Dear brothers and sisters,

The reading from the prophet Isaiah that we have just heard invites us to imagine different types of terrain: the desert, the steppe and the mountain.  All of them are called to bloom and sing for joy as they reflect the glory of God.  Let us also consider today this beautiful country and the varied geography with which the Creator of the universe has adorned it: vast plains and mighty rivers, numerous mountain ranges, green plateaus and broad plains, deep seas, majestic glaciers and vast deserts.  In all of its splendour and beauty, the entire land at the “end of the world” sings of the Lord’s glory.

Isaiah goes on to say that just as God causes water to spring forth in the parched land, making it more fertile, so too does he quench the deep thirst of human beings and heal them of their illnesses, opening the eyes of the blind and the ears of the deaf.  Dear brothers and sisters, these images speak to us of a new era and a promise of liberation.  Do not be afraid, God is with us.  Rejoice and be strong with the strength that comes from the Lord.

During these days, I have been able to see the richness of Argentina — not only in its geography but also in its people, in each one of our encounters, in the squares and streets and in the creativity, the spontaneity and the life that overflows at every turn.  In the Magnificat that we have proclaimed as the Responsorial Psalm, the Virgin Mary likewise overflows with joy in the Lord and praises him for the wonders that he works in her.  I thank God for the opportunity to meet this beloved people who open their doors to everyone and who share their bread as well as their music.  In this country there is always a place at the table for the newcomer, time is set aside to chat “between sips of mate,” and a helping hand is extended to those in need.

Today, at the house of Our Mother of Luján, my thoughts turn in a special way to our beloved Pope Francis, who always carried the Patroncita morena in his heart.  He taught us through his life always to love and venerate her.  He continues to teach us this lesson from the place he chose for his burial, which is located so close to an icon of the Blessed Mother.  In fact, his parting words were often: “May Jesus bless you and may the holy Virgin watch over you.”

With a heart full of gratitude for the many gifts that God has poured out upon this country, on this occasion I would like to propose to you a journey that is the same as the one we experience in the celebration of every Eucharist.  It consists of four steps: reconciliation, enlightenment through the word of God, communion, and being sent forth on mission.  Mary, standing at the foot of the Cross, unites herself to the Eucharistic Sacrifice and accompanies us on this journey (cf. Saint John Paul II, Ecclesia de Eucharistia, 56-58).

Many of our brothers and sisters — or even we ourselves and our families — may currently be living through moments of Calvary, suffering from illness, poverty, unemployment, discrimination or family breakdown, among other problems.  In those dark moments, we understand Mary’s experience at the foot of the Cross, with her mother’s heart torn with grief.  In that most terrible moment of her life, Mary received a new mission from her Son, embracing all humanity in her mother’s heart.  We are likewise called to receive God’s grace and to undergo processes of forgiveness and reconciliation that renew peace, hope and charity within us.  Let us be sincere, acknowledge our faults and ask the Lord for forgiveness; forgiveness for that beggar, for that tear I caused to fall; forgiveness for those eyes that, when they met mine, I refused to look at (cf. Zamba del perdón).  We also need to reconcile ourselves with our past and present, in order to build a new future where love has the final word.

Let us also recall the experience of the disciples on the road to Emmaus.  They were walking along with sad faces, and were discouraged and weighed down by the harsh reality of the Lord’s death.  At that moment, the risen Jesus appeared and explained the Scriptures to them.  When they shared a meal together, they recognized his presence, which had set their hearts on fire (cf. Lk 24:13-35).  Dear brothers and sisters, that is often our experience too, for we also can feel tired, disappointed or disoriented.  We need a compass, a guide, and indeed we already have it in Sacred Scripture!  Let us allow ourselves to be enlightened by it, for the word of God is a lamp for our steps and a light to our path (cf. Ps 119:105).

As a third step, after reconciliation and enlightenment through the word, we are called to communion.  Christ himself invites us to his table, and at that table we are all welcome (cf. Mt 22:9-10).  There is a place for everyone, especially for those who are most in need: the poor and the hungry, migrants, the sick and prisoners, with whom the Lord identifies (cf. Mt 25:35-40).  Indeed, “the Eucharist, which is the sacrament of unity, nurtures our belonging to the Body of Christ and teaches us how to share. The diverse sensibilities present in the Church and the strong convictions that animate each person are a source of richness if they remain anchored in the certainty that unity is a gift received and a responsibility to be fulfilled” (Magnifica Humanitas, 88).  Communion with Christ does not cause us to withdraw into our personal affairs, nor does it lead us to take advantage of others’ needs or allow us to shirk our responsibilities.  Rather it impels us to be an active part of a community, to share the gifts we have received freely, and to offer what little we have for the good of many.

