At noon today (Rome time), the Holy Father, Pope Francis appeared at the window of his study in the Vatican Apostolic Palace to recite the Angelus with the faithful and with pilgrims gathered in Saint Peter's Square.
For the third Sunday of Advent (also known as Gaudete Sunday), children from the Rome Prayer Centre and from various parishes and families in Rome were also present for the blessing of Bambinelli (statuettes of the child Jesus which will be placed in various manger scenes at Christmas).
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
On previous Sundays, the liturgy has pointed out what it means to wait vigilantly and what concrete things we can do to prepare the way for the Lord. On this third Sunday of Advent, known as the Sunday of Joy, the liturgy invites us to grasp the spirit with which all of this happens, that is to say, precisely, joy. Saint Paul invites us to prepare for the coming of the Lord by taking on three attitudes. Listen closely: three attitudes. First, constant joy; second, persevering prayer; third, continually giving thanks. Constant joy, persevering prayer and continually giving thanks.
The first attitude: constant joy: Saint Paul says Rejoice always (1 Thes 5:16). This is the same as saying always remain in joy, even when things are not going the way we want them to go; but there is profound joy, which is peace: this too is joy, within us. Peace is a joy at the level of self, but it is a joy. Anxieties, difficulties and sufferings are part of everyone's life, we have all experienced them; and often, the realities that surround us seem to be inhospitable and dry, like the desert where John the Baptist's words echoed, as we hear in today's gospel (cf Jn 1:23). But the Baptist's words show that our joy rests on certainty, that this desert is inhabited: Among you - says John - stands one you do not know (Jn 1:26). This is Jesus, sent by the Father, who is coming, as Isaiah points out, to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to captives, release to prisoners, to proclaim a year of the Lord's favour (Is 61:1-2). These words, which Jesus makes his own in his speech in the synagogue in Nazareth (cf Lk 4:16-19), clarifies the fact that our mission in the world consists in liberating those who are victims of personal and social sin and the slavery that it produces. He came to earth to restore to mankind the dignity and freedom of children of God, a truth that only He could communicate and for which he can fill us with joy.
The joy that characterizes our waiting for the Messiah is based on persevering prayer: this is the second attitude. Saint Paul says: Pray without ceasing (1 Thes 5:17). Through prayer, we can enter into a stable relationship with God, which is the source of true joy. Christian joy cannot be bought, it cannot be bought; it comes from faith and from an encounter with Jesus Christ who is the reason for your happiness. And the more we are rooted in Christ, the more we will be close to Jesus, the more we will discover interior serenity, even in the midst of day to day contradictions. This is the reason why a Christian who has encountered Jesus cannot be a prophet of misfortune, but a witness and a herald of joy. The joy of sharing with others; a contagious joy that makes life's journey less tiring.
The third attitude that Paul points out is constantly giving thanks, which is to say the love that comes from meeting God. In fact, God is very generous with us, and we are invited to always recognize God's good works, his merciful love, his patience and his goodness, therefore living in a constant state of gratefulness.
Joy, prayer and gratitude are three attitudes that prepare us to experience Christmas in an authentic way. Joy, prayer and gratitude. Let's all say it together: joy, prayer and gratitude (the people in the Square repeat the three words). Once more! (they repeat). In this final week of the Advent season, let us entrust ourselves to the maternal intercession of the Virgin Mary. She is the cause of our joy, not only because she bore Jesus, but because she always brings us to Him.
Following the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
(Roman children began to sing: Happy Birthday to you) Thank you very much, thank you very much!
I am united in heart with the call of the Bishops of Nigeria for the liberation of the six Sisters of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus who were kidnapped about a month ago, taken from their convent in Iguoriakhi. I am praying intensely for them and for all the other people who are involved in this painful situation: may they, at Christmas, finally return home. Let us pray together for them: Hail Mary ...
I greet all of you, families, parish groups and associations, who have come from Rome, from Italy and from many other parts of the world. In particular, I greet the group of Lobitos from Portugal and the group of pilgrims from Bolivia. I greet the faithful from Salamanca and from Pernumia (Padua).
And now, I affectionately greet all the children who have come for the blessing of the Bambinelli, a gathering that has been organized by the Roman Oratories. This is beautiful because I can read from here: the Oratory truly belongs to every one of you. The sign says: There is always a place for you. There is always a place for you! When you pray at home, in front of the manger scene with your families, allow yourselves to be drawn in by the tenderness of the Child Jesus, born among us in poverty and frailty, in order to share his love with us. This is the true meaning of Christmas. If we were to take away Jesus, what would remain of Christmas? It would be an empty party. Don't cut Jesus out of christmas! Jesus is the centre of Christmas, Jesus is the true Christmas! Do you understand?
Therefore, I wish everyone a good Sunday and a god journey toward the Christmas of Jesus. Please, don't forget to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch and good bye.
