At 12:00 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.
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
A beautiful Sunday to welcome the new year! A beautiful day!
Saint John says in the gospel we read today: In him was life, life that was the light of men; and light shines in darkness, and darkness cannot overpower it ... The Word was the real light that gives light to everyone (Jn 1:4-5, 9). Men speak often about light but often prefer the deceiving tranquility of darkness. We speak so much of peace, but we often resort to war or choose complicit silence, or we do nothing to concretely build up peace. In fact, Saint John says: He came to his own, and his own did not accept him (Jn 1:11); because the judgement is this: the light - Jesus - has come into the world, but people have preferred darkness to the light, because their deeds were evil; and indeed everyone who does wrong hates the light and avoids it, in order to prevent his actions from being exposed (Jn 3:19-20). This is what the gospel of John says. The heart of man can reject the light and prefer the darkness, because the light exposes his evil deeds. Those who do evil hate the light. Those who do evil hate peace.
A few days ago, we began a new year in the name of the Mother of God, by celebrating the World Day of Peace with the theme: No longer slaves but brothers. My hope is that man's exploitation of man might be overcome. This exploitation is a social wound which mortifies interpersonal relationships and impedes a life of communion marked by respect, justice and charity. Every man and every people is hungry and thirsty for peace; therefore it is necessary and urgent that we should build peace!
Peace is not merely the absence of war, but a general condition in which the human person is in harmony with himself, in harmony with nature and in harmony with others. This is true peace. However, silencing guns and extinguishing the outbreaks of war are merely the first steps to beginning the journey that leads to the possibility of peace in all its aspects. I think of the bloody conflicts which are still present in too many places on this planet, of the tensions in families and in communities - in so many families, and in so many communities, even in parishes there is war - and I think also of the contrasts in our city and in our world between groups of various cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds. We need to convince them that despite all appearances to the contrary, concord is always possible, at every level and in every situation. There is no future without the possibility and the hope of peace! There is no future without peace!
In the Old Testament, God made a promise. The prophet Isaiah says: They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation will not lift sword against another nation, they will learn war no longer (Is 2:4). This is beautiful! Peace is proclaimed as the special gift of God, in the birth of the Redeemer: Peace on earth to those favored by God (Lk 2:14). Such a gift must be constantly implored in prayer. Let us remember, here in the Square, the sign that was here: At the root of peace, there is prayer. This gift must be prayed for and should be welcomed every day with our constant commitment, no matter what situations we may find ourselves in. At the dawn of this new year, we are all called to rekindle within our hearts a hope for this gift which should be made evident in our works of peace. If you are not getting along with someone, make peace. In your home? Be at peace! In your community? Be at peace! In your work? Be at peace! Works of peace, of reconciliation and of fraternity. Every one of us should extend gestures of fraternity toward others, especially those who are being tried by family tensions or disputes of various kinds. These small gestures are so valuable: they can be the seeds of hope and they can provide paths and prospects for peace.
Let us now pray with Mary, the Queen of Peace. During her life here on earth, she knew many difficulties related to the daily struggles of life, but she never lost hope, nor the peace of heart, the fruit of self-surrender to God's divine mercy. Let us ask Mary, our tender mother, to point out to the entire world the sure path to love and peace.
Following the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
I wish to cordially greet all of you, dear pilgrims from various parts of Italy and other countries who have come to participate in this gathering of prayer.
In particular, I greet the faithful from Casirate d'Adda, Alfianello, Val Brembilla and Verona.
To each of you, I express my wish that you might spend this second Sunday after Christmas in a spirit of serenity as you prolong the joy of the birth of the Lord.
The Holy Father then announced the convocation of the next Consistory for the creation of new Cardinals, which will take place on February 14 of this year. The official announcement of this Consistory will be published in a separate entry. Following the announcement of the names of the newly-created Cardinals, the Holy Father concluded his address with the following words:
I wish you all a good Sunday! This is a beautiful day to visit the museums. Please do not forget to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch. Good bye!
