Angelus, 9 June 2024 | Francis (2024)

Dear brothers and sisters, blessed Sunday!

The Gospel of today’s liturgy (cf. Mk 3:20-35) tells us that, after beginning his public ministry, Jesus faced a twofold reaction: that of his relatives, who were worried and feared he had gone a little mad, and that of the religious authorities, who accused him of acting under the influence of an evil spirit. In reality, Jesus preached and healed the sick by the power of the Holy Spirit. And it was precisely the Spirit that made him divinely free, that is, capable of loving and serving without measure or conditioning. Jesus, free. Let us pause a while to contemplate this freedom of Jesus.

Jesus was free in relation to wealth: therefore he left the security of his village, Nazareth, to embrace a life of poverty filled with uncertainties (cf. Mt 6:25-34), freely taking care of the sick and whoever came to ask him for help, without ever asking for anything in exchange (cf. Mt 10:8). This is the gratuitousness of Jesus’ ministry. And it is also the gratuitousness of every ministry.

He was free with regard to power: indeed, despite calling many to follow him, he never forced anyone to do so, nor did he ever seek out the support of the powerful, but always took the side of the last, teaching his disciples to do likewise, as he had done (cf. Lk 22:25-27).

Finally, Jesus was free of the quest for fame and approval. This is why he never gave up on speaking the truth, even at the cost of not being understood (cf. Mk 3:21), of being unpopular, even to the point of dying on the cross, not allowing himself to be intimidated, nor bought, nor corrupted by anything or anyone (cf. Mt 10:28).

Jesus was a free man. He was free in the face of wealth, free in the face of power, free in the face of the quest for fame. And this is important for us too. Indeed, if we let ourselves be conditioned by the quest for pleasure, power, money or consensus, then we become slaves to these things. If instead we allow God’s freely-given love to fill us and expand our heart, and if we let it overflow spontaneously, by giving it back to others, with our whole selves, without fear, calculation or conditioning, then we grow in freedom, and spread its good fragrance around us too.

So we can ask ourselves: am I a free person? Or do I let myself be imprisoned by the myths of money, power and success, sacrificing my serenity and peace, and that of others, to these things? In the places where I live and work, do I spread the fresh air of freedom, sincerity and spontaneity?

May the Virgin Mary help us live and love like Jesus taught us, with the freedom we have as children of God (cf. Rom 8:15,20-23).

__________________________________________________________

After praying the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:

An international conference on the humanitarian situation in Gaza, convened by the King of Jordan, the President of Egypt and the Secretary General of the United Nations, will be held in Jordan the day after tomorrow. While I thank them for this important initiative, I encourage the international community to take urgent action, by all means, to come to the aid of the people of Gaza, exhausted by the war. Humanitarian aid must be able to reach those in need, and no one can prevent it.

Yesterday marked the 10th anniversary of the invocation of peace in the Vatican, attended by the Israeli President, the late Shimon Peres, and the Palestinian President Abu Mazen. That meeting showed that joining hands is possible, and that it takes courage to make peace, far more courage than to wage war. Therefore, I encourage ongoing negotiations between the parties, even though they are not easy, and I hope that the proposals for peace, a ceasefire on all fronts and the freeing of hostages will be accepted immediately for the good of Palestinians and Israelis.

And let us not forget the martyred Ukrainian people. The more they suffer, the more they long for peace. I greet this Ukrainian group with the flags that are over there. We are close to you! It is a desire, this desire for peace, so I encourage all efforts that are being made so that peace can be built as soon as possible, with international help. And let us not forget Myanmar.

I greet you, people of Rome and pilgrims from many countries, in particular teachers from the “Saint John Paul II” Gymnasium in Kyiv, Ukraine — Slava Isusu Khrystu! (Praise be to Jesus Christ) — whom I encourage in their mission at this difficult and painful time. I greet the teachers and students of the “Cardenal Cisneros” diocesan school of the diocese of Sigüenza-Guadalajara in Spain, as well as the faithful of Assemini, Cagliari, the children of the “Giovanni Prati” School of Padua, and young people from the parish of Sant’Ireneo of Rome.

I reiterate my greeting to the choristers who have come to Rome from all over the world to participate in the Fourth International Meeting of Choirs. Dear friends, with your singing you can give glory to God always and transmit the joy of the Gospel!

I wish you all a happy Sunday. And please, do not forget to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch. Arrivederci!