For the third Sunday of Advent (also known as Gaudete Sunday), children from the Rome Prayer Centre and from various parishes and families in Rome were also present for the blessing of Bambinelli (statuettes of the child Jesus which will be placed in various manger scenes at Christmas).
Greetings of His Holiness, Pope Francis
prior to the recitation of the Angelus
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
On previous Sundays, the liturgy has pointed out what it means to wait vigilantly and what concrete things we can do to prepare the way for the Lord. On this third Sunday of Advent, known as the Sunday of Joy, the liturgy invites us to grasp the spirit with which all of this happens, that is to say, precisely, joy. Saint Paul invites us to prepare for the coming of the Lord by taking on three attitudes. Listen closely: three attitudes. First, constant joy; second, persevering prayer; third, continually giving thanks. Constant joy, persevering prayer and continually giving thanks.
The first attitude: constant joy: Saint Paul says Rejoice always (1 Thes 5:16). This is the same as saying always remain in joy, even when things are not going the way we want them to go; but there is profound joy, which is peace: this too is joy, within us. Peace is a joy at the level of self, but it is a joy. Anxieties, difficulties and sufferings are part of everyone's life, we have all experienced them; and often, the realities that surround us seem to be inhospitable and dry, like the desert where John the Baptist's words echoed, as we hear in today's gospel (cf Jn 1:23). But the Baptist's words show that our joy rests on certainty, that this desert is inhabited: Among you - says John - stands one you do not know (Jn 1:26). This is Jesus, sent by the Father, who is coming, as Isaiah points out, to bring good news to the oppressed, to bind up the broken hearted, to proclaim liberty to captives, release to prisoners, to proclaim a year of the Lord's favour (Is 61:1-2). These words, which Jesus makes his own in his speech in the synagogue in Nazareth (cf Lk 4:16-19), clarifies the fact that our mission in the world consists in liberating those who are victims of personal and social sin and the slavery that it produces. He came to earth to restore to mankind the dignity and freedom of children of God, a truth that only He could communicate and for which he can fill us with joy.
The joy that characterizes our waiting for the Messiah is based on persevering prayer: this is the second attitude. Saint Paul says: Pray without ceasing (1 Thes 5:17). Through prayer, we can enter into a stable relationship with God, which is the source of true joy. Christian joy cannot be bought, it cannot be bought; it comes from faith and from an encounter with Jesus Christ who is the reason for your happiness. And the more we are rooted in Christ, the more we will be close to Jesus, the more we will discover interior serenity, even in the midst of day to day contradictions. This is the reason why a Christian who has encountered Jesus cannot be a prophet of misfortune, but a witness and a herald of joy. The joy of sharing with others; a contagious joy that makes life's journey less tiring.
The third attitude that Paul points out is constantly giving thanks, which is to say the love that comes from meeting God. In fact, God is very generous with us, and we are invited to always recognize God's good works, his merciful love, his patience and his goodness, therefore living in a constant state of gratefulness.
Joy, prayer and gratitude are three attitudes that prepare us to experience Christmas in an authentic way. Joy, prayer and gratitude. Let's all say it together: joy, prayer and gratitude (the people in the Square repeat the three words). Once more! (they repeat). In this final week of the Advent season, let us entrust ourselves to the maternal intercession of the Virgin Mary. She is the cause of our joy, not only because she bore Jesus, but because she always brings us to Him.
Following the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
(Roman children began to sing: Happy Birthday to you) Thank you very much, thank you very much!
I am united in heart with the call of the Bishops of Nigeria for the liberation of the six Sisters of the Eucharistic Heart of Jesus who were kidnapped about a month ago, taken from their convent in Iguoriakhi. I am praying intensely for them and for all the other people who are involved in this painful situation: may they, at Christmas, finally return home. Let us pray together for them: Hail Mary ...
I greet all of you, families, parish groups and associations, who have come from Rome, from Italy and from many other parts of the world. In particular, I greet the group of Lobitos from Portugal and the group of pilgrims from Bolivia. I greet the faithful from Salamanca and from Pernumia (Padua).
And now, I affectionately greet all the children who have come for the blessing of the Bambinelli, a gathering that has been organized by the Roman Oratories. This is beautiful because I can read from here: the Oratory truly belongs to every one of you. The sign says: There is always a place for you. There is always a place for you! When you pray at home, in front of the manger scene with your families, allow yourselves to be drawn in by the tenderness of the Child Jesus, born among us in poverty and frailty, in order to share his love with us. This is the true meaning of Christmas. If we were to take away Jesus, what would remain of Christmas? It would be an empty party. Don't cut Jesus out of christmas! Jesus is the centre of Christmas, Jesus is the true Christmas! Do you understand?
Therefore, I wish everyone a good Sunday and a god journey toward the Christmas of Jesus. Please, don't forget to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch and good bye.
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