May 3, 2026
Gospel: Mark, Chapter 16, verses 9–18
Homily of the Pontiff Samuel
5th Sunday of Easter
Consecrate yourselves to Mary and turn to the Gospel,
which is fulfilled in Baby Jesus
Peace be with you, sons of God (John 20:19). May the Peace of the Risen Christ be with you today and always.
Today, the first Sunday of May, when the Mother Church wishes to remember Mary in a special way during the month dedicated to her: this day opens our hearts to this month. And this Church, which is deeply Christian and deeply Marian, rejoices in being able to experience this moment in which, once again, we unite ourselves with Christ and, in particular, with Mary, the all-beautiful, the all-holy, the all-pure (Song of Songs 4:7), She who is our Mother (John 19:26-27).
And it is wonderful to begin this month with you, beloved young people, who are even more numerous today, on this Sunday dedicated to you, the first Sunday. Here is the Feast of Christian Youth (Papal Decree, “Institution of the Feast of Christian Youth”, 26/04/2026) which the Mother Church wished to establish precisely so that all young people who desire to be and remain Christians may prepare themselves well to live the Month of Mary, to consecrate themselves to Mary and to consecrate to Mary their own lives, and all those who wish to know Her, love Her and live Her.
Mary, the Door to Heaven (Act of Magisterium, “Mary, the Holy Door of the Sons of God”, 24/12/2024); Mary, the Immaculate One, She who leads us to love Jesus like no one else can. This is the importance of consecrating oneself to Mary. Here is the “Mary, I consecrate myself to You” that resounds in our hearts today (Revelation of Jesus to Maria G. Norcia, “Mary, I consecrate myself to You”, 10/03/1986). Here is Mary’s Army: you, young people, the beating heart of this Church, the beating heart of this humanity. This Church loves you in a special way, just as you love Mary in a special way. This is the Strength that comes to us from Heaven. This is the Strength that comes to us from She who is Mother, in loving all those who entrust themselves to Her with a sincere heart. Here is the Mum and the Mother: the Mum who loves, who nourishes, who comforts; and the Mother who protects from every danger and every snare.
Behold the Exalted One, just as the Father said to this Maiden, the Eternal Maiden, Maria Giuseppina, She who welcomed Baby Jesus to dwell within Her Heart, becoming a living Cradle. God the Father said to her, in an important Revelation, speaking of Mary: “You see, the IMMACULATE, the Pure and without blemish, dwells in US: In HER, the DIVINE MYSTERY is unfathomable and inaccessible. Therefore, the TRINITARY MYSTERY is poured out upon HER: POWER, KNOWLEDGE and DIVINE LOVE.
Since, simply being a creature, she participated in this MYSTERY OF REDEMPTION, therefore, par excellence, SHE is the Exalted One, in whom the entire DIVINITY dwells, for She is the MOTHER of the Only-Begotten SON and Sovereign QUEEN of humanity” (Revelation of God the Almighty Father to Maria G. Norcia, “The Immaculate dwells in Us”, 28/06/1983).
Here is Mary: she has not been fully understood, dear brothers and sisters, by this humanity. Her Figure, Her Person is still debated today, and people get stuck in many human debates that are fruitless for the spirit (1 Tim 6:4–5), instead of letting their hearts soar, rising high to take Mary’s hands and live Her in fullness, in order to delve deeper into the Mystery (Pontifical Decree, “In Mary, with Mary and for Mary”, 22/12/2019).
Thus, consecrating oneself to Mary is a necessary act (Act of the Magisterium, “Consecrating oneself to Mary is a necessary act”, 14/10/2024). This is what history teaches us, and this is what the Saints and Martyrs teach us – those who lived to make Mary, the Immaculate One, known. Let us think of Saint Maximilian Maria Kolbe, a Polish martyr who gave his life to make the Immaculate known and who, during the Second World War, chose to give his life out of love for God, out of love for the Immaculate and out of love for his neighbour, laying down his life for another man (Jn 15:13), a family man. Here is the shining and living example we remember together.
These examples shine brightly, they live in our hearts and above all for you, dear young people, who must learn from history. And so, all the initiatives that lead you young people to discover more and more of the past are commendable, so that you may carry forward what is good (1 Thess 5:21) and so that you may no longer commit the errors of what is evil. Here is the tragedy of war that must be left behind. To be able to live this out, we must embrace the Peace that can only be found in Jesus (Jn 14:27). And so, all the initiatives that lead you, beloved young people, to experience all this are praiseworthy.
