Echoing Mary's yes for the Mission of Christ

To those following in New Zealand, my apologies for the missing days which were busy and not being helped by me getting a cold... 

Can I also explain that I usually did these posts overnight - the reflections are from what I remembered of what I said... as I look back on them the written versions haven't always flowed as well as the spoken ones. Nonetheless, I hope they are in some way fruitful for the reader.

On Tuesday we continued our hikoi in Rome... With our first visit being Santa Maria Maggiore, St Mary Major, and our Mass being celebrated at the church Bishop Pompallier was ordained as Bishop under the fresco of Our Lady assumed into Heaven we looked at Mary as the first disciple as the focus for our morning prayer...

Morning Prayer 

John 2:1-11

There was a wedding at Cana in Galilee. The mother of Jesus was there, and Jesus and his disciples had also been invited. When they ran out of wine, since the wine provided for the wedding was all finished, the mother of Jesus said to him, 'They have no wine.' Jesus said, 'Woman, why turn to me? My hour has not come yet.' His mother said to the servants, 'Do whatever he tells you.' There were six stone water jars standing there, meant for the ablutions that are customary among the Jews: each could hold twenty or thirty gallons. Jesus said to the servants. 'Fill the jars with water,' and they filled them to the brim. 'Draw some out now' he told them 'and take it to the steward.' They did this; the steward tasted the water, and it had turned into wine. Having no idea where it came from - only the servants who had drawn the water knew - the steward called the bridegroom and said, 'People generally serve the best wine first, and keep the cheaper sort till the guests have had plenty to drink; but you have kept the best wine till now.'

This was the first of the signs given by Jesus: it was given at Cana in Galilee. He let his glory be seen, and his disciples believed in him.

Reflection

God's plan for our salvation always presumes a human "yes." At the Annunciation Mary said yes to the message of the archangel Gabriel.   

Then, in John's Gospel Mary "book ends" Jesus' earthly mission with her "yes". The first book end is the wedding feast of Cana... Noticing the problem the couple had at the wedding feast she said to Jesus, 'They have no wine.' He replied 'Woman, why turn to me? My hour has not come yet.' The "hour" in John's Gospel is the cross. But Mary, knew who Jesus was, she knew why he was sent, and she said to the servants, 'Do whatever he tells you.' It was time for him to begin what he was sent for; she again gives her "yes". And the water was turned into wine - this was the first of the signs given by Jesus: it was given at Cana in Galilee. He let his glory be seen, and his disciples believed in him.

The other Mary "book end" is at the foot of the cross. Despite a sword piercing her own soul as her Son was crucified Mary is her silence at the foot of the cross giving her yes to his Son's, the Son of God's self-offering. It as if she is saying, this is my body, the fruit of my body, given back to you Father for the salvation of all humanity. 

In the same way, we are called to give our "yes" to Jesus' mission by our outreach to those we meet in our pilgrimage through life. And whenever we celebrated Eucharist we too offer ourselves with the sacrifice of Christ for the language of "This is my body given for you" is the language of marriage, and it invites our own, "And Lord, this is my body given to you and and to all in the service of you and all" for Eucharist about who we receive and what we give. It asks of us a "yes" that is enfleshed in how we live in his life for others.

The Basilica of Santa Maria Maggiore

According to tradition, in the year 358 AD, the Virgin Mary appeared in a dream to Pope Liberius and a Roman nobleman, instructing them to build a church in her honor on the Esquiline Hill. The next morning, on August 5th, snow miraculously fell on the designated site—an extraordinary event in the heat of Roman summer. Interpreting this as a divine sign, Pope Liberius marked the outline of the future basilica in the snow.

Following the Council of Ephesus (431 AD) which affirmed Mary as Theotokos - the Mother of God - the St Mary Major basilica was built, with various additions and expansions through the centuries. It stands as one of the oldest important churches in the West dedicated to the Virgin Mary. Its spirituality is deeply rooted in the mystery of the Incarnation, celebrating Mary’s role in salvation history. The basilica’s architecture and art reflect this: the triumphal arch mosaics depict scenes from Christ’s infancy, while the nave mosaics illustrate Old Testament events foreshadowing the coming of Christ. These visual narratives invites pilgrims into contemplation of God’s plan unfolding through Mary and in the same way through us.

The basilica houses a relic of the Holy Crib, which is said to contain fragments of the manger where Christ was laid. Whether people accept this or not, their is still the invitation to reflect on the humility of God made flesh. 

