“Mary, for her part, kept all these things, pondering her in her heart” (Lk 2:19).

This attitude of Mary I think should be the starting point of every Christian in the face of the revealed Word. Faith-confidence, listening, and contemplation are at the root of a journey that the Lord always invites us to undertake, whatever our starting point.

In this journey we are not alone and the Year of Consecrated Life invites us to consider the richness of a Church formed of many charisms and vocations with which we are called to interact in the spirit of sincere communion. “Nobody – Pope Francis tells us – builds the future by isolating itself, not only by its own strength, but by recognizing itself in the truth of a communion that always opens to the encounter, dialogue, listening, mutual aid and preserves us from self-referential disease “.

In this sense, the Year of Consecrated Life does not only concern the consecrated people, but the entire Church, and for this is a “happy coincidence” seen in this year’s celebration of the Synod on the Family, the first cradle of every vocation.

The strong time of Lent is a good time to travel, it is a “time of grace,” reminds us Pope Francis, “to let us serve Christ and to become like Him. This is when we listen to the Word of God and when we receive the sacraments, especially the Eucharist … To overcome the indifference and our claims of omnipotence, I would like to ask everyone to experience this Lenten time as a path of heart formation. Having a heart of mercy does not mean having a weak heart. Those who want to be merciful need a strong, solid heart, closed to the temptress, but open to God. A heart that is let go of the Spirit and lead on the streets of love that lead to brothers and sisters. ”

Fr. Luciano Panella CSsR – Rector of the Sanctuary