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 who were gathered in Saint Peter's Square.
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Last Sunday, we began Advent with an invitation to be vigilant; today, on the second Sunday of this time of preparation for Christmas, the liturgy recounts its own content: this is a time for recognizing the empty spaces in our lives that need to be filled up, in order to smooth out the rough patches left by our pride and to leave some room so that Jesus can come.
The prophet Isaiah addresses the people, proclaiming the end of the exile in Babylon and their return to Jerusalem. He prophecies: A voice cries out: In the desert, prepare the way of the Lord ... Every valley shall be raised (Is 40:3). The valleys that need to be raised represent all the empty spaces in our comportment in the eyes of God, all our sins and omissions. Emptiness in our lives may be the fact that we don't pray or that we pray very little. Advent is a favourable time to pray with more intensity, to reserve a place of importance for the spiritual life. Another emptiness might be a lack of charity toward others, especially toward those who are in need of help, not only material help but also spiritual assistance. We are called to be more attentive to the needs of others, closer to them. Like John the Baptist, in this way, we can open paths of hope in the deserts of many other peoples' arid hearts.
Every mountain and every hill will be made low (Is 40:4), Isaiah calls out. The mountains and hills that should be made low are pride, superiority and arrogance. Where pride exists, where there is arrogance, where people feel better than others, the Lord cannot enter because the heart is filled with pride, superiority and arrogance. This is the reason why we should work on overcoming our pride. We should seek to develop attitudes of meekness and humility, without any scolding, but listening, speaking meekly and thus preparing the path for the coming of our Saviour, who is meek and humble of heart (cf Mt 11:29). Then, we are asked to eliminate all obstacles that stop us from being in union with the Lord: The rough terrain will be transformed into plains and steep hills will become valleys. Then the glory of the Lord - says Isaiah - and all people together will see it (Is 40:4-5). However, these actions should be carried out with joy, because they are meant to prepare for the arrival of Jesus. When we are waiting at home for a beloved person to visit, we prepare everything with care and with happiness. In the same way, we want to prepare ourselves for the coming of the Lord: waiting every day with attentiveness so that we may be filled with his grace when he comes.
The Saviour for whom we are waiting is capable of transforming our lives with his grace, with the strength of his Holy Spirit, with the strength of his love. In fact, the Holy Spirit pours the love of God into our hearts, an inexhaustible source of purification, new life and freedom. The Virgin Mary fully lived this reality, allowing herself to be baptized by the Holy Spirit who flooded her with his power. She, who prepared for the coming of Christ with the entirety of her being, helps us to follow her example and leads our steps toward an encounter with the Saviour who is coming.
Following the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today, for the first time, the Nobel Prize for Peace in the International Campaign to abolish nuclear arms will be awarded. This recognition coincides with the United Nations Day for Human Rights, and underscores the strong ties between human rights and nuclear disarmament. In fact, we are committed to caring for the dignity of all people, especially those who are weak and disadvantaged; it also means working with determination to build a world without nuclear arms. God gives us the ability to work together to build our common home: we have the freedom, the intelligence and the ability to use technology, to use our power in the service of peace and true progress (cf Encyclical Laudato si', 78, 112, 202).
The day after tomorrow in Paris, the meeting known as the Our Planet Summit will begin. Two years after the adoption of the Paris Climate Accord, the intent of this meeting is to renew commitments to its implementation and to consolidate a shared strategy for countering the worrying phenomenon of climate change. I truly hope that this Summit, like all other initiatives in the same vein, will promote clear awareness of the need to adopt effective decisions to combat climate change and, at the same time, to combat poverty and to promote integral human development.
In this context, I wish to express my closeness to the people of India who have been struck by cyclone Okhi, especially the families of many fishermen who have been dispersed, and also the people of Albania who are suffering from severe flooding.
I offer my greetings to all of you, Romans and pilgrims. In particular to the faithful who have come from Valladolid and Huelva in Spain. I greet the many groups of Italian youth and children who have come from Florence, Carugate, Brembate, Almè, Petosino and Pian Camuno: I encourage all of you to be joyful witnesses of the gospel.
I wish you all a good Sunday and a fruitful journey through Advent, preparing the way for the Lord who is coming. Please, don't forget to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch and good bye!