Pope Francis had a profound spiritual connection to Santa Maria Maggiore, rooted in his deep devotion to the Virgin Mary. Throughout his papacy, he visited the basilica over 126 times, often praying before the ancient icon Salus Populi Romani - “Health of the Roman People” - before and after every apostolic journey and during times of illness. His first visit was the day after his election in 2013, and his final one was shortly before his death in 2025. Pope Francis chose to be buried in the basilica.

Entering the Holy Door

The simple tomb of Pope Francis

The miracle of the snow

Bishop Brian Mascord, Bishop of Wollongong, was also leading a pilgrimage group

Salus Populi Romani (Protectress of the people of Rome)

San Giovanni in Laterano

The basilica of St. John Lateran is the Pope's cathedral and the cathedral church of Rome. Founded by Emperor Constantine in the early 4th century, it is the oldest public church in Rome and holds the title “Mother and Head of all Churches in the City and the World.”

Spiritually, St. John Lateran embodies the unity and authority of the universal Church. As the Pope’s cathedral, it is a symbol of his pastoral mission and the continuity of apostolic succession. The basilica is dedicated to Christ the Savior, with later dedications to St. John the Baptist and St. John the Evangelist, reflecting its rich theological and liturgical heritage.

The church has been a site of major councils and papal ceremonies, and its architecture reflects centuries of renewal and reverence. Inside, the basilica features majestic columns, mosaics, and statues of the twelve apostles, emphasizing the Church’s foundation on apostolic witness. The high altar, reserved for the Pope, contains relics of Saints Peter and Paul, reinforcing its sacred status.

St Francis of Assisi

Tomb of Pope Leo XIII who wrote Rerum Novarum

After free time we celebrated Mass at Santa Maria della Concezione dei Cappuccini where Bishop Pompallier was ordained bishop on the 30th of June 1836. We used the Mass and readings of the Assumption and prayed the Mass in te reo Māori.

Readings at Mass

Revelations, 11:19, 12:1-6, 10

The sanctuary of God in heaven opened and the ark of the covenant could be seen inside it. 

Now a great sign appeared in heaven: a woman, adorned with the sun, standing on the moon, and with the twelve stars on her head for a crown. She was pregnant, and in labour, crying aloud in the pangs of childbirth. Then a second sign appeared in the sky, a huge red dragon which had seven heads and ten horns, and each of the seven heads crowned with a coronet. Its tail dragged a third of the stars from the sky and dropped them to the earth, and the dragon stopped in front of the woman as she was having the child, so that he could eat it as soon as it was born from its mother. The woman brought a male child into the world, the son who was to rule all the nations with an iron sceptre, and the child was taken straight up to God and to his throne, while the woman escaped into the desert, where God had made a place of safety ready.

Then I heard a voice shout from heaven, ‘Victory and power and empire for ever have been won by our God, and all authority for his Christ.’

The daughters of kings are among your loved ones.

On your right stands the queen in gold of Ophir.

Listen, O daughter, give ear to my words:

forget your own people and your father’s house.

So will the king desire your beauty:

He is your lord, pay homage to him.

They are escorted amid gladness and joy;

they pass within the palace of the king.

1 Corinthians 15:20-26

Christ has been raised from the dead, the first-fruits of all who have fallen asleep. Death came through one man and in the same way the resurrection of the dead has come through one man. 

Just as all die in Adam, so all will be brought to life in Christ; but all of them in their proper order: Christ as the first-fruits and then, after the coming of Christ, those who belong to him. After that will come the end, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father, having done away with every sovereignty, authority and power. For he must be king until he has put all his enemies under his feet and the last of the enemies to be destroyed is death, for everything is to be put under his feet.

Luke 1:39-56

Mary set out and went as quickly as she could to a town in the hill country of Judah. She went into Zechariah’s house and greeted Elizabeth. Now as soon as Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the child leapt in her womb and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. She gave a loud cry and said, ‘Of all women you are the most blessed, and blessed is the fruit of your womb. Why should I be honoured with a visit from the mother of my Lord? For the moment your greeting reached my ears, the child in my womb leapt for joy. Yes, blessed is she who believed that the promise made her by the Lord would be fulfilled.’

And Mary said:

‘My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord

and my spirit exults in God my saviour;

because he has looked upon his lowly handmaid.

Yes, from this day forward all generations will call me blessed,

for the Almighty has done great things for me.

Holy is his name,

and his mercy reaches from age to age for those who fear him.

He has shown the power of his arm,

he has routed the proud of heart.

