua portuguesa. Irmãos e irmãs, peçamos ao Senhor que o exemplo de Maria nos torne arautos da esperança na realização das promessas divinas, aprendendo a sua disponibilidade para o serviço a todos os necessitados. Que a Mãe de Deus vos proteja sempre!

[Saluto cordialmente tutti i fedeli di lingua portoghese. Fratelli e sorelle, chiediamo al Signore che l’esempio di Maria ci faccia araldi della speranza nel compimento delle promesse divine, imparando da Lei la disponibilità per il servizio a quanti hanno bisogno. La Madre di Dio vi custodisca sempre!]

أُحيِّي المُؤْمِنِينَ النَّاطِقِينَ باللُغَةِ العَرَبِيَّة. المَسِيحيُّ مَدعُوٌ إلى أنْ يَشهَدَ للإنجيلِ لكي يَبنِيَ عالَمًا جديدًا بالوَداعَة، وبالعَطايا والمواهبِ الَّتي نالَها. بارَكَكُم الرَّبُّ جَميعًا وَحَماكُم دائِمًا مِنْ كُلِّ شَرّ!

[Saluto i fedeli di lingua araba. Il cristiano è chiamato a testimoniare il Vangelo per edificare con mitezza, attraverso i doni e i carismi ricevuti, un mondo nuovo. Il Signore vi benedica tutti e vi protegga ‎sempre da ogni male‎‎‎‏!]

Pozdrawiam pielgrzymów z Polski. Zachęcam was do modlitwy za kapłanów i osoby konsekrowane, którzy posługują w krajach ubogich i ogarniętych wojną, zwłaszcza na Ukrainie, Bliskim Wschodzie i w Demokratycznej Republice Konga. Dla wielu ludzi ta obecność jest dowodem na to, że Bóg nieustannie o nich pamięta. Z serca wam błogosławię!

[Saluto i pellegrini polacchi. Vi incoraggio a pregare per i sacerdoti e i consacrati che svolgono il loro ministero nei Paesi poveri e in guerra, specialmente in Ucraina, in Medio Oriente e nella Repubblica Democratica del Congo. Per molti questa presenza è la prova che Dio si ricorda sempre di loro. Vi benedico di cuore!]