00:12Everything entrusted to him, whether it be great or small.
00:19Today, as we gather here in Paisandu to celebrate the Eucharist,
00:25we are rejoicing to see so many members of the Church in Uruguay,
00:31as some of the around the same table, together with pilgrims from neighboring countries.
00:37The Liturgy of the Word invites us to recall the presence
00:46of so many people of faith who came to the Rio de la Plata region
00:52in the earliest days of evangelization on this continent.
00:56They arrived in the name of the Lord to proclaim the great joy
00:59they themselves had experienced in encountering Christ.
01:04Like the angels who appeared to the shepherds,
01:08they joyfully shared the good news of the Gospel,
01:13expressing their faith through works of charity and mercy.
01:20In this celebration, we also wish to remember and give thanks to God
01:27for the life and ministry of a son of this land.
01:32Blessed Jacinto Vera, Bishop of Montevideo,
01:36who bore faithful witness to the faith he proclaimed
01:41through generous charity
01:43and total dedication to the Apostolic Mission.
01:50He widely exercised his pastoral zeal,
01:53sparing no sacrifice.
01:55For example,
01:57he often traveled on horseback
02:02despite the great distances,
02:06the dangers of the journey and the harsh weather
02:08to care for the sick.
02:11The Gaucho Bishop traveled the length and breadth of Uruguay
02:15three times,
02:16bringing faith and hope to its people.
02:19During the historic siege of Peixandu in 1864,
02:25Monsignor Vera
02:27took up residence on the Isla de la Caridad
02:30and across from the besieged city
02:35to care for refugees and the wounded on both sides.
02:38He remained there until the siege ended,
02:41accompanying his people
02:44and pleading in the name of God
02:47for the armies of brothers
02:50to embrace one another in fraternal love.
02:53Dear brothers and sisters,
02:56today it is our turn
02:58to continue the legacy left to us
03:02by these sowers of the Gospel.
03:06We must do so
03:08bearing in mind the Word of God
03:11with justice,
03:13with honesty,
03:15and faithfulness,
03:18recognizing that the message we proclaim
03:20does not belong to us.
03:23It is a treasure we have received from the Lord
03:28and we carry it in earth in vessels.
03:33Three symbols that characterize this region
03:36can help us reflect on the treasure of faith
03:40we have received
03:43and the mission now entrusted to us.
03:45The first is the bridge,
03:49the second,
03:50the palm groves,
03:52and the third
03:53is Mate.
04:06In the city of Paesandú
04:10stands the General Artigas International Bridge,
04:16which spans the Uruguay River,
04:18uniting two neighboring countries.
04:21It is not difficult to imagine
04:23the benefits a bridge brings.
04:26Openness,
04:27communication,
04:29and exchange.
04:32That is why it is so important
04:35to be builders of bridges.
04:38This is the vocation
04:40to which we are called.
04:51to build bridges,
04:55strengthen bonds,
04:57unite,
04:58communicate,
04:59and share the joy of faith
05:02as Blessed Jacinto Verde did,
05:05whether the time is favorable
05:06or unfavorable.
05:09moreover,
05:10a bridge needs solid foundations
05:11if it is to withstand
05:14even the strongest currents.
05:17Indeed,
05:18just as a house built on rock
05:21stands firm
05:22in the midst of a storm,
05:25while one built on sand
05:26is in danger of collapsing,
05:31so too,
05:32a bridge needs proper foundations
05:35to withstand
05:36the force
05:38of wind and water.
05:42Whenever you go down
05:43to the riverbank
05:44and see the bridge,
05:45remember that this symbol
05:49represents us
05:50and reminds us
05:52of the importance
05:53of a solid Christian formation.
05:56We need to be well prepared
05:58to give an account
05:59of our faith
06:01to anyone who asks
06:06and not allow ourselves
06:08to be carried away
06:09by all kinds
06:10of strange teachings.
06:12Only in this way
06:13can we become instruments
06:15of unity
06:16and bonds of charity.
06:19Another symbol
06:20that characterizes
06:21and embellishes
06:22this land
06:23is the palm groves.
06:27The book of Psalms
06:28tells us
06:29that the righteous
06:30flourish like the palm tree.
06:34This tree can withstand
06:36strong winds
06:37as deep roots,
06:39rises straight
06:40toward the sky
06:41in search of light
06:43and produces
06:44the sweet yetai fruit.
06:49This is a beautiful image
06:50of our origin
06:51and the destiny
06:52to which we are called.
