SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 15th August (EUROPA PRESS) –
During his homily at the solemn Eucharist commemorating the feast of the Virgin of Candelaria, the bishop of the Nivariense Diocese, Bernardo Álvarez, expressed that “the Virgin Mary is observant of events, possesses a compassionate heart and offering hands”, encouraging the congregation to “stay mindful of the occurrences around us, to have a compassionate heart and lending hands ready to offer help, as Mary did.”
Bernardo Álvarez highlighted the honour bestowed today on the Virgin of Candelaria, the Patroness of the Canary Islands, “acknowledging the authority of God, as demonstrated through the solace extended to his devotees from one generation to the next; an authority that humbles the proud from their thrones and elevates the meek; an authority that is embodied in humble individuals, who acknowledge God as the ruler of all and abide by his wishes.”
Furthermore, we honour the Virgin Mary “as a manifestation of God’s desire to redeem humanity both in body and soul,” emphasised the bishop, underlining the necessity to live our faith “with spirit, heart and life, as carrying out actions solely with the body equates to enslavement and actions only through the soul equate to inactivity.” “Divorcing the body and soul as separate and independent entities leads to the misconception that our physical actions have no impact on our spirit or, even worse, the belief that our identity is solely dictated by our physical needs, neglecting the fact that our character is also shaped by our emotions, attitudes and beliefs,” he added.
Álvarez also highlighted the way Mary “embodies her faith in both body and spirit, hence, we see her in close communion with God and deeply attentive to people” and emphasised that “in her, we witness the quintessential believer: faith, obedience and humility before God, and affection and service towards others.”
Bernardo Alvarez asserted that a third element of today’s celebrations is the victory over sin and death. “A victory is achieved after engaging in a contest with an adversary; death, the formidable and prideful entities demand conflict, hence, we must combat the malevolent spirit that continually looms over us.”
Lastly, the bishop urged the faithful to emulate the Virgin Mary, stating that “merely prayers or visits to Candelaria are inadequate.” “Genuine devotion to the Virgin does not entail superficial and transient fondness, but stems from authentic faith which enlightens us on the exceptional nature of the mother of God, inspiring within us a filial love for our mother and a desire to emulate her virtues.”
“We should mirror Mary in the specifics of her life. She wholeheartedly and responsibly adhered to God’s will, accepted his message and enacted it. We must honour her by embodying the mother of Christ as well, allowing Him to dwell within our souls and lives, as God requires us to act in this world and instils in us sentiments through which we can love others, just as our parents, mentors and numerous individuals who have aided us in becoming who we are, hence, we too are called to espouse God’s love for others,” he concluded.