We are invited to demonstrate charity in the manner of Christ.  Mary also teaches us that way at the foot of the Cross, for there on Calvary, both she and her Son loved to the end (cf. Jn 13:1).  Loving like Christ is not a matter of doing great things, but of remaining faithful at the Lord’s side, just as his mother did, both in times of suffering and in times of joy, glory and light.  It is a matter of looking at life through heavenly eyes and painting each of our days with the colour of hope. We know that there are many difficulties, but the Lord also inspires heroic acts of charity in our people. These include the father who rises early every day to bring bread home, the mother who stays by her sick child’s side during long nights in the hospital and the good friend who shares his time with those in need.

Dear brothers and sisters, the final step is the sending forth on mission, just as we are encouraged at the end of Holy Mass.  Go and proclaim (cf. Mk 16:15), because “we cannot keep from speaking about what we have seen and heard” (Acts 4:20).  Go and evangelize; proclaim the joy of the Gospel through words and good deeds. Argentina, rise up and walk! As Saint Augustine tells us: “Love and do whatever you please: if you are silent, be silent out of love; if you cry out, do so out of love; if you correct, correct out of love; if you forgive, forgive out of love.  May the root of charity dwell within you; from that root, nothing but good can spring forth” (cf. Saint Augustine, Homily on the First Letter of Saint John to the Parthians, 7:8).

Mother of Luján, my Pontificate began on 8 May, your feast day. Like millions of Argentines who come to your home to implore your maternal protection, I too wish to take refuge under your mantle. Guide me, Mother, in the apostolic mission the Lord has entrusted to me, and guide and accompany the Argentine people on their journey. Help them to build bridges of charity and networks of solidarity; inspire in them the desire to continue along paths of reconciliation, communion and mission, illuminated by the word of your son Jesus Christ and firmly grounded in him, “the cornerstone” (Acts 4:11).  Amen.

Dear brothers and sisters, I give thanks to God for the experiences I have had during my visit to this country, the birthplace of our beloved Pope Francis.  I thank all those who made my visit possible: the civil and religious authorities, the organisers and volunteers, as well as the many individuals, families and communities who took part in each of the events or followed them through the various means of communication.  Thank you, Argentina, for welcoming me with open arms!

The image of Our Lady of Luján, which accompanies us today, arrived in this nation on a cart and did not wish to continue its journey; it remains with you always.  The Successor of Peter must now continue his mission elsewhere, wherever the Lord sends him, but he would like to tell you that he carries all of you in his heart.

May God bless this land of Mary Immaculate, whose sky-blue and white mantle is reflected in the colors of its flag.  May the peoples of the north, with their hills and valleys; of the south, with their imposing glaciers; of the east, with their rivers and jungles; and of the west, with their majestic mountain ranges, give glory to the Lord for so many gifts received.  In his name, may you all go forth and proclaim the Gospel with joy and gratitude.

Thank you for welcoming me so warmly; I have indeed felt at home.  Let us remain united in Christ, praying for one another and entrusting ourselves to the maternal protection of Our Lady of Luján.  Farewell, beloved Argentina!

11.11.26

Dear brothers and sisters,

Peter's profession of faith, which resounds throughout history in his successors, reveals to us the mystery of God revealed in Christ for our salvation. This message of salvation remains vital today, upheld by the intercession of so many of our brothers and sisters in the faith, who accompany us today from heaven. It is not surprising that the land that now welcomes us has borne rich fruits of holiness.  The example of those who have gone before us on this path continues to inspire us to follow in their footsteps and to give our lives as Christ gave his for us, just as they so faithfully imitated him.

The city of Córdoba, the natural heir to the first episcopal see established in Argentina, has indeed been a home of saints.  Through its convents and churches, streets and hospitals passed men and women who, filled with love for Jesus, gave their lives for the Gospel.  Argentina was home to men and women such as Father Brochero and Mama Antula, to name but two, who were called by the Lord and sent on mission, without even realising how extraordinary their evangelizing work would be.  Indeed, we too, like all Christians, are merely humble servants, and all we must do is fulfil our duty (cf. Lk 17:10).

It is, then, a joyful duty to fulfill the mission that the Lord entrusts to each of us.  Yes, dear brothers and sisters, we are all called to holiness.  This is our task here on earth: to attain perfect union with God.  Moreover, this calling is always missionary: we must make known to others the beauty that we have come to know in Christ (contemplata aliis tradere).  As Christians, we must “teach what is consistent with sound doctrine” (Titus 2:1).  For this reason, I now make my own the exhortation of Saint Leo the Great, whose liturgical memorial we celebrate today and to whose protection I entrust myself: “Christian, recognize your dignity and, now that you share in God’s own nature, do not return to your former base condition by sinning.  Remember who is your head and of whose body you are a member.  Never forget that you have been rescued from the power of darkness and brought into the light of the Kingdom of God” (Sermon 1, in Nativitate Domini, PL 54, 192-193).

