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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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Topics
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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Pray with the Pope

Angelus

Angelus Dómini nuntiávit Mariæ.
Et concépit de Spíritu Sancto.
Ave Maria...

Ecce ancílla Dómini.
Fiat mihi secúndum verbum tuum.
Ave Maria...

Et Verbum caro factum est.
Et habitávit in nobis.
Ave Maria...

Ora pro nobis, sancta Dei génetrix.
Ut digni efficiámur promissiónibus Christi.

Orémus.
Grátiam tuam, quǽsumus, Dómine,
méntibus nostris infunde;
ut qui, Ángelo nuntiánte, Christi Fílii tui incarnatiónem cognóvimus, per passiónem eius et crucem, ad resurrectiónis glóriam perducámur. Per eúndem Christum Dóminum nostrum.

Amen.

Gloria Patri... (ter)
Requiem aeternam...

Benedictio Apostolica seu Papalis

Dominus vobiscum.Et cum spiritu tuo.
Sit nomen Benedicat vos omnipotens Deus,
Pa ter, et Fi lius, et Spiritus Sanctus.

Amen.

The Angelus Prayer

The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
Hail Mary, etc...

Behold the handmaid of the Lord.
Be it done unto me according to Your Word.
Hail Mary, etc...

And the Word was made Flesh.
And dwelt among us.
Hail Mary, etc...

Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.

Let us pray:
Pour forth, we beseech You, O Lord,
Your Grace into our hearts;
that as we have known the incarnation of Christ,
Your Son by the message of an angel,
so by His Passion and Cross
we may be brought to the glory of His Resurrection.
Through the same Christ, Our Lord.

Amen.

Glory be, etc… (3 times)
Eternal rest…

Apostolic Blessing

The Lord be with you.
And with your spirit.
Blessed be the name of the Lord.

Now and forever.

Our help is in the name of the Lord.
Who has made Heaven and Earth.
May Almighty God bless you.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.

Amen.