My dear brothers and sisters in Christ,

Today we come to this beautiful shrine dedicated to Mary, the Mother of God, and the theme we have chosen today for our liturgy is Mary, Cause of Our Joy.  When we say, Mary is the Cause of our Joy, the word cause, perhaps, confuses us.  How can Mary cause us to be joyful?  Perhaps we misunderstand the word cause, perhaps we can see Mary as the fountain, the source of our joy.  Yes, she is like a wellspring of joy.  Like a spring of clear, life-giving water that springs forth in abundance, that continues always to be pure and  fresh, and gives life to anyone who would come to drink from the fountain of this joy.  Many people have searched for the fountain of youth, the mythical fountain from which one would drink and have never-ending life.  We are drawn to Mary, fountain of Christian life, because we want eternal life and the joy that follows it, not only in this life, but also in the world to come.  Yes, Mary is the Cause of our Joy. 

Today, as we have prayed the Mysteries of the Rosary, we cannot help but remember all the wonderful mysteries, especially the Joyful Mysteries.  The Annunciation, when Mary was overcome with the joy of knowing that she would be the Mother of God on earth, she sang out the joy of her soul in the great prayer The Magnificat.  The Visitation, when she visited Elizabeth, her cousin, the child in the womb of Elizabeth, John the Baptist, leaped for joy.  In the birth of Jesus into this world, what joy filled the life of Mary, as well as at the Presentation in the Temple, and in a special way, in the finding of the Child Jesus in the Temple.  Joy rings out constantly in the life of Mary, balanced by her suffering and sorrows but always, joy overcomes all things.  So today, as we listened to God’s Word, we were confronted with the challenge of our own call to be joyful.  In the Old Testament reading today, we heard an echo of The Magnificat.  In the Book of the Prophet Isaiah, as Isaiah says, “I rejoice heartily in the Lord and my God is the joy of my soul.”  Isaiah prophesied that there would be a virgin who would conceive a child, a child who would bring joy to the world and to all who would come to believe in him.  In the second reading today, from the Letter of Paul to the Romans, we hear, “Rejoice with those who rejoice and weep with those who weep.”  Today we are called in a special way to rejoice because Mary, the Cause of Our Joy is so near to us as we come to worship at this great shrine dedicated to her. 

In the Gospel today, we hear Jesus’ own words as He speaks to His disciples about the love of God.  Jesus reveals the mystery of God’s love in order that our joy may be complete and full.  He said to His disciples, “I have told you this so that my joy may be in you and your joy may be complete.”  Yes, Jesus’ joy in knowing that the Father loved Him is communicated to us that we, too, are loved by God.  The great symbol of our love by God is Mary, who is given to us as our Mother.  There is no better sign of love than a mother’s love.  And it is Mary, who is for us that unfailing sign of God’s love for us that gives us joy.  And so, we meditate today how Mary is the Cause of Our Joy.  Perhaps we can understand this under three aspects.  First, the joy that she had in giving Jesus to the world.  Also, the joy that she, herself, experienced, and also the joy that is given to us in Mary. 

Mary is the source, the fountain of joy, because she gave birth to Jesus Christ, the Fountain of all Holiness, who obtained the forgiveness of our sins and the promise of our eternal life and resurrection; Jesus, who gave us peace and reconciliation, who saved us and gives a reason to hope, even when we face death.  Yes, no greater joy than this can we have coming through Mary’s mediacy. 

Mary was the first one to enjoy the presence of Jesus.  It is the joy that we need to live, and the joy that we wish also to give to others because of our belief.  The Angel saluted her with the wonderful words, “Ave,” which corresponds in Hebrew to the words, “I salute you.  Peace be to you. Rejoice!”  Yes, each time we pray the Hail Mary, we say “Ave,” and we also address Mary as the Cause of Our Joy.  Elizabeth proclaimed Mary, Blessed, because she had believed.  Mary, herself, prophesied that in the future, all generations would call her Blessed.  The great canticle The Magnificat, in itself, is the whole Gospel revealed and elaborated.  The joy experienced by all those who surround Mary, Elizabeth, the shepherds, the Magi, and all who saw this new birth is also to be experienced by us.  The joy for the presence of St. Joseph, Mary’s blessed spouse and the Protector of the Child Jesus, is a joy that is experienced by all parents who find joy in seeing their children grow to maturity.  The joy that Mary and Joseph experienced in holding the Child Jesus in their lap and in their arms, the joy of seeing His smile and the love He had for them, is not this the joy we, too, experience in our families?  The joy that Jesus had, that Mary experienced in seeing Jesus grow into wisdom and grace. Who could imagine the daily joys experienced by Mary and Joseph in the presence of Jesus?  In the end our joy will have its completeness when we see the resurrected Jesus.

At Easter, we announce that wonderful antiphon, “Rejoice Virgin Mary because the Lord is truly risen,” another cause of our joy.  Mary is all sweetness and joy because she unites us to Jesus, her Son.  How important it is for us to rejoice today in this sanctuary of Mary, Our Mother.  Yes, there are many causes for sadness in our lives and in our world, but today we rejoice in a special way in the comfort of being close to our mother’s maternal affection. 

May Mary bless you and keep you, and bring you safely home.  Not only on this pilgrimage but, most especially, in the pilgrimage of your lives that leads to the eternal joy promised to those who believe.

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