Holy Father Talks Lent and Lourdes at Angelus

Thanks to the Ratzinger Forum for the Pic and translation from yesterday's Angelus.

Last Wednesday, with fasting and the rite of the ashes, we entered Lent. But what does it mean 'to enter Lent'?

It means starting a time of particular commitment to spiritual combat against evil in the world, in each of us and around us. It means looking evil in the face and prepare ourselves to fight its effects, but especially its causes, up to its ultimate cause, Satan. It means not to unload the problem of evil on others, on society or on God, but to recognize our own responsibilities and consciously take appropriate charge.

In this regard, Christ's invitation for us Christians to take up one's own Cross and follow him with humility and trust (cfr Mt 16,24) resounds more urgently than ever. The 'Cross', no matter how heavy it may seem, is not synonymous to bad luck or misfortune to be avoided as much as possible, but it is an opportunity to place ourselves in Jesus's steps and thus acquire the strength for the battle against sin adn evil.

To enter Lent thus means to renew our personal and communitarian decision to face evil together with Christ. In fact, only the way of the Cross leads to the victory of love over hate, of sharing over selfishness, of peace over violence. Seen this way, Lent is truly an occasion of strong ascetic and spiritual commitment based on the grace of Christ.

This year, the start of Lent coincides providentially with the 150th anniversary of the Marian apparitions in Lourdes. Four years after the proclamation of the dogma of the Immaculate Conception by the Blessed Pius IX, Mary showed herself for the first time on February 11, 1858, to St. Bernadette Soubirous in the grotto of Massabielle.

Other apparitions followed, accompanied by extraordinary events, and in the end, the Virgin Mary bid farewell, revealing to the young seer in the local dialect: "I am the Immaculate Conception." The message that Our Lady continues to disseminate in Lourdes recalls the words that Jesus said right at the start of his public mission, which we will hear several times during these days of Lent: Repent and believe in the Gospel - pray and repent.

Let us welcome Mary's invitation which echoes that of Jesus, and let us ask her to obtain that we may 'enter' Lent with faith, so we may live this season of grace with interior joy and generous commitment. Let us also entrust to the Virgin those who are sick and those who take loving care of them.

In fact, tomorrow, the commemoration of Our Lady of Lourdes, is also the World Day for the Sick. I greet with all my heart the pilgrims who will gather this evening in St. Peter's Basilica under the leadership of Cardinal Lozano Barragan, president of the Pontifical Council for Health Ministry. Unfortunately, I will not be able to join them because this evening, I will begin spiritual exercises for Lent, but in silence and meditation, I will pray for them and for all the needs of the Church and the world.

To those who would wish to remember me to the Lord, I express my sincere thanks.

After the prayers, he said this in English:

I warmly greet all the English speaking pilgrims present at today’s Angelus. I particularly welcome members of the Hohenfels Catholic Military Faith Community from the United States of America, as well as young people from the Sant’Egidio community in Asia and Oceania who are attending a formation course in Rome

My dear friends, this past week we began our Lenten practice of prayer, fasting, and – in a special way – almsgiving. I invite all believers to enter this "spiritual battle" with hearts full of generosity towards those in need. In this way, we learn to make our lives a total gift to God and to our brothers and sisters. I wish all of you a fruitful preparation for the Paschal Feast!