Pope Francis: 'Here I am is the greatest praise we can give God'

Source: Vatican Media

On the Feast of the Immaculate Conception, Pope Francis prayed the Angelus with the faithful gathered in St Peter's Square saying that we praise God when we say with Mary, "Here I am".

Pope Francis contrasted Adam's response to God "I hid myself", and Mary's response, "Here I am" during his reflections before leading the faithful in the recitation of the Angelus. Hiding from God "closes oneself off, isolates, makes the person remain alone with him or herself". Here I am, instead, opens us to God, Pope Francis said.

The secret and key word for life is Here I am, the Pope continued. It helps us begin living a life directed toward God instead of toward ourselves. Placing our bet on the Lord, saying Here I am, "is the greatest praise that we can offer Him", he said. And he added that it is a beautiful way to begin each day.

By saying "Let it be done to be according to your word", Mary shows us that she did not live "according to me", but "according to You". Pope Francis said she never thought: "I'll dedicate myself a little bit to Him, I'll get it over with and then I'll do what I want". Her complete trust in God is different than many of us who are often suspicious of God. Mary, Pope Francis said, conquered the devil's temptation to distrust God with her Here I am. "And together we gaze on the beauty of the Madonna, who was born and who lived without sin, always docile and transparent before God", the Pope said.

Just because Mary entrusted herself to God "does not mean that life was easy for her" or that God magically resolved her problems, Pope Francis continued. Problems began immediately when "the angel left her…alone in a difficult situation". She knew what was happening, but no one else did. What she was certain of was that God remained "with her and in her." Although she did not know what to expect, she believed that "everything was going to be okay", he said. Therefore, Mary teaches us not to live "dependent on problems…but trusting God and entrusting ourselves each day to Him".

After the Angelus Pope Francis announced that 19 martyrs were beatified in Algeria.

"Today, in the Shrine of Our Lady of the Holy Cross in Oran, Algeria, Bishop Pierre Claverie and 18 men and women religious, killed in hatred of the faith, were beatified."

He called them "martyrs of our time" and "faithful proclaimers of the Gospel, and heroic witnesses of Christian love". Pope Francis said their "courageous witness is a source of hope" for Catholics in Algeria, "a seed for dialogue".

The Pope said he hopes that their Beatification will be "an incentive for everyone to build together a world of brotherhood and solidarity".
And as has become customary, Pope Francis asked the faithful present in the square to give a round of applause for the newly beatified martyrs.

On 7 December, the Christmas tree and crib arrived in St Peter's Square. Watch a short film on the arrival ceremony here: www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2018-12/vatican-christmas-nativity-scene-tree-inauguration.html#play