Most honourable brothers fellow bishops, and my beloved children,
Today, in our churches, with hearts overflowing with feelings of joy, delight and hope, we sing that “the grave and death did not endure”. Neither the grave, nor death, as the hymnographer tells us, could keep the Most Blessed Virgin from her Son and His Kingdom in the heavens. Three days after her dormition and burial, Panagia “was transported to life”, becoming a “ladder”, as it has fittingly been formulated, which has united earth with heaven, the human race with God; she opened, in other words, the way for us, “all of mortal humanity”, to pass over, during the common resurrection, into incorruption and immortality.
In what way, however, can perishable human persons, understood as unaltered psychosomatic entities, obtain eternal life? We receive the answer if we turn to the earthly life of Mary ‘full of grace’, and if we consider that her dormition and departure constitute the destination of a blessed and spiritual journey. At the starting point of this journey, we encounter a pious daughter, with a loving heart, a humble predisposition and a deep faith in God. It is these virtues which accompanied her throughout her tempestuous and turbulent life: from the event of the Annunciation, when she humbly responded to the Archangel: “Behold the handmaid of the Lord; let it be with me according to your word”, where she accepted to cooperate in the saving work of the Incarnation of the Son and Word of God, until the moments of suffering which she experienced during the dreaful Passion and Crucifixion of our Lord, remaining faithful and obedient to the will of God; but also at the Annunciation of her Dormition, where, instead of being shaken to the core of her soul, or becoming resentful for her impending departure from this world, she hastened to pray on the Mount of Olives, and then give away her possessions to widows and women in need.
Is there a better example of a virtuous life than the one led by Our Lady? The answer is that obviously there is not. For this reason, let us endeavour to imitate this life of love, faith, obedience and humility, so that we too can become worthy to climb the spiritual “ladder” of our salvation. And let us not despair when we encounter difficulties, temptations and trials. It is enough to take refuge in her and to invoke her help with a fervent heart, to the extent that “in her Falling Asleep, she did not abandon the world”. She will continue to embrace us all; she will comfort and strengthen us, helping us to direct our steps towards the gates of the Heavenly Kingdom which, after her departure, remain open and waiting for all of us to pass through them.
Many blessed years to all!
