Vatican City, Jun 1, 2009 / 16:02 pm
Yesterday evening, Pope Benedict XVI addressed the faithful at the Vatican's Grotto of Lourdes, urging them to “meditate upon the bond between the Holy Spirit and the Virgin Mary.”Crowds gathered at the Grotto following the conclusion of the traditional procession through the Vatican Gardens in observance of the end of the Month of May.
In his address, the Pope spoke of the Virgin Mary as “the Bride of the Spirit” and explained how the Holy Spirit guided the most important moments of her life, including the Annunciation, Visitation, and Nativity. “Mary’s heart,” he said, “in perfect harmony with her divine Son, is a temple of the Spirit of truth, where each word and each event is treasured in faith, hope, and charity.”
The Holy Father went on to say that Mary’s faith supported and accompanied the disciples throughout their journey of faith until their “Baptism in the Holy Spirit.” Even today, he continued, Mary maintains her role of “universal maternity towards all people who have been generated by God through faith in Christ.”
Today, Mary works with the Holy Spirit within the Church, said the Pope. “Mary is the image and model of the Church which, accompanied by the Spirit, advances through time invoking the glorious return of Christ: 'Come, Lord Jesus.'”
The Holy Father concluded by imparting his apostolic blessing and inviting his listeners to recognize the work of the Holy Spirit in their own lives, that like Mary, they may able “to listen to His inspiration and humbly to follow it.”