Pope: Mary helps us to understand the Trinity

27 May, 2013 – Pope Francis on Trinity Sunday made his first pastoral visit to a parish of the Diocese of Rome, of which he is bishop, and administered First Holy Communion to 16 children. During his morning visit to the Parish of Sts. Elisabeth and Zachary, Mary’s cousin and brother-in-law respectively, the Pope also heard confessions of at least 7 people, which is also a first of his pontificate. Following a rapturous welcome after arriving in a helicopter in the northern outskirts of Rome, the Pope spent time going about greeting the parishioners. In his homily at Mass, the Argentine Pope spoke about Mary who, despite being pregnant with Jesus, went in haste to help her cousin Elizabeth who was pregnant in old age. The Holy Father said, Mary went with haste to help her, not to command her as Mother of God. Likewise, she always hastens to help us her children, whenever we are in difficulty. The Pope said, the Madonna also helps us to understand God. Quizzing the children on their concept of the Holy Trinity, the Pope concluded: "The Father creates, Jesus saves us and the Holy Spirit loves us.” And talking to the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit is Christian life, the Pope stressed. Jesus who saved us accompanies us, guides and gives us strength, especially in difficulties, he told the children. He comes us in Communion, which looks like bread but is his own body. And the Holy Spirit loves us and helps us to love, just as Mary did, when she hurried to Elizabeth to help her.