He has pulled down princes from their thrones and exalted the lowly.

The hungry he has filled with good things, the rich sent empty away.

He has come to the help of Israel his servant, mindful of his mercy

– according to the promise he made to our ancestors –

of his mercy to Abraham and to his descendants for ever.’

Mary stayed with Elizabeth about three months and then went back home.

Reflection

When they celebrate Easter in the Northern Hemisphere the new life of spring is bursting forth. In New Zealand, however, the leaves are falling off the trees and we have the cold and dark of winter to look forward to... So in many ways the Assumption is our spring-time feast that speaks of Resurrection. And it is this good news of the Resurrection that promises spring time to our mortal lives. 

And it this Assumption that is depicted in the fresco above us...

The Assumption is a feast about what God does for us, that we shall fully in the resurrection of the Christ and it honours Mary, the first disciple, the one who said yes and embraced a life of mission from the very beginning. We heard this in our Gospel... Having heard of her elderly and barren cousin Elizatheth's pregnancy and having said "yes" to the angel, she set out and went as quickly as she could to visit her cousin Elizabeth, a dangerous journey for a young woman indicating her courage, and when they met the two women shared what the Almighty had done for them.

And this same movement is reflected in the life of Pompallier... he said yes to the mission Pope Gregory XVI entrusted to him. Ordained here under this fresco, he set out for West Oceania with just a handful of companions for the massive task given to him. He arrived in New Zealand 12½ months with two companions after leaving France. At the first Mass at Totara Point he placed New Zealand under the patronage of Mary assumed into heaven. Some 112 years later this understanding of Mary was solemnly stated as a dogma of the Church, itself reflecting how our understanding of faith develops and unfolds through the years.

Meanwhile once in New Zealand he shared with Māori the good news of Jesus Christ but at the same time he could see that Māori knew about God and the Holy Spirit and he set about learning both tikanga and language and building a bridge of dialogue between tikanga Māori and tikanga Katorika.  

His relationship with Māori was rich and the conversations between him and Māori were frank on both sides. He loved and was loved. He reflected with them about the pros and cons of the Treaty. He sought religious freedom in our land. But he wasn't perfect... he struggled with the finances. 

Mary stayed with Elizabeth three months and then went back home

Pompallier stayed with Māori and Pakeha in New Zealand 30 years and then went back home in 1868 dying in Paris on the 21st of December 1871. 

As we honour Mary in the Church so too we honour Pompallier in the Church in Aotearoa. As we believe Mary was brought home body and soul to heaven so too we have brought Pompallier's body home to the Hokianga where his mission began. His incredible courage and faith, his love and his style of missionary dialogue are models for us today and the size of the task given to him and his response gives us hope when things daunt us.

As we continue our pilgrim journey, like Pompallier and we pray, Mary assumed into Heaven, pray for us.

It was great to have two Kiwi seminarians in Rome, Joseph and Arama join us for Mass...Lachie and Fr Matt Gibson joined us for dinner.

Bishop Pompallier’s words for the way of hope

New Zealand’s feast is the Assumption

Do not be upset or worried if you find that you have made a mistake; you will profit in experience, humility and even in an increased confidence in God’s mercy.

Adapt your conduct, your teaching and the exercise of your ministry to the needs of the situation that prevails for the greater good of souls.

Lean heavily on the love of the Great Spirit, Creator of heaven and of earth, from whom comes life and all its good things.

You should you should frequently offer moments to God, the Holy Sacrifice, and prayers at the altar and elsewhere for the sheep of the flock, to obtain grace for them to overcome their passions and their faults. Invoke special favours for them from Jesus Christ, the Good Shepherd who died for them, and from the most blessed Virgin, our mother and theirs, who is so powerful against devils. Invoke also their own Good Angels and the Saints and Guardian angels of the particular locality.

Mō Maria, āianei 

ō tātou waiata, 

kia kaha rā tātou, 

kia nui te aroha

For Mary now

our songs

Let us be strong

Let there be great love.

Mō Maria, āianei 

ō tātou waiata, 

kia kaha rā tātou, 

kia nui te aroha

Tenā hoki ngā ahere 

E whakahōnore ana 

Ki to rātou rehina

Ki a Maria anō rā

There also the angels

give honour

to their queen

to Mary

Aroha ki te Atua 

Aroha ki a Maria 

I te rangi, te whenua 

āke tonu, āke tonu. 

Love God

love Mary

in heaven and on earth

for ever and ever.