(June 6, 2010) Pope Benedict XVI, who is on a pastoral visit to Cyprus June 4 -6,
after Sunday's Mass delivered the Angelus message and sent greetings for beatification
of martyred Polish priest. Below is the text of his message:
Dear brothers
and sisters in Christ, At the midday hour it is the Church’s tradition to turn
in prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary, joyfully recalling her ready acceptance of the
Lord’s invitation to become the mother of God. It was an invitation that filled her
with trepidation, one which she could scarcely even comprehend. It was a sign that
God had chosen her, his lowly handmaid, to cooperate with him in his saving work.
How we rejoice at the generosity of her response! Through her “yes”, the hope of
the ages became a reality, the One whom Israel had long awaited came into the world,
into our history. Of him the angel promised that his kingdom would have no end (cf.
Lk 1:33). Some thirty years later, as Mary stood weeping at the foot of the cross,
it must have been hard to keep that hope alive. The forces of darkness seemed to
have gained the upper hand. And yet, deep down, she would have remembered the angel’s
words. Even amid the desolation of Holy Saturday the certitude of hope carried her
forward into the joy of Easter morning. And so we, her children, live in the same
confident hope that the Word made flesh in Mary’s womb will never abandon us. He,
the Son of God and Son of Mary, strengthens the communion that binds us together,
so that we can bear witness to him and to the power of his healing and reconciling
love.
I would now like to say a few words in Polish on the happy occasion
of the beatification today of Jerzy Popiełuszko, priest and martyr. Serdeczne pozdrowienie
kieruję do Kościoła w Polsce, który dziś raduje się wyniesieniem na ołtarze księdza
Jerzego Popiełuszki. Jego ofiarna posługa i męczeństwo są szczególnym znakiem zwycięstwa
dobra nad złem. Niech jego przykład i wstawiennictwo budzi gorliwość kapłanów i rozpala
miłość wiernych. I send cordial greetings to the Church in Poland which today rejoices
at the elevation to the altars of Father Jerzy Popiełuszko. His zealous service and
his martyrdom are a special sign of the victory of good over evil. May his example
and his intercession nourish the zeal of priests and enkindle the faithful with love.