Angelus, 9 June 2024 | Francis (2024)

FAQs

What does the Angelus prayer recall? ›

The Angelus (/ˈændʒələs/; Latin for "angel") is a Catholic devotion commemorating the Incarnation of Christ. As with many Catholic prayers, the name Angelus is derived from its incipit—the first few words of the text: Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariæ ("The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary").

Can the Angelus be said at any time? ›

—The Angelus is a short practice of devotion in honor of the Incarnation repeated three times each day, morning, noon, and evening, at the sound of the bell.

What is the new prayer for Angelus? ›

Let us pray.

Pour forth, we beseech you, O Lord, your grace into our hearts: that we, to whom the Incarnation of Christ your Son was made known by the message of an Angel, may by his Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of his Resurrection. Through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.

What are the words to the Angelus prayer? ›

Let us pray: Pour forth, we beseech thee, O Lord, thy grace into our hearts; that, we to whom the incarnation of Christ, thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by his passion and cross, be brought to the glory of his resurrection, through the same Christ our Lord.

Why do we pray the angelus at 6am? ›

Somehow, the fact that this traditional Catholic prayer was usually said at 6 A.M., 12 noon, and 6 P.M. was enough to motivate him, as soon as his alarm went off, to bolt upright and quietly start the familiar words, “The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary…” By the time he reached “And the Word was made flesh…”, he ...

Can you say the angelus by yourself? ›

That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ. You can pray it alone quietly or with a group where there is a leader and a group that responds. No matter how or when you pray it, the Angelus prayer allows our hearts to refocus back on God and His will for our lives.

Why do Catholics pray at 3 PM? ›

We know 3 pm is significant for us on Good Friday as the hour when Christ breathed his last and died on the cross for our sins and those of the whole world. We also know it is the hour when his side was pierced with a lance; and whereupon blood and water gushed forth as a fount of mercy for all souls.

Why do Catholics say the Angelus at noon? ›

The noontime Angelus devotion seems to have derived from the long-standing practice of praying and meditating on Our Lord's passion at midday each Friday. In 1456, Pope Calixtus III directed the ringing of church bells every day at noon and that Catholics pray three Hail Marys.

Is it necessary to pray the Angelus? ›

Praying the Angelus at least once each day is important — just as praying the rosary is important (especially for children). First, it would help connect children with the devotional traditions of their parents, the significance of which should not be underestimated.

What prayer instead of Angelus? ›

Traditionally the Angelus is prayed at 6am, 12noon and 6pm as a daily memorial of the Incarnation. During Eastertide the Regina caeli (Queen of Heaven) is prayed instead. The angel of the Lord declared unto Mary, and she conceived by the Holy Spirit.

What is the original Angelus prayer? ›

Let us pray: Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord. Amen. (Lk 1: 42).

Why do we pray the angelus three times a day? ›

The Angelus reminds us of the Angel Gabriel's annunciation to Mary, Mary's Fiat, the Incarnation and Our Lord's passion and resurrection. >> It is repeated as a holy invitation, calling us to prayer and meditation.

How to pray the Angelus step by step? ›

How to pray the Angelus prayer
  1. The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary, R/. And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
  2. Behold the handmaid of the Lord, R/. Be it done unto me according to your Word. ...
  3. And the Word was made flesh, R/. And dwelt among us. ...
  4. Pray for us, O holy Mother of God, R/.
May 17, 2022

What does the V and R mean in the Angelus prayer? ›

The Angelus is traditionally prayed in a call and response format, with a leader announcing the versicle (V) and everyone present saying the response (R).

What time do Catholics say the Angelus? ›

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.

What do we remember when we pray the angelus? ›

Angelus (Latin for “angel”) is a Christian devotion in memory of the Incarnation. As with many Catholic prayers, the name Angelus is derived from its incipit: Angelus Domini nuntiavit Mariæ (“… the Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary …”).

What is the reason for the Angelus prayer? ›

This devotion reminds us of the Angel Gabriel's annunciation to Mary, Mary's fiat, the Incarnation and Our Lord's passion and resurrection. It is repeated as a holy invitation, calling us to prayer and meditation. For centuries the Angelus was always said while kneeling, but Pope Benedict XIV (r.

What is the main message of the Angelus? ›

The Angelus is a prayer in which we contemplate the mystery of the Incarnation, the event by which "the Son of God became man in order to make us God." It is a short pause in our day-to-day activity, immersing us in the intimacy of our Lady and the Blessed Trinity.

What is the angelus prayer 3 times? ›

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.

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