At noon today, 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 who had gathered in Saint Peter's Square for the usual Sunday appointment.
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
On this first Sunday after Christmas, while we are still immersed in the joyous atmosphere of celebration, the Church invites us to contemplate the Holy Family of Nazareth. Today's gospel presents the Virgin Mary and Joseph at the moment when, forty days after the birth of Jesus, they went to the temple in Jerusalem. They did this in religious obedience to the Law of Moses, which prescribes the offering of offspring to the Lord (cf Lk 2:22-24).
We can imagine this little family in the midst of so many people, in the grand courtyards of the temple. There is nothing surprising in this scene, nothing distinguishing about it ... and yet it does not go unnoticed! Two elderly people, Simeon and Anna, inspired by the Holy Spirit, approach and begin to praise God for the gift of this child, in whom they recognize the Messiah, light of the nations and the salvation of Israel (cf Lk 2:22-38). This is a moment which is simple but rich in prophecy: the encounter between two young spouses filled with joy and faith in the graces of the Lord; and two elderly persons who also are filled with joy and faith in the Spirit's actions. Who brings them together? Jesus. Jesus brings them together: the young and the old. Jesus is the one who draws all generations together. He is the font of the love that unites families and persons, overcoming all distrust, all manners of isolation, every distance. This also makes us think of our grandparents: how important it is that they are present, the presence of grandparents! How precious is their role in our families and in our society! Good relationships between the young and the old are invaluable for the journey of a civil and an ecclesial community. Watching those two elderly persons, our two grandparents - Simeon and Anna - we greet from here, with our applause, all grandparents throughout the world.
The message we draw from the Holy Family is first a message of faith. In the family of Mary and Joseph, God is truly the focus, in the person of Jesus. This is the reason why the family of Nazareth is holy. Why? Because they are focused on Jesus.
When parents and children together breathe this climate of faith, they possess an energy that allows them to confront difficult trials, as evidenced by the experience of the Holy Family, for example, during the tragic event of the flight into Egypt: it was a difficult trial.
The child Jesus with his Mother Mary and with Saint Joseph are the icon of the family, simple yet illuminating. The light they radiate is a light of mercy and salvation for the whole world, a light of truth for everyone, for the human family and for individual families. This light that comes from the Holy Family encourages us to offer human warmth in those family situations which, for various reasons, lack peace, lack harmony and lack forgiveness. Our concrete solidarity does not fail especially in the challenges of the families that are living in more difficult situations due to sickness, lack of work, discrimination and the need to migrate. And here we pause for a moment and in silence, we pray for all these families in difficulty: be it difficulties of sickness, lack of work, discrimination, the need to migrate, or the lack of understanding each other, or even the lack of unity and support. In silence, we pray for all these families.
After a brief moment of silence, the Pope led the faithful in praying the Hail Mary.
We entrust to Mary, Queen of the family, all the families of the world so that they may live in faith, in harmony, in mutual help ... and for this we invoke upon them Her maternal protection, for she was the mother and daughter of Her Son.
Angelus Domini…
After the recitation of the Angelus, the Pope said the following:
Dear brothers and sisters,
My thoughts turn at this time, to the passengers of the Malaysian airplane that went missing during its flight from Indonesia to Singapore, as well as the passengers on the boats in transit in the last hours in the waters of the Adriatic Sea which were involved in several accidents. I am close to them with the affections and prayers for the families and those who are living through these difficult situations with anxiety and suffering, as well as those involved in rescue operations.
Today, the first greeting goes to the families who are present! May the Holy Family bless you and guide you on your path.
I greet all of you, Romans and pilgrims, in particular the many youth from the Dioceses of Bergamo and Vicenza who have received or are about to receive Confirmation. I greet the families of the Oratory of the Cathedral of Sarzana, the faithful of San Lorenzo in Banale (Trento), the administrators of Sambruson (Venice), the scouts from Villamassargia and the collaborators of the Fraterna Domus.
To all I wish a good Sunday. I thank you once again for your well-wishes and prayers. Please continue to pray for me.