Greetings of His Holiness, Pope Francis
prior to the recitation of the Angelus
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
A beautiful Sunday to welcome the new year! A beautiful day!
Saint John says in the gospel we read today: In him was life, life that was the light of men; and light shines in darkness, and darkness cannot overpower it ... The Word was the real light that gives light to everyone (Jn 1:4-5, 9). Men speak often about light but often prefer the deceiving tranquility of darkness. We speak so much of peace, but we often resort to war or choose complicit silence, or we do nothing to concretely build up peace. In fact, Saint John says: He came to his own, and his own did not accept him (Jn 1:11); because the judgement is this: the light - Jesus - has come into the world, but people have preferred darkness to the light, because their deeds were evil; and indeed everyone who does wrong hates the light and avoids it, in order to prevent his actions from being exposed (Jn 3:19-20). This is what the gospel of John says. The heart of man can reject the light and prefer the darkness, because the light exposes his evil deeds. Those who do evil hate the light. Those who do evil hate peace.
A few days ago, we began a new year in the name of the Mother of God, by celebrating the World Day of Peace with the theme: No longer slaves but brothers. My hope is that man's exploitation of man might be overcome. This exploitation is a social wound which mortifies interpersonal relationships and impedes a life of communion marked by respect, justice and charity. Every man and every people is hungry and thirsty for peace; therefore it is necessary and urgent that we should build peace!
Peace is not merely the absence of war, but a general condition in which the human person is in harmony with himself, in harmony with nature and in harmony with others. This is true peace. However, silencing guns and extinguishing the outbreaks of war are merely the first steps to beginning the journey that leads to the possibility of peace in all its aspects. I think of the bloody conflicts which are still present in too many places on this planet, of the tensions in families and in communities - in so many families, and in so many communities, even in parishes there is war - and I think also of the contrasts in our city and in our world between groups of various cultural, ethnic and religious backgrounds. We need to convince them that despite all appearances to the contrary, concord is always possible, at every level and in every situation. There is no future without the possibility and the hope of peace! There is no future without peace!
In the Old Testament, God made a promise. The prophet Isaiah says: They will beat their swords into plowshares and their spears into pruning hooks; nation will not lift sword against another nation, they will learn war no longer (Is 2:4). This is beautiful! Peace is proclaimed as the special gift of God, in the birth of the Redeemer: Peace on earth to those favored by God (Lk 2:14). Such a gift must be constantly implored in prayer. Let us remember, here in the Square, the sign that was here: At the root of peace, there is prayer. This gift must be prayed for and should be welcomed every day with our constant commitment, no matter what situations we may find ourselves in. At the dawn of this new year, we are all called to rekindle within our hearts a hope for this gift which should be made evident in our works of peace. If you are not getting along with someone, make peace. In your home? Be at peace! In your community? Be at peace! In your work? Be at peace! Works of peace, of reconciliation and of fraternity. Every one of us should extend gestures of fraternity toward others, especially those who are being tried by family tensions or disputes of various kinds. These small gestures are so valuable: they can be the seeds of hope and they can provide paths and prospects for peace.
Let us now pray with Mary, the Queen of Peace. During her life here on earth, she knew many difficulties related to the daily struggles of life, but she never lost hope, nor the peace of heart, the fruit of self-surrender to God's divine mercy. Let us ask Mary, our tender mother, to point out to the entire world the sure path to love and peace.
Following the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
I wish to cordially greet all of you, dear pilgrims from various parts of Italy and other countries who have come to participate in this gathering of prayer.
In particular, I greet the faithful from Casirate d'Adda, Alfianello, Val Brembilla and Verona.
To each of you, I express my wish that you might spend this second Sunday after Christmas in a spirit of serenity as you prolong the joy of the birth of the Lord.
The Holy Father then announced the convocation of the next Consistory for the creation of new Cardinals, which will take place on February 14 of this year. The official announcement of this Consistory will be published in a separate entry. Following the announcement of the names of the newly-created Cardinals, the Holy Father concluded his address with the following words:
I wish you all a good Sunday! This is a beautiful day to visit the museums. Please do not forget to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch. Good bye!
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