If we want
the world to change, then first our hearts must change. For this to
happen, let us allow Our Lady to take us by the hand. Let us gaze upon
her Immaculate Heart in which God dwelt, “our tainted nature’s solitary boast”.
Mary is “full of grace” (v. 28), and thus free from sin. In her,
there is no trace of evil and hence, with her, God was able to begin a new
story of salvation and peace. There, in her, history took a turn.
God changed history by knocking at the door of Mary’s heart.
Today, renewed by forgiveness, may we too knock at the door of her immaculate heart. In union with the Bishops and faithful of the world, I desire in a solemn way to bring all that we are presently experiencing to the Immaculate Heart of Mary. I wish to renew to her the consecration of the Church and the whole of humanity, and to consecrate to her in a particular way the Ukrainian people and the Russian people who, with filial affection, venerate her as a Mother.
This is no magic formula but a spiritual act. It is an act of complete trust on the part of children who, amid the tribulation of this cruel and senseless war that threatens our world, turn to their Mother. It is like what young children do when they are scared; they turn to their mother for protection.
We turn to our Mother, reposing all our fears
and pain in her heart and abandoning ourselves to her. It means placing
in that pure and undefiled heart, where God is mirrored, the inestimable goods
of fraternity and peace, all that we have and are, so that she, the Mother whom
the Lord has given us, may protect us and watch over us.
(From Consecration of Ukraine and Russia- Homily of Pope Francis - March 25, 2022)
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