There is no better way to teach than by setting an example with one’s own life, for “the world expects from us a lifelong commitment and a witness of prayer” (Saint John Paul II, Homily, “Vélez Sarsfield” Stadium in Buenos Aires, 10 April 1987).  This demands unwavering, wholehearted commitment to Jesus Christ.  This is the example the saints have given us, and it is something that inspires us to live with hope, even amid difficulties.

Today, here in Córdoba, at the geographic heart of the country, we wish to give thanks to God for the diverse fruits of holiness borne by the men and women whom the Lord sent to this land of Argentina — whether they were born here or spent most of their lives here.  Just as Córdoba’s mountains are renowned for the beauty and harmony of their varied shapes and colours, so too are the Saints and Blesseds characterised by the different charisms and missions they received.  They offer a polyphonic witness to the universal call to holiness of every baptised person: the call to be conformed to Christ.  These saints, marked by their Argentinian identity, embody the unity between a passion for the Gospel and a commitment to building a fraternal and compassionate homeland.  All of them knew how to rise to the challenges of their time, transforming them into opportunities to proclaim the Good News — not theoretically, but by shaping their lives to become credible and effective witnesses to Christ’s love.

Let us begin by gratefully honoring the memory of Saint José Gabriel del Rosario Brochero.  This priest was truly in love with the Lord and knew how to draw strength for his life from prayer.  The Spiritual Exercises of Saint Ignatius of Loyola changed his life forever and conformed him to Christ, making him a concrete example of what we prayed in the responsorial psalm: “Trust in the Lord, and do good” (Ps 37:3).  Only those who have experienced friendship with Jesus Christ are capable of undertaking the task of evangelization; only those who know they are loved by the Lord are capable of extending his kingdom of charity and justice, devoting all their energies to proclaiming the Gospel, armed with nothing but the crucifix and the holy rosary.

Similarly inspired by Ignatian spirituality, Saint María Antonia de Paz y Figueroa, later known as Mama Antula, knew how to combine contemplation with service to neighbour. She recognised that the greatest act of fraternal charity is to bring others closer to God.  As my revered predecessor Pope Francis reminded us, the poor need God and people who express the power of Christian love in their lives (cf. Message for the Third World Day of the Poor, 13 June 2019, 8).  Following this same inspiration, Mama Antula tirelessly travelled the length and breadth of this country to show countless people the path to heaven.  Indeed, her guiding principle was to go wherever God was unknown, in order to make him known.

Two saints, two examples, two ways of identifying oneself with Christ, were inspired by the Lord himself in this region where we gather today to worship him.

Together with them, we also give thanks to God for the martyrs who confessed their faith even to the point of laying down their own lives.  Among them, we remember Saint Héctor Valdivielso Sáez and the Argentinian Blesseds who suffered martyrdom during the Spanish Civil War and in the Argentine provinces of La Rioja and Salta.

We thank the Lord for the gift he has given to the Church of shepherds after his own heart, such as Blessed Friar Mamerto Esquiú and Blessed Cardinal Eduardo Pironio.

We are particularly grateful for consecrated life, remembering the foundresses of religious congregations, such as Saint Nazaria Ignacia, Blessed María del Tránsito Cabanillas and Blessed Catalina de María Rodríguez.  We also remember the many other religious women, such as Blessed María Ludovica de Angelis and Blessed Crescencia Pérez, who, moved by ardent charity, dedicated their lives to the education of children and the care of the sick.

Lastly, the faithful People of God rejoice in the laypeople who, having received the proclamation of the Gospel, lived out their baptismal vocation to the fullest, loving God and their brothers and sisters in the simplicity of daily life.  Among them are Saint Artémides Zatti, Blessed Ceferino Namuncurá and Blessed Laura Vicuña.

Dear brothers and sisters, these Saints and Blesseds have already fulfilled their mission on earth.  Today, it is our turn to follow the radiant example of holiness they have left with us.  We celebrate this Holy Mass for the sanctification of the people of Argentina, for the sanctification of all of you.  Open your hearts, and with God’s grace, go forth and be holy (cf. 1 Thess 4:3): at school and in the town square, in family life and with friends, in the countryside and in the city, on the farm and in the office.  Go and evangelize!

Presiding over this celebration is the image of the poor Christ.  Father Brochero himself had it carved while lying on his sickbed, and the features of the people of this land are artistically reflected in Christ’s face.  Let his gaze challenge us, for in the shadow of his cross, we will find salvation and life, and the path to our own sanctification.  Through the intercession of Saint Leo the Great, I ask God to continue to bless us and to give us the grace to always proclaim: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God” (Mt 16:16).

10.11.26