Our Lady of Knock: the life of prayer is fundamental

In a video message released on the occasion of the elevation of the Irish shrine of Our Lady of Knock to the rank of international shrine of Eucharistic and Marian devotion, Pope Francis recalled “How many families, over the course of almost a century and a half, have passed on the faith to their children and gathered their daily labours around the prayer of the Rosary with the image of Our Lady of Knock at its centre! The arms of the Virgin Mary in a praying position still show how fundamental the life of prayer is, which comes as a message of hope from this Shrine. You know that in the apparition of Knock the Virgin does not say a word. But even her silence is a language; indeed, it is the most expressive language that is given to us. The message from Knock is the great value of silence for faith.

It is silence before the mystery, which does not mean renouncing understanding, but understanding sustained and assisted by the mystery of the love of Jesus who offered himself for all of us, as the Lamb sacrificed for the salvation of humanity. It is silence before the great mystery of love, which finds no possible response other than to surrender oneself with trust to the will of the merciful Father.

Finally, it is the silence that Jesus asked for when he taught us: “When you pray, go into your room and shut the door and pray to your Father who is in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you. And in praying do not heap up empty phrases as the Gentiles do; for they think that they will be heard for their many words. Do not be like them, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him” (Mt 6:6-8).

… you commit yourselves to keeping your arms always wide open in a sign of welcome to every pilgrim who reaches you from every part of the world, without asking him anything, only recognising him or her as a brother or sister who wishes to share the same experience of prayer in mutual fraternity.”

March 19, 2021

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