FEAST OF THE PRESENTATION OF THE LORD IN THE TEMPLE

HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS JOHN PAUL II

Friday, 2 February 1979

1. "Lumen ad revelationem gentium" (A light for revelation to the Gentiles).

The liturgy of today's feast recalls, in the first place, the words of the Prophet Malachi: "the Lord whom you s eek will suddenly come to his temple... behold, he is coming." These words, in fact, come true at this moment: there enters his temple for the first time he who is its Lord. It is a question of the temple of the Old Covenant, which was the preparation for the New Covenant. God makes this New Covenant with his people in him whom "he anointed and sent into the world", that is, in his Son. The temple of the Old Covenant waits for that Anointed one, the Messiah. The reason for its existence, so to speak, is this waiting.

APOSTOLIC JOURNEY
TO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC,
MEXICO AND THE BAHAMAS

EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATION

HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS JOHN PAUL II

Mexico, Basilica of Our Lady of Zapopán
Tuesday, 30 January 1979

Beloved Brothers and Sisters,

1. Here we are gathered today in this beautiful sanctuary of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception of Zapopán, in the great archdiocese of Guadalajara. I did not want to, nor could I, omit this meeting, around the altar of Jesus and at the feet of Most Holy Mary, with the People of God on pilgrimage to this place. This sanctuary of Zapopán is, in fact, another proof, a tangible and consoling one, of the intense devotion that the Mexican people, and with it the whole Latin-American people, has professed to Mary Immaculate for centuries.

APOSTOLIC JOURNEY
TO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC,
MEXICO AND THE BAHAMAS

EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATION

HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS JOHN PAUL II

Mexico,  Oaxaca Cathedral
Monday, 29 January 1979

Beloved Brothers and Sisters,

This ceremony, in which, with immense joy, I confer some sacred ministries on descendants of the ancient races of this land of America, confirms the truth of a saying of a high personality of your country to my venerated predecessor Paul VI: from the beginning of the history of the American nations it was above all the Church that protected the most humble, their dignity and value as human persons.

APOSTOLIC JOURNEY
TO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC,
MEXICO AND THE BAHAMAS

EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATION

HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS JOHN PAUL II

Puebla de Los Angeles (Mexico), Palafox Major Seminary
Sunday, 28 January 1979

Beloved Sons and Daughters,

Puebla de los Angeles: today the sonorous and expressive name of your city is on millions of lips throughout Latin America and all over the world. Your city becomes a symbol and sign for the Latin-American Church. It is here, in fact, that from today the Bishops of the whole Continent, convened by the Successor of Peter, gather to reflect on the mission of Pastors in this part of the world, in this extraordinary hour of history.

APOSTOLIC JOURNEY TO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC,
MEXICO AND THE BAHAMAS

EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATION

HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS JOHN PAUL II

Mexico, Basilica of Guadalupe
Saturday, 27 January 1979

Hail Mary!

1. Dear Brothers in the episcopate and dear sons and daughters, how deep is my joy that the first steps of my pilgrimage, as Successor of Paul VI and John Paul I, bring me precisely here. They bring me to you, Mary, in this shrine of the people of Mexico and of the whole of Latin America, the shrine in which for so many centuries your motherhood has been manifested.

APOSTOLIC JOURNEY
TO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC,
MEXICO AND THE BAHAMAS

EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATION

HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS JOHN PAUL II

Cathedral of Santo Domingo
Friday, 26 January 1979

Beloved Brothers and Sisters,

Blessed be the Lord who has brought me here, to this soil of the Dominican Republic, where fortunately, for the glory and praise of God in this new Continent, there also dawned the day of salvation. I have wished to come to this cathedral of Santo Domingo to be for a moment in your midst, beloved priests, deacons, men and women religious, and seminarians, to manifest to you my special affection for you all, in whom the Pope and the Church put their best hopes, in order that you may feel more joyful in faith, so that your pride in being what you are may overflow because of me (cf. Phil 1:26).

APOSTOLIC JOURNEY
TO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC,
MEXICO AND THE BAHAMAS

EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATION

HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS JOHN PAUL II

The Cathedral of Mexico City
Friday, 26 January 1979

Dear Brothers in the Episcopate and Beloved Sons,

It is only a few hours since with deep emotion I set foot for the first time on this blessed land. And now I have the happiness of this meeting with you, with the Mexican Church and people, on this day of Mexico as it wishes to be.

APOSTOLIC JOURNEY
TO THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC,
MEXICO AND THE BAHAMAS

EUCHARISTIC CELEBRATION

HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS JOHN PAUL II

Santo Domingo, Independence Square
Thursday, 25 January 1979

Brothers in the Episcopate, Beloved Sons:

1. In this Eucharist in which we share the same faith in Christ, the Bishop of Rome and of the universal Church, present among you, gives you his greeting of peace: "Grace to you and peace from God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ." (Gal 1:3.)

PASTORAL VISIT TO THE ROMAN PARISH OF SANTA MARIA LIBERATRICE

HOMILY OF HIS HOLINESS JOHN PAUL II

Sunday, 14 January 1979

Dear Brothers and Sisters!

1. We have listened to the Word of God in today's liturgy, which speaks to us in the text of the book of Samuel, the letter of St Paul to the Corinthians, and the Gospel of St John. Although these texts, which we have heard, are very different, the Word of God of this Sunday speaks to us above all of one question: "vocation", the "call". This is stressed in the description contained in the book of Samuel: God calls a boy by name; He calls him in a perceptible voice, speaking his name. Samuel hears the voice and wakes up from sleep three times, and for three times he fails to understand whose voice it is, who is calling him by name. Only on the fourth time, instructed by Eli, does he give a suitable answer: "Speak, Lord, for thy servant hears" (1 Sam 3:9).