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Pope at Angelus: Treasure the signs of God’s love

At the Sunday Angelus Pope Francis explains that the signs we read about in the Gospels are clues that reveal God’s love for us, who is always near, tender, and compassionate.

By Vatican News staff writer

Reflecting on the Sunday Gospel reading, which recounts the wedding at Cana, where Jesus transformed water into wine, Pope Francis explained how this sign at Cana sparked the faith of His disciples. The signs we read about in the Gospels are clues that reveal God’s love.

God’s love always near

The signs described in the Gospels draw our attention to the love that caused them, more than the extraordinary power of their action, the Pope observed, showing how God’s love “is always near, tender, and compassionate.” 

Love manifested discreetly

Jesus acted discreetly and saved the wedding banquet from becoming an unhappy event, the Pope went on to say, and it was Our Lady who brought the issue quietly to Jesus’ attention. The Lord intervened “behind the scenes,” without making the incident an issue, by having the servants fill the jars with water that became wine. This simple, yet amazing, sign, shows “how God acts, near and discretely,” the Pope pointed out, making the moment more beautiful, and manifesting God’s love present in Jesus.

Attentive to the signs of God’s love

The first sign Jesus accomplished did not consist of an extraordinary healing, but a simple and concrete response to a human need, the Pope noted.

“This is how God loves to act. And if we, like Mary at Cana, ask him, Jesus is ready to help us, to lift us up. And then, if we are attentive to these “signs”, we will be conquered by his love and we will become his disciples.”

The best always

The Cana Gospel narrative also notes how the water that became wine was of higher quality, when usually it would have been diluted for practical reasons. The Pope said this tells us symbolically how God wants what is better for us and our happiness, setting no limits or requirements, and ensuring our joy is complete, never diluted.

Look for signs of God’s love in your lives

In conclusion, the Pope said it would help if we went through our own memories to recall or discover signs of how the Lord has worked in our own lives and shown His love for us, even in difficult moments. We should treasure the discrete and loving signs of the Lord’s nearness and tenderness, he said, and be joyful in our hearts because of them.

“Let us relive the moments in which we have experienced his presence and Mary’s intercession. May she, the Mother who is always attentive as at Cana, help us treasure the signs of God’s presence in our lives.”

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16 January 2022, 12:10

The Angelus is a special prayer recited by Catholics three times a day, at 6am, noon, and 6pm and is accompanied by the ringing of the Angelus bell. The name comes from the Latin word for Angel and the prayer itself reminds us of how Jesus Christ assumed our human nature through the Mystery of the Incarnation.
The Pope recites the Angelus prayer in St Peter’s Square every Sunday at midday.
He also gives a brief reflection on the Gospel of the day and often comments on some issue of international concern. The Pope’s words are broadcast all over the world on radio and television and widely shared on social media.
From Easter to Pentecost the Regina Coeli is prayed instead of the Angelus. This prayer commemorates the Resurrection of Jesus Christ and, like the Angelus, concludes with the recitation of the Gloria three times.

Latest Angelus / Regina Coeli

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