At the conclusion of the Eucharistic celebration for the Solemnity of Blessed Mary, Mother of God and the 49th World Day of Peace, the Holy Father, Pope Francis appeared at the window of his study in the Vatican Apostolic Palace and, before reciting the Angelus, spoke the following words to those who were gathered in Saint Peter's Square.
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning and Happy New Year!
At the beginning of the year, it is good to exchange greetings! In this way, we renew between us our hope that the year ahead will be better. This is really a sign of the hope that inspires us and that invites us to believe in life. We know however that with the new year, not everything changes, and that many problems that existed yesterday still remain today. So I want to wish you all a year that is sustained by real hope, drawn from today's liturgy.
These are the words with which the Lord himself asked that his people be blessed: May the Lord make his face to shine upon you ... May the Lord turn his face to you (Num 6:25-26). I too wish for this: that the Lord might look upon you so that you may rejoice, knowing that every day his merciful face, which is more radiant than the sun, is shining on you and will never set! The discovery of the face of God makes all life new because he is a father who is enamored with man, who never grows tired of beginning again and again with us in order to renew us. The Lord has patience with us! He never grows tired of beginning again and again every time that we fall. However, the Lord does not allow us to magically change; he doesn't use a magic wand. He loves to change reality from within, with patience and with love; he asks permission to enter into our lives very gently, like rain in a land in order to bear fruit. He is always waiting for us, looking at us with tenderness. Every morning, at our waking, we can say: Today, may the Lord let his face shine upon me. This is a beautiful prayer that is also a reality.
The biblical blessing continues: May the Lord grant you peace (Num 6:26). Today, we celebrate the World Day of Peace, focusing on the theme: Overcoming indifference and achieving peace. Peace, which God wants to sow in our world, should be something we work toward. Not only this, it should also be achieved. This involves a real struggle, a spiritual battle that takes place in our hearts. The nemesis of peace is not only war, but also indifference that causes us to think only of ourselves and creates barriers, suspects, fear and closure. These things are opponents to peace. Thank God, we have a lot of information, but sometimes we are so inundated with news that we become distracted from reality, from our bothers and sisters who need us. Let us begin this year by opening our hearts, re-awakening our attention to our neighbours, to those who are closest to us. This is the way to achieve peace.
The Queen of Peace, the Mother of God helps us with this resolve. Today we celebrate her solemnity. She keeps all these things, pondering them in her heart (Lk 2:19). The hopes and the worries, gratitude and problems: everything that happened in her life became, in Mary's heart, a prayer, a dialogue with God, and she does the same for us: she keeps the joys and loosens the knots in our lives, and takes them to the Lord.
Let us confide this new year to our Mother, and pray that peace and mercy may abound.
Following the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
I want to thank the President of the Italian Republic for the greetings he offered to me last night in his end-of-year Message, and I also wish to reciprocate my heartfelt wishes for him.
I am thankful for the many initiatives of prayer and actions toward peace organized in every part of the world on the occasion of today's World Day of Peace. I am especially thinking about the National March which took place yesterday in Molfetta, organized by the Italian Bishops' Conference, Caritas, Pax Christi and Catholic Action; it is good to know that so many people, especially young people, chose this way of celebrating the new year. I affectionately greet the participants in the Peace in all the world demonstration, organized here in Rome and in many countries by the Saint'Egidio Community. Dear friends, I encourage you to continue your commitment in favour of reconciliation and concord. And I greet the families of the Movement of Familial Love, who spent the entire night in Saint Peter's Square praying for peace and unity among families throughout the world. Thank you to all of you for these wonderful initiatives and for your prayers.
I extend a cordial greeting to all of you, dear pilgrims who are present here. A special thought goes out to the Cantori della Stella - Sternsinger - children and young people who in Germany and Austria take the blessing of Jesus to their homes and collect offerings for their poor friends. I greet the friends and the volunteers from Fraterna Domus, the Oratorio di Stezzano and the faithful from Taranto.
To all of you, I wish a year of peace in the grace of the Lord who is rich in mercy, ad with the maternal protection of Mary, the Holy Mother of God. Don't forget, every morning, when you wake up, remember to ask for God's blessing: Today, may the Lord make his face to shine upon me. Everyone together: Today, may the Lord make his face to shine upon me. One more time! Today, may the Lord make his face to shine upon me.
