Be it Done unto Me as You Will
H. H.
John Paul II
General Audience
March 24, 2004
1. Tomorrow
we will celebrate the Solemnity of the
Annunciation that leads us to contemplate the
Incarnation of the Eternal Word made man inMary's womb. The Virgin's "yes" opened the doors
to the implementation of the heavenly Father's
saving plan, a plan of redemption for all men
and women.
If this
feast, which this year falls in the middle of
Lent, takes us back, on the one hand, to the
beginnings of salvation, it invites us, on the
other, to turn our gaze to the Paschal Mystery.
Let us look at the crucified Christ who redeemed
humanity, obeying the will of the Father to the
very end. On Calvary, in the last moments of his
life, Jesus entrusted Mary to us as Mother and
gave us to her as children. Since she is associated
with the Mystery of the Incarnation, Our Lady
shares in the Mystery of the Redemption. Her fiat, which we will commemorate
tomorrow, echoes that of the Incarnate Word. In
close harmony with the fiat of Christ and
of the Virgin, each one of us is called to say
our own "yes" to the mysterious designs of
Providence. Indeed, that joy and true peace
which all ardently hope for even in our times
only springs forth in full acceptance of the
divine will.To the Immaculate
Heart of Mary
2. On the eve of this feast which is both
Christological and Marian, I am thinking back to
several significant moments at the beginning of
my Pontificate: to 8 December 1978, when I
entrusted the Church and the world to Our Lady
at St Mary Major's; and to 4 June the following
year, when I renewed this entrustment at the
Shrine of Jasna Gora. I am thinking in
particular of 25 March 1984, the Holy Year of
the Redemption. Twenty years have passed since
that day in St Peter's Square when, spiritually
united with all the Bishops of the world who had
been "convoked" beforehand, I wanted to
entrust all humanity to the Immaculate Heart of
Mary in response to what Our Lady asked at
Fatima.
Prayer for the
Missionary Martyrs
3. Humanity was then going through difficult
times that were giving rise to deep distress and
uncertainty. Twenty years later, the world is
still frighteningly streaked by hatred,
violence, terrorism and war. Among the many
victims recorded in the news every day, many are
defenceless persons, struck as they go about
their duties. On today's Day dedicated to
remembrance and prayer for the "Missionary
Martyrs", we cannot but recall the priests,
consecrated persons and lay faithful who died in
mission lands during 2003. So much blood is
still being poured out in many parts of the
world. It is still urgently necessary for people
to open their hearts and to work courageously
for reciprocal understanding. The expectation of
justice and peace in every part of the earth is
always growing greater. How can we respond to
this thirst for hope and love other than by
turning to Christ, through Mary? I also repeat
to the Blessed Virgin today the plea I made to
her then.
"Mother
of Christ, let there be revealed, once more, in
the history of the world the infinite saving
power of the Redemption: the power of merciful
Love! May it put a stop to evil! May it
transform consciences! May your Immaculate Heart
reveal for all the light of hope!"
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