Greetings of His Holiness, Pope Francis
prior to the recitation of the Angelus
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Last Sunday, we began Advent with an invitation to be vigilant; today, on the second Sunday of this time of preparation for Christmas, the liturgy recounts its own content: this is a time for recognizing the empty spaces in our lives that need to be filled up, in order to smooth out the rough patches left by our pride and to leave some room so that Jesus can come.
The prophet Isaiah addresses the people, proclaiming the end of the exile in Babylon and their return to Jerusalem. He prophecies: A voice cries out: In the desert, prepare the way of the Lord ... Every valley shall be raised (Is 40:3). The valleys that need to be raised represent all the empty spaces in our comportment in the eyes of God, all our sins and omissions. Emptiness in our lives may be the fact that we don't pray or that we pray very little. Advent is a favourable time to pray with more intensity, to reserve a place of importance for the spiritual life. Another emptiness might be a lack of charity toward others, especially toward those who are in need of help, not only material help but also spiritual assistance. We are called to be more attentive to the needs of others, closer to them. Like John the Baptist, in this way, we can open paths of hope in the deserts of many other peoples' arid hearts.
Every mountain and every hill will be made low (Is 40:4), Isaiah calls out. The mountains and hills that should be made low are pride, superiority and arrogance. Where pride exists, where there is arrogance, where people feel better than others, the Lord cannot enter because the heart is filled with pride, superiority and arrogance. This is the reason why we should work on overcoming our pride. We should seek to develop attitudes of meekness and humility, without any scolding, but listening, speaking meekly and thus preparing the path for the coming of our Saviour, who is meek and humble of heart (cf Mt 11:29). Then, we are asked to eliminate all obstacles that stop us from being in union with the Lord: The rough terrain will be transformed into plains and steep hills will become valleys. Then the glory of the Lord - says Isaiah - and all people together will see it (Is 40:4-5). However, these actions should be carried out with joy, because they are meant to prepare for the arrival of Jesus. When we are waiting at home for a beloved person to visit, we prepare everything with care and with happiness. In the same way, we want to prepare ourselves for the coming of the Lord: waiting every day with attentiveness so that we may be filled with his grace when he comes.
The Saviour for whom we are waiting is capable of transforming our lives with his grace, with the strength of his Holy Spirit, with the strength of his love. In fact, the Holy Spirit pours the love of God into our hearts, an inexhaustible source of purification, new life and freedom. The Virgin Mary fully lived this reality, allowing herself to be baptized by the Holy Spirit who flooded her with his power. She, who prepared for the coming of Christ with the entirety of her being, helps us to follow her example and leads our steps toward an encounter with the Saviour who is coming.
Following the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today, for the first time, the Nobel Prize for Peace in the International Campaign to abolish nuclear arms will be awarded. This recognition coincides with the United Nations Day for Human Rights, and underscores the strong ties between human rights and nuclear disarmament. In fact, we are committed to caring for the dignity of all people, especially those who are weak and disadvantaged; it also means working with determination to build a world without nuclear arms. God gives us the ability to work together to build our common home: we have the freedom, the intelligence and the ability to use technology, to use our power in the service of peace and true progress (cf Encyclical Laudato si', 78, 112, 202).
The day after tomorrow in Paris, the meeting known as the Our Planet Summit will begin. Two years after the adoption of the Paris Climate Accord, the intent of this meeting is to renew commitments to its implementation and to consolidate a shared strategy for countering the worrying phenomenon of climate change. I truly hope that this Summit, like all other initiatives in the same vein, will promote clear awareness of the need to adopt effective decisions to combat climate change and, at the same time, to combat poverty and to promote integral human development.
In this context, I wish to express my closeness to the people of India who have been struck by cyclone Okhi, especially the families of many fishermen who have been dispersed, and also the people of Albania who are suffering from severe flooding.
I offer my greetings to all of you, Romans and pilgrims. In particular to the faithful who have come from Valladolid and Huelva in Spain. I greet the many groups of Italian youth and children who have come from Florence, Carugate, Brembate, Almè, Petosino and Pian Camuno: I encourage all of you to be joyful witnesses of the gospel.
I wish you all a good Sunday and a fruitful journey through Advent, preparing the way for the Lord who is coming. Please, don't forget to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch and good bye!
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