At the conclusion of the celebration of the Mass for the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord, which took place in the Vatican Basilica, at noon today in Rome, the Holy Father appeared at the window of his study in the Vatican Apostolic Palace to recite the Angelus with the faithful and with pilgrims who were gathered in Saint Peter's Square.
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
In today's gospel, the encounter with the Magi who came from the Orient to Bethlehem to adore the Messiah, the Feast of the Epiphany receives a breath of universality. It is the breath of the Church who wants all people on earth to be able to encounter Jesus, to have the experience of his merciful love. This is the desire of the Church: that all people discover the mercy of Jesus, his love.
Christ is newborn, he cannot yet speak, and all people - represented by the Magi - can already meet him, recognize him, adore him. The Magi say: We have seen his star and have come to adore him (Mt 2:2). Herod heard about this as soon as the Magi arrived in Jerusalem. These Magi were prestigious men, from far away places and different cultures, and they had come to the land of Israel to adore the king who had been born. The Church has always seen in them the image of all humanity, and with today's celebration, with the feast of the Epiphany, our wish is to respectfully point the way for every man and woman in the world to the Child who was born for the salvation of all people.
On Christmas night, Jesus was announced to shepherds, humble and despised men - some called them brigands - making them the first to bring a bit of warmth to the cold stable in Bethlehem. Now, the Magi come from a distant land, also mysteriously drawn to this child. The shepherds and the Magi are very different from each other, but they have one thing in common: the sky. The shepherds in Bethlehem ran immediately to see Jesus, not because they were particularly good, but because they were awake during the night and raised their eyes to toward the skies, where they saw a sign, welcomed its message and followed its direction. The same was true for the Magi: by examining the skies, they saw a new star, interpreted the sign and set out on a journey from far away. The shepherds and the Magi teach us that in order to meet Jesus, we need to know how to raise our eyes to the skies and not to be focused in upon ourselves, on our own concerns, but we should have our hearts and minds open to God's horizons, which always surprise us because they know how to welcome his message and how to respond promptly and with generosity.
The gospel tells us that the Magi, having seen the star, were filled with great joy (Mt 2:10). For us too, there is great consolation to be found as we see the star, when we feel that we are being guided toward our destination, that we have not been abandoned. This star is the gospel, the Word of the Lord, as the psalm says: The word is a lamp to guide our steps, a light to guide our way (Ps 119:105). This light guides us toward Christ. Without listening to the gospel, it would be impossible for us to meet him! In fact, the Magi, following the star, were able to reach the place where they found Jesus. Here, seeing the child and Mary his mother, they bowed down and adored him (Mt 2:11). The Magi's experience challenges us to not content ourselves with mediocrity, to not simply get along, but to search for the meaning of things, to passionately examine the great mysteries of life, and to learn not to be scandalized by the small things that impoverish, but to recognize the majesty of humility and to know how to bow down before it.
May the Virgin Mary, who welcomed the Magi in Bethlehem, help us to raise our eyes, to allow ourselves to be guided by the star of the gospel so that we can meet Jesus, and to know how to bow down in adoration. In this way, may we be able to share a ray of light with others and share with them the joy of the journey.
Following the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today, we express our spiritual closeness to our brothers and sisters who belong to Eastern Churches, both Catholic and Orthodox, many of whom will celebrate the Birth of the Lord tomorrow. To them we send our wishes for peace and good will. We can also greet them with our applause!
We also remember that the Epiphany is the World Day of Missionary Childhood. This is a feast day for children who, with their prayer and sacrifices, assist the neediest of their peers by being missionaries and witnesses of fraternity and sharing.
I extend my cordial greetings to all of you, pilgrims, families, parish groups and associations who have come from various parts of Italy and from other countries. I especially greet the faithful from Acerra, Modena and Terlizzi; the School of Sacred Art from Florence; and the young people from the International Lions Club Camp.
Special greetings to all those who have contributed to the historic-folkloric festival, dedicated this year to the territory of Valle dell'Amaseno. I also want to mention the procession of the Magi which is taking place in many cities in Poland, with large numbers of participants from families and associations; as well as living nativities such as the one organized by UNITALSI in Campidoglio and by the Friars Minor, including the participation of persons with disabilities.