I welcome with all my heart, and I greet the delegation of young people here today from Poland, accompanied by their guardians; just as I welcome the president of the association of those who, in this land, devote themselves to ensuring that war is never experienced or re-lived again. We must be aware, in order to vigorously drive away the tragedy of war that brings forth death.
Here is the Peace that can only be lived and realised in Jesus, just as it is written in today’s Gospel: “Go and preach the Gospel to all nations. Whoever believes will be saved; whoever does not believe will not be able to find salvation” (Mk 16:15-16). Here is the Gospel that stands firm these days to bring a Word of Truth; days of apostasy where the Truth is watered down (2 Thess 2:3), where the Sacrifice of Christ and of the universal Catholic Christian religion is belittled by teaching that all religions lead to God, that all churches are sisters. Here is the Gospel that today brings us back to the Truth: “only one” is the Way to salvation, and salvation can only be found in Jesus (Acts 4:12), the Risen One.
Here is the Gospel that speaks of “signs”. “These are the signs for those who believe” (Mk 16:17), as we have just heard. We need, dear brothers and sisters, the help of the “signs”, because the “signs” will lead us back to the Truth. The first Sign was the Resurrection of Christ, a Sign that was welcomed by those who changed their religion in order to embrace the Newness. This happened then. The last Sign is the one that took place here, when Jesus once again descended from Heaven (Acts 1:11; Revelation of Jesus to Maria G. Norcia, “The Return of Jesus”, 30/10/1994) so that the world might embrace this Newness and remain anchored to the Truth. Behold this Church which leads the world to experience a new Transition: just as we passed from the first to the second Covenant, so now we pass from the second Covenant to the Third and definitive one.
Behold the Word of Jesus who comes to teach us, and to let us be born again into new Life (John 3:3, 7), so that we may become “sons” and not remain “creatures”. There is a substantial difference; the dividing line seems subtle, but it is substantial. “Sons”: those who are baptised and believe in Jesus and listen to His teachings (Jn 1:12). All others remain “creatures”. Otherwise, why did Jesus lay down His Life? Why did the martyrs and saints lay down their lives to convert all peoples to Christianity, if not for this? Here is the Truth that must be placed back at the centre of each of our lives.
This is a call I wish to make once again today, on this Sunday of the Easter season, so that all may be converted now and no longer procrastinate (Mk 1:15; Revelation of Jesus to Maria G. Norcia, “The Holy Place of Jesus’ Return”, 19/02/1995); to welcome now the Sign that has come down from Heaven, so that the Father may embrace all His sons. So that we may become “sons”, remain “sons” and live as “sons”.
Then Peace will reign on Earth (Revelation of Jesus to Maria G. Norcia, “The Divine Family and the Golden Ladder”, 25/12/1988). Without Jesus’ help, mankind will not be able to attain Peace. Without Heaven’s help, everything would collapse. And I say to you: everything will collapse if men do not return to living all this. Because what is written, dear brothers, must be fulfilled. Just as it is written in the Book of Revelation that that mighty Angel, whom John, John the Apostle, saw descending from Heaven, wrapped in a cloud, with a rainbow encircling his forehead, had placed his right foot upon the sea and his left upon the earth and, at a certain point, cried out with a loud voice, like a roaring lion. And when he had cried out, the seven thunders made their voices heard (Rev 10:1-3), it is written.
Well, that foot resting there will make the Power of the Angel descended from Heaven felt, and this earth will tremble, and many will feel and see many foundations crumble; and what seems strong in the world will in an instant become weak. Behold the Omnipotence of God. And these visible signs will help many to understand the Truth. Others will seek ‘a home’. And you, dear brothers and sisters, you, beloved young people, must be those who, through your example, through your fragrance of holiness (2 Cor 2:15), will welcome all these refugees of the Spirit to restore them, love them, bring them to Baby Jesus so that He may nourish them with His Milk, with His Honey.
This is the highest task: to welcome the refugees of the Spirit who no longer have ‘a home’ because, without the Spirit, the body is nothing (Jas 2:26). It is a major task.
Love your many peers who no longer experience all this, who are searching for God; through your example, rather than words; be good, upright, generous men, so that you may then make yourselves manifest as authentic Christians (1 Tim 4:12). But be true men first, credible, so that even those who do not believe, by looking to your example, may understand what drives you to do everything well (Mt 5:16). This is holiness made flesh and lived out.
Here is this childlike Church, adoring the Divine Child who dwells here, who was born here, who wishes to welcome everyone here (Revelation of Jesus to Maria G. Norcia, “The True Countenance of Jesus”, 18/06/1995). His Name is Life (Jn 6:35) because He wishes to give Life to all those who, believing in His Name, will desire to embrace Him and live with Him for eternity (Jn 20:31). And so be it.