Have a good lunch and goodbye!
Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
prior to the recitation of the Angelus
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
On this first Sunday after Christmas, while we are still immersed in the joyous atmosphere of celebration, the Church invites us to contemplate the Holy Family of Nazareth. Today's gospel presents the Virgin Mary and Joseph at the moment when, forty days after the birth of Jesus, they went to the temple in Jerusalem. They did this in religious obedience to the Law of Moses, which prescribes the offering of offspring to the Lord (cf Lk 2:22-24).
We can imagine this little family in the midst of so many people, in the grand courtyards of the temple. There is nothing surprising in this scene, nothing distinguishing about it ... and yet it does not go unnoticed! Two elderly people, Simeon and Anna, inspired by the Holy Spirit, approach and begin to praise God for the gift of this child, in whom they recognize the Messiah, light of the nations and the salvation of Israel (cf Lk 2:22-38). This is a moment which is simple but rich in prophecy: the encounter between two young spouses filled with joy and faith in the graces of the Lord; and two elderly persons who also are filled with joy and faith in the Spirit's actions. Who brings them together? Jesus. Jesus brings them together: the young and the old. Jesus is the one who draws all generations together. He is the font of the love that unites families and persons, overcoming all distrust, all manners of isolation, every distance. This also makes us think of our grandparents: how important it is that they are present, the presence of grandparents! How precious is their role in our families and in our society! Good relationships between the young and the old are invaluable for the journey of a civil and an ecclesial community. Watching those two elderly persons, our two grandparents - Simeon and Anna - we greet from here, with our applause, all grandparents throughout the world.
The message we draw from the Holy Family is first a message of faith. In the family of Mary and Joseph, God is truly the focus, in the person of Jesus. This is the reason why the family of Nazareth is holy. Why? Because they are focused on Jesus.
When parents and children together breathe this climate of faith, they possess an energy that allows them to confront difficult trials, as evidenced by the experience of the Holy Family, for example, during the tragic event of the flight into Egypt: it was a difficult trial.
The child Jesus with his Mother Mary and with Saint Joseph are the icon of the family, simple yet illuminating. The light they radiate is a light of mercy and salvation for the whole world, a light of truth for everyone, for the human family and for individual families. This light that comes from the Holy Family encourages us to offer human warmth in those family situations which, for various reasons, lack peace, lack harmony and lack forgiveness. Our concrete solidarity does not fail especially in the challenges of the families that are living in more difficult situations due to sickness, lack of work, discrimination and the need to migrate. And here we pause for a moment and in silence, we pray for all these families in difficulty: be it difficulties of sickness, lack of work, discrimination, the need to migrate, or the lack of understanding each other, or even the lack of unity and support. In silence, we pray for all these families.
After a brief moment of silence, the Pope led the faithful in praying the Hail Mary.
We entrust to Mary, Queen of the family, all the families of the world so that they may live in faith, in harmony, in mutual help ... and for this we invoke upon them Her maternal protection, for she was the mother and daughter of Her Son.
Angelus Domini…
After the recitation of the Angelus, the Pope said the following:
Dear brothers and sisters,
My thoughts turn at this time, to the passengers of the Malaysian airplane that went missing during its flight from Indonesia to Singapore, as well as the passengers on the boats in transit in the last hours in the waters of the Adriatic Sea which were involved in several accidents. I am close to them with the affections and prayers for the families and those who are living through these difficult situations with anxiety and suffering, as well as those involved in rescue operations.
Today, the first greeting goes to the families who are present! May the Holy Family bless you and guide you on your path.
I greet all of you, Romans and pilgrims, in particular the many youth from the Dioceses of Bergamo and Vicenza who have received or are about to receive Confirmation. I greet the families of the Oratory of the Cathedral of Sarzana, the faithful of San Lorenzo in Banale (Trento), the administrators of Sambruson (Venice), the scouts from Villamassargia and the collaborators of the Fraterna Domus.
To all I wish a good Sunday. I thank you once again for your well-wishes and prayers. Please continue to pray for me.
Have a good lunch and goodbye!
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