00:03Now, forgive me, the Holy Father will now offer his homily.
00:17Brothers and sisters, with a heart filled with joy, I give thanks to God for being here
00:22with you today to celebrate our faith as we have so often done.
00:28And in the same cathedral in which I began my Episcopal ministry in the service of this
00:34Diocese of Chiclayo, with gratitude for the years the Lord granted us to walk together,
00:45I now prepare, as the successor of Peter, to crown this beautiful image of the Immaculate
00:55Virgin Mary.
01:03This gesture is particularly significant, for the crown I will place upon Our Lady's head
01:11is intended to symbolize the tribute of gratitude and filial love offered to her by the Pope,
01:19together with you and the whole Church, as we acknowledge her as the loving mother and patroness
01:27of Chiclayo, exalted by God as queen of heaven and earth.
01:36As we heard in the reading from Isaiah, darkness continues to lie in wait even today and seems
01:44to envelop us completely.
01:47We feel threatened by the uncertainty of widespread violence and by the unspeakable suffering that
01:56continues to afflict so many of our brothers and sisters.
02:00Yet, despite this darkness which so often dims our hope and weakens our trust, God's gift continues
02:09to shine before our eyes.
02:12For a child has been born for us, a son given to us.
02:18This child is Jesus Christ, the Son of God and the Son of Mary.
02:23Yes, a defenseless child is God's answer to a humanity plunged into darkness, yet longing
02:31for unity and reconciliation.
02:35He alone is the light that illumines the most hidden corners of our human existence.
02:43The only light capable of rescuing us from sin and undoing its disastrous consequences in
02:51our personal and communal lives.
02:53He reveals who we truly are, sons and daughters of God, invited to share in the joy of His salvation
03:03and in the gladness of knowing that we are brothers and sisters.
03:13With good reason, we invoke the Immaculate Virgin as cause of our joy, for through the
03:19yes with which she responded to the annunciation of the angel, God made man enter the history
03:26of our world.
03:28By her obedience to the Father, He makes all things new, rescues us from the tragedy of
03:35sin and reveals to us the eternal destiny to which every man and woman is called.
03:42My dear sons and daughters of this beloved land of Chiclayo, devotion to the Immaculate Virgin,
03:48is part of the Christian roots that shape your identity and strengthen your faith.
03:58With loving care, the Mother of God has accompanied this people for generations and continues to
04:06accompany you today.
04:08Trusting in her intercession and protection, I invite you to keep walking forward together
04:15as one family of God, a family that longs for a world marked by love and compassion, forgiveness,
04:27and the pursuit of justice.
04:30A family confident that Mary, most holy, always shows us the sure path that leads to Jesus, who
04:39who is the source of abundant life and truth, and who continually offers us new opportunities.
04:50To you, our dear, our Immaculate Mother, I lift my gaze and my heart today with filial affection.
04:57At your side, I learned to be the shepherd of Chiclayo.
05:02You accompany me through its towns and cities.
05:11You taught me to meet its people and to be attentive to their needs, as you did at the
05:18wedding feast of Cana.
05:20To your Immaculate Heart, I entrust today my life and my ministry as successor of Peter.
05:34I also ask you to watch over and protect the people of God, making their pilgrim way in these
05:41lands and to guide them always to your Son, Jesus Christ.
05:45Dear brothers and sisters, before taking my leave, until we meet again, I would like
05:54us to join together in reciting this prayer to our Heavenly Mother.
06:04Holy Mary, filled with the presence of God, who throughout your earthly life humbly obeyed
06:10the will of the Father and gave us an example of simplicity, we beg you to continue walking
06:19with us and to obtain for us from your Son, Jesus Christ, through your maternal heart the
06:27gift of listening attentively to the Holy Spirit, so that with the help of His grace, we may
06:33be ready to follow Him faithfully, to be builders of peace and reconciliation, and servants of
06:41the Kingdom of God and of our brothers and sisters.
06:44Amen.
06:44Amen.
06:45Amen.
