Pope Francis continued this cycle of catechesis on "Jesus Christ our Hope." Reflecting on the Angel Gabriel's greeting to the Virgin Mary at the Annunciation, he said that "The 'Almighty,' the God of the 'impossible' is with Mary, together with and beside her; He is her companion, her principal ally, the eternal 'I-with-you.'"
In his weekly catechesis, Pope Francis reflected on how the Holy Spirit empowered the Blessed Virgin Mary to become the Mother of God.
On Wednesday, August 7, 2024, Pope Francis resumed his weekly cycle of catechesis during his General Audience. Continuing his series on "The Spirit and the Bride," he said that our belief that the Virgin Mary “'was found to be with child of the Holy Spirit' (Matthew 1:18) is the foundation that enables us to speak of Mary as the quintessential Bride, who is a figure of the Church."
Mary's fiat is at once an act of humility and an act of courage and agency. She hears God's summons, through the Angel Gabriel, to bear the Saviour of the world.
The short passage from Ezekiel for this Sunday is the conclusion of the "Valley of Dry Bones" prophecy.