06:54to take root
06:55in Christ
06:56the Alpha
06:57and the Omega
06:58the beginning
06:59and the end
07:00of our lives
07:02so that by remaining
07:03united to Him
07:04we may bear
07:06good fruit.
07:07At the same time
07:11observe the palm trees
07:13in this region
07:15do not stand alone
07:16but form groves.
07:18There are many of them
07:20yet they are neither alone
07:22nor far apart.
07:24likewise
07:24the Church
07:26is a community
07:26of brothers and sisters
07:28that sinks its roots
07:30and draws
07:31from a common spring
07:32the Word of God
07:33the sacraments
07:35prayer
07:37and charitable works.
07:40Together
07:41her faithful
07:42lift their eyes
07:42to praise Christ
07:45the dawn from on high
07:48whose light
07:49guides humanity's steps
07:51along the path
07:52of peace.
07:54Finally
07:56let's consider a symbol
07:58found in every home
08:00in this country
08:02in every place
08:03of study
08:04and work
08:05and at every gathering
08:06of friends.
08:09I am referring
08:10to mate
08:12that drink
08:13so characteristic
08:14of South America
08:15whose profound meaning
08:18you can explain
08:19even better than I.
08:21Surely many of you
08:22enjoyed mate
08:23on your way
08:24to this celebration
08:25today
08:28and will have some
08:29again on your journey
08:30home.
08:42A sign of familiarity
08:47friendship
08:48and encounter
08:51and teaches us
08:52to share
08:52and to be together
08:56strengthening the bonds
08:57that unite us
08:58as brothers and sisters
08:59as a symbol
09:00of welcome
09:01integration
09:02and shared values.
09:05To drink mate
09:06is a ritual
09:07rich in symbolism
09:09in which dialogue
09:10takes place
09:13without words
09:15and every detail
09:16holds its own meaning.
09:17I also think
09:18of those moments
09:20when one drinks
09:20mate alone
09:24silently
09:24and prayerfully
09:26in those moments
09:27of solitude
09:29how often
09:30have so many
09:31of you
09:32entrusted to God
09:33your concerns
09:35and needs
09:36your deepest
09:37desires
09:38and longings.
09:42Dear brothers
09:43and sisters
09:43we must reflect
09:45on these symbols
09:46that we share
09:50which give us
09:51identity
09:51and a sense
09:52of belonging
09:54which speak to us
09:55of our origins
09:57and point us
09:58toward the future.
10:00Faith too
10:01has been part
10:02of the life
10:02of the Uruguayan people
10:03since their earliest days
10:05and must be passed on
10:07to future generations
10:10with creative courage.
10:14Jesus in today's gospel
10:16reminds us
10:17of the importance
10:18of being faithful
10:19to the gifts
10:19we have received.
10:22whoever is faithful
10:23in very little
10:24is faithful
10:25also in much.
10:29Many men
10:30and women
10:30like Bishop
10:31Jacinto Vera
10:32lived out
10:33these words
10:34faithful to the vocation
10:36they had received
10:37they sowed
10:38the seeds
10:39of the gospel
10:39in the hearts
10:41of the Uruguayan people
10:43those seeds
10:44remain alive
10:45in the community
10:47but it is essential
10:48to continue
10:50providing
10:50the necessary conditions
10:55for them to grow
10:56and reach
10:57their full potential.
10:59This involves
11:00continuing
11:01to educate children
11:02and young people
11:03in the faith
11:03accompanying families
11:07supporting the elderly
11:10and carrying out
11:11works of charity.
11:14Dear brothers and sisters
11:15I encourage you
11:17to carry forward
11:18the mission
11:20of evangelization
11:21with enthusiasm.
11:24Be bridges
11:25so that many
11:26may encounter Jesus
11:27via fraternal community
11:29that comes together
11:31and shares life
11:32projects
11:32dreams
11:33and hopes
11:36especially with those
11:37most in need.
11:39Be a community
11:41of prayer
11:42that maintains
11:43an ongoing dialogue
11:44with the Lord
11:45as a friend
11:46speaks to a friend.
11:49Christ is counting
11:50on all of you.
11:52Christ is counting
11:53on you
11:55and our Heavenly Mother
11:56the Virgin of the 33
11:59protect you
12:00on your journey
12:01through life
12:03and always guide you
12:04to an encounter
12:05with her son
12:06Jesus.
12:12That is
12:13the
12:13to an encounter
12:14with her son
12:15Jesus.
12:21that is
12:22the
12:24Holy Father's
12:26homily
12:26for this Mass
12:27today.
12:28Okay.