I wish you all a good feast day. Please, don't forget to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch and good bye!
Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
prior to the recitation of the Angelus
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
In today's gospel, the encounter with the Magi who came from the Orient to Bethlehem to adore the Messiah, the Feast of the Epiphany receives a breath of universality. It is the breath of the Church who wants all people on earth to be able to encounter Jesus, to have the experience of his merciful love. This is the desire of the Church: that all people discover the mercy of Jesus, his love.
Christ is newborn, he cannot yet speak, and all people - represented by the Magi - can already meet him, recognize him, adore him. The Magi say: We have seen his star and have come to adore him (Mt 2:2). Herod heard about this as soon as the Magi arrived in Jerusalem. These Magi were prestigious men, from far away places and different cultures, and they had come to the land of Israel to adore the king who had been born. The Church has always seen in them the image of all humanity, and with today's celebration, with the feast of the Epiphany, our wish is to respectfully point the way for every man and woman in the world to the Child who was born for the salvation of all people.
On Christmas night, Jesus was announced to shepherds, humble and despised men - some called them brigands - making them the first to bring a bit of warmth to the cold stable in Bethlehem. Now, the Magi come from a distant land, also mysteriously drawn to this child. The shepherds and the Magi are very different from each other, but they have one thing in common: the sky. The shepherds in Bethlehem ran immediately to see Jesus, not because they were particularly good, but because they were awake during the night and raised their eyes to toward the skies, where they saw a sign, welcomed its message and followed its direction. The same was true for the Magi: by examining the skies, they saw a new star, interpreted the sign and set out on a journey from far away. The shepherds and the Magi teach us that in order to meet Jesus, we need to know how to raise our eyes to the skies and not to be focused in upon ourselves, on our own concerns, but we should have our hearts and minds open to God's horizons, which always surprise us because they know how to welcome his message and how to respond promptly and with generosity.
The gospel tells us that the Magi, having seen the star, were filled with great joy (Mt 2:10). For us too, there is great consolation to be found as we see the star, when we feel that we are being guided toward our destination, that we have not been abandoned. This star is the gospel, the Word of the Lord, as the psalm says: The word is a lamp to guide our steps, a light to guide our way (Ps 119:105). This light guides us toward Christ. Without listening to the gospel, it would be impossible for us to meet him! In fact, the Magi, following the star, were able to reach the place where they found Jesus. Here, seeing the child and Mary his mother, they bowed down and adored him (Mt 2:11). The Magi's experience challenges us to not content ourselves with mediocrity, to not simply get along, but to search for the meaning of things, to passionately examine the great mysteries of life, and to learn not to be scandalized by the small things that impoverish, but to recognize the majesty of humility and to know how to bow down before it.
May the Virgin Mary, who welcomed the Magi in Bethlehem, help us to raise our eyes, to allow ourselves to be guided by the star of the gospel so that we can meet Jesus, and to know how to bow down in adoration. In this way, may we be able to share a ray of light with others and share with them the joy of the journey.
Following the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today, we express our spiritual closeness to our brothers and sisters who belong to Eastern Churches, both Catholic and Orthodox, many of whom will celebrate the Birth of the Lord tomorrow. To them we send our wishes for peace and good will. We can also greet them with our applause!
We also remember that the Epiphany is the World Day of Missionary Childhood. This is a feast day for children who, with their prayer and sacrifices, assist the neediest of their peers by being missionaries and witnesses of fraternity and sharing.
I extend my cordial greetings to all of you, pilgrims, families, parish groups and associations who have come from various parts of Italy and from other countries. I especially greet the faithful from Acerra, Modena and Terlizzi; the School of Sacred Art from Florence; and the young people from the International Lions Club Camp.
Special greetings to all those who have contributed to the historic-folkloric festival, dedicated this year to the territory of Valle dell'Amaseno. I also want to mention the procession of the Magi which is taking place in many cities in Poland, with large numbers of participants from families and associations; as well as living nativities such as the one organized by UNITALSI in Campidoglio and by the Friars Minor, including the participation of persons with disabilities.
I wish you all a good feast day. Please, don't forget to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch and good bye!
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