Him. We must encounter Him again in order to start anew from Christ. Only in this way, in the steadfast companionship of Christ, will we be able to live this time without being carried away by feelings of hatred, resentment and fear. And we are here today to ask Our Lady to bring us back to Him and to open our hearts to His Word of Life.  

But we must also encounter Him in the many people whose lives, commitment and witness open our hearts to trust. We need men and women who are full of life, who are therefore capable of giving of themselves, of working for their neighbor, for justice, for building relationships marked by dignity and respect. Such people exist, and they are numerous, and they are among us. As long as there are people who know how to give of themselves in this darkest of times, in this sea of pain and violence, there will be hope. The devil has no power over those who give themselves out of love. So let us look beyond our pain, let us be guided by Our Lady and let us consent with confidence to the Word of hope that God has sown in us. 

In this time in which narratives of violence and power are constructed, in which the history made by the great ones seems to be one of war and oppression, let us be those who, through their style, in their encounters, through word and life, construct a different narrative, write a different history. With meekness, but also with the power of word and testimony, we want to say our “yes” to God and be builders of another city, full of light and life. 

“Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God.” (Lk. 1:30) Do not be afraid. So we must not be afraid. Fear is the devil’s word that closes the heart of man. By following the Virgin Mary, we want instead to follow the Word of God, which creates the future, enables encounters and generates life. 

This is why we want to start anew from Nazareth, strengthened by the maternal gaze of Mary, who invites us to look up, not to give in to the fears that paralyze us, and to see the work that God is still doing through so many men and women who give concreteness to our hope. Even more, we want to be among them. 

May Mary of Nazareth intercede for all of us, for our families, for our peoples in the Holy Land. Comfort those who now suffer and weep and give strength to those who work for justice and peace. Amen. 

 +Pierbattista