Happy New Year! Enjoy your lunch, and don't forget to pray for me. Good bye!
Greetings of His Holiness, Pope Francis
prior to the recitation of the Angelus
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning and Happy New Year!
At the beginning of the year, it is good to exchange greetings! In this way, we renew between us our hope that the year ahead will be better. This is really a sign of the hope that inspires us and that invites us to believe in life. We know however that with the new year, not everything changes, and that many problems that existed yesterday still remain today. So I want to wish you all a year that is sustained by real hope, drawn from today's liturgy.
These are the words with which the Lord himself asked that his people be blessed: May the Lord make his face to shine upon you ... May the Lord turn his face to you (Num 6:25-26). I too wish for this: that the Lord might look upon you so that you may rejoice, knowing that every day his merciful face, which is more radiant than the sun, is shining on you and will never set! The discovery of the face of God makes all life new because he is a father who is enamored with man, who never grows tired of beginning again and again with us in order to renew us. The Lord has patience with us! He never grows tired of beginning again and again every time that we fall. However, the Lord does not allow us to magically change; he doesn't use a magic wand. He loves to change reality from within, with patience and with love; he asks permission to enter into our lives very gently, like rain in a land in order to bear fruit. He is always waiting for us, looking at us with tenderness. Every morning, at our waking, we can say: Today, may the Lord let his face shine upon me. This is a beautiful prayer that is also a reality.
The biblical blessing continues: May the Lord grant you peace (Num 6:26). Today, we celebrate the World Day of Peace, focusing on the theme: Overcoming indifference and achieving peace. Peace, which God wants to sow in our world, should be something we work toward. Not only this, it should also be achieved. This involves a real struggle, a spiritual battle that takes place in our hearts. The nemesis of peace is not only war, but also indifference that causes us to think only of ourselves and creates barriers, suspects, fear and closure. These things are opponents to peace. Thank God, we have a lot of information, but sometimes we are so inundated with news that we become distracted from reality, from our bothers and sisters who need us. Let us begin this year by opening our hearts, re-awakening our attention to our neighbours, to those who are closest to us. This is the way to achieve peace.
The Queen of Peace, the Mother of God helps us with this resolve. Today we celebrate her solemnity. She keeps all these things, pondering them in her heart (Lk 2:19). The hopes and the worries, gratitude and problems: everything that happened in her life became, in Mary's heart, a prayer, a dialogue with God, and she does the same for us: she keeps the joys and loosens the knots in our lives, and takes them to the Lord.
Let us confide this new year to our Mother, and pray that peace and mercy may abound.
Following the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
I want to thank the President of the Italian Republic for the greetings he offered to me last night in his end-of-year Message, and I also wish to reciprocate my heartfelt wishes for him.
I am thankful for the many initiatives of prayer and actions toward peace organized in every part of the world on the occasion of today's World Day of Peace. I am especially thinking about the National March which took place yesterday in Molfetta, organized by the Italian Bishops' Conference, Caritas, Pax Christi and Catholic Action; it is good to know that so many people, especially young people, chose this way of celebrating the new year. I affectionately greet the participants in the Peace in all the world demonstration, organized here in Rome and in many countries by the Saint'Egidio Community. Dear friends, I encourage you to continue your commitment in favour of reconciliation and concord. And I greet the families of the Movement of Familial Love, who spent the entire night in Saint Peter's Square praying for peace and unity among families throughout the world. Thank you to all of you for these wonderful initiatives and for your prayers.
I extend a cordial greeting to all of you, dear pilgrims who are present here. A special thought goes out to the Cantori della Stella - Sternsinger - children and young people who in Germany and Austria take the blessing of Jesus to their homes and collect offerings for their poor friends. I greet the friends and the volunteers from Fraterna Domus, the Oratorio di Stezzano and the faithful from Taranto.
To all of you, I wish a year of peace in the grace of the Lord who is rich in mercy, ad with the maternal protection of Mary, the Holy Mother of God. Don't forget, every morning, when you wake up, remember to ask for God's blessing: Today, may the Lord make his face to shine upon me. Everyone together: Today, may the Lord make his face to shine upon me. One more time! Today, may the Lord make his face to shine upon me.
Happy New Year! Enjoy your lunch, and don't forget to pray for me. Good bye!
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