At noon on Sunday, the Holy Father, Pope Francis appeared at the window of his apartment in the Vatican Apostolic Palace to address the pilgrims and the faithful who had gathered in Saint Peter's Square, and to lead them in the recitation of the Angelus.
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
We begin today, the First Sunday of Advent, a new liturgical year, that is a new journey of the People of God with Jesus Christ, our Father who guides us through our history toward heaven, the Reign of God. Therefore, this day has a special fascination for it provides us with a profound sentiment of the sense of history. We rediscover the beauty of being on a journey together: the Church, with her vocation and mission, and the whole of humanity, peoples, civilizations and cultures, all on a journey through the paths of time.
But where is this journey leading? Is there a common goal? And what is this goal? The Lord answers through the words of the prophet Isaiah and says this: At the end of days, the mountain of the Lord's house will be found at the top of all the mountains; it will be exalted above all the hills and all the nations will flow toward it. Many people will come and say, 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways, and we may walk in his paths' (2:2-3). This is what Isaiah has to say about the goal toward which we are all headed. It is a universal pilgrimage toward a communal goal which in the Old Testament is Jerusalem where the temple of the Lord stands, because from that place, from Jerusalem came the revelation of God's face and of his law. In Jesus Christ, revelation was made in its fullness, and the Temple of the Lord was revealed in Jesus himself, the Word made flesh: He is the guide and has determined the goal of our pilgrimage, the goal of the pilgrimage of the whole People of God; guided by his light, other people too can journey toward the Kingdom of justice, the Kingdom of peace. The prophet also says: I will transform their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not raise a sword against another nation; neither shall they learn the art of war any longer (2:4). Permit me to repeat the words of the Prophet; listen well: I will transform their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not raise a sword against another nation; neither shall they learn the art of war any longer. When will this happen? What a beautiful day it will be, when weapons will be dismantled in order to be transformed into instruments of work. What a great day that will be! And it is possible! We count on hope, the hope of peace, and it is possible!
This journey is never ended, just like in each of our lives, there is always a need to start again, to rise again, to rediscover a sense of the goal of our own particular existence, so it is for the great human family: we must always renew the common horizon toward which we are journeying. The horizon of hope! This is the horizon toward which we must all journey, and it is a good, a fruitful journey. The season of Advent, which today we are beginning again, provides us with a horizon of hope, a hope which will not disappoint because it is founded on the Word of God. A hope that does not disappoint, simply because the Lord never disappoints. He is faithful! He does not disappoint! Let us consider the beauty of this truth. Let us take time to surround ourselves with its beauty.
The model of this spiritual attitude, of this way of being and of journeying through life is the Virgin Mary. A simple country girl, who bore the hope of God in her heart. In her womb, the hope of God took flesh, was made man and made history: Jesus Christ. Her Magnificat is the canticle of the journeying People of God, and of all men and women who hope in God, in the power of his mercy. Let us be guided by her who is our mother, our mommy, and who knows how to guide us. Let us be guided by her during this time of waiting and of active vigilance.
After the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today we observe the World day of the fight against HIV/AIDS. We express our closeness to those who are affected, especially children; a closeness which is very concrete in the silent work of so many missionaries and aid workers. We pray for everyone, even for physicians and researchers. May every sick person, without exception, find access to the care they need.
I affectionately greet all the pilgrims who are present: families, parishioners and members of associations. In particular, I greet the faithful who have come from Madrid, the Florilege choir from Belgium; the Families together group from Solofra and the Association of Artists and Artisans of Rome.
I greet the faithful from Bari, Sant'Elpidio a Mare, Polenza and Grumo Nevano.
I wish you all a good beginning to the Advent season. Enjoy your lunch. Good bye!
Address of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
prior to the recitation of the Angelus
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
We begin today, the First Sunday of Advent, a new liturgical year, that is a new journey of the People of God with Jesus Christ, our Father who guides us through our history toward heaven, the Reign of God. Therefore, this day has a special fascination for it provides us with a profound sentiment of the sense of history. We rediscover the beauty of being on a journey together: the Church, with her vocation and mission, and the whole of humanity, peoples, civilizations and cultures, all on a journey through the paths of time.
But where is this journey leading? Is there a common goal? And what is this goal? The Lord answers through the words of the prophet Isaiah and says this: At the end of days, the mountain of the Lord's house will be found at the top of all the mountains; it will be exalted above all the hills and all the nations will flow toward it. Many people will come and say, 'Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord, the house of the God of Jacob, that he may teach us his ways, and we may walk in his paths' (2:2-3). This is what Isaiah has to say about the goal toward which we are all headed. It is a universal pilgrimage toward a communal goal which in the Old Testament is Jerusalem where the temple of the Lord stands, because from that place, from Jerusalem came the revelation of God's face and of his law. In Jesus Christ, revelation was made in its fullness, and the Temple of the Lord was revealed in Jesus himself, the Word made flesh: He is the guide and has determined the goal of our pilgrimage, the goal of the pilgrimage of the whole People of God; guided by his light, other people too can journey toward the Kingdom of justice, the Kingdom of peace. The prophet also says: I will transform their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not raise a sword against another nation; neither shall they learn the art of war any longer (2:4). Permit me to repeat the words of the Prophet; listen well: I will transform their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks; nation shall not raise a sword against another nation; neither shall they learn the art of war any longer. When will this happen? What a beautiful day it will be, when weapons will be dismantled in order to be transformed into instruments of work. What a great day that will be! And it is possible! We count on hope, the hope of peace, and it is possible!
This journey is never ended, just like in each of our lives, there is always a need to start again, to rise again, to rediscover a sense of the goal of our own particular existence, so it is for the great human family: we must always renew the common horizon toward which we are journeying. The horizon of hope! This is the horizon toward which we must all journey, and it is a good, a fruitful journey. The season of Advent, which today we are beginning again, provides us with a horizon of hope, a hope which will not disappoint because it is founded on the Word of God. A hope that does not disappoint, simply because the Lord never disappoints. He is faithful! He does not disappoint! Let us consider the beauty of this truth. Let us take time to surround ourselves with its beauty.
The model of this spiritual attitude, of this way of being and of journeying through life is the Virgin Mary. A simple country girl, who bore the hope of God in her heart. In her womb, the hope of God took flesh, was made man and made history: Jesus Christ. Her Magnificat is the canticle of the journeying People of God, and of all men and women who hope in God, in the power of his mercy. Let us be guided by her who is our mother, our mommy, and who knows how to guide us. Let us be guided by her during this time of waiting and of active vigilance.
After the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today we observe the World day of the fight against HIV/AIDS. We express our closeness to those who are affected, especially children; a closeness which is very concrete in the silent work of so many missionaries and aid workers. We pray for everyone, even for physicians and researchers. May every sick person, without exception, find access to the care they need.
I affectionately greet all the pilgrims who are present: families, parishioners and members of associations. In particular, I greet the faithful who have come from Madrid, the Florilege choir from Belgium; the Families together group from Solofra and the Association of Artists and Artisans of Rome.
I greet the faithful from Bari, Sant'Elpidio a Mare, Polenza and Grumo Nevano.
I wish you all a good beginning to the Advent season. Enjoy your lunch. Good bye!
No comments:
Post a Comment