At 5:00pm local time this afternoon (11:00am EST), inside the Vatican Basilica, the Holy Father, Pope Francis presided over the celebration of First Vespers for the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God, which was followed by exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, the traditional chanting of the Te Deum at the conclusion of the calendar year, and the Eucharistic blessing. At the conclusion of the celebration, Pope Francis went to the crib which has been set up in Saint Peter's Square.
Homily of His Holiness, Pope Francis
for the celebration of First Vespers
for the Solemnity of Mary, the Holy Mother of God
In the fullness of time, God sent his Son (Gal 4:4).
The Son sent by the Father pitched his tent in Bethlehem of Efrata, so small to be among the villages of Judah (Mi 5,1); he lived in Nazareth, a town never mentioned in Scripture except to say: can anything good come out of Nazareth? (Jn 1:46), and died discarded by the great city, by Jerusalem, crucified outside its walls. God's decision is clear: to reveal his love he chooses the small city, the scorned city, and when he reaches Jerusalem he associates with people who are sinners and with those who are considered to be the discarded. None of the inhabitants of the city realized that the Son of God made man was walking in their streets, probably not even his disciples: only with the resurrection would they fully understand the Mystery that is present in Jesus.
The words and signs of salvation that He performed in the city aroused amazement and momentary enthusiasm, but they were not accepted in their full meaning: shortly they would no longer be remembered, when the Roman governor would ask: Do you want Jesus or Barabbas to be set free? Outside the city, Jesus would be crucified, high on Golgotha, condemned by the gaze of all the inhabitants and derided by their sarcastic comments. But from there, from the cross, the new tree of life, the power of God would draw everyone to himself. And also the Mother of God, who is the Sorrowful mother beneath the cross, was about to extend her motherhood to all men. The Mother of God is the Mother of the Church and her maternal tenderness reaches all mankind.
In the city, God set up his tent ..., and from there he never left! His presence in the city, even in our city of Rome, must not be manufactured, but discovered, revealed (Apostolic Exhortation, Evangelii gaudium, 71). It is we who must ask God for the grace of new eyes, capable of a contemplative gaze, that is, a gaze of faith that discovers God who lives in our houses, in our streets, in our squares (EG, 71). The prophets, in Scripture, warn against the temptation to link the presence of God only to the temple (Jer 7,4): He lives among his people, walks with us and lives his life. His loyalty is concrete, expressed in proximity to the daily existence of his children. Indeed, when God wants to make all things new through his Son, he does not start from the temple, but from the womb of a small and poor woman of his People. God's choice is extraordinary! History does not change through the powerful men of civil and religious institutions, but it started with the women on the periphery of the empire, like Mary, and from their sterile wombs, like that of Elizabeth.
In Psalm 147, which we prayed a little while ago, the psalmist invites Jerusalem to glorify God, because He sends his Word to earth, his message runs fast (Ps 147: 4). By means of his Spirit, who pronounces his Word in every human heart, God blesses his children and encourages them to work for peace in the city. Tonight I would like our gaze on the city of Rome to take things from the point of view of the gaze of God. The Lord rejoices in seeing how many realities of good are made every day, how many efforts and how much dedication to promoting fraternity and solidarity there are. Rome is not just a complicated city, with many problems, with inequalities, corruption and social tensions. Rome is a city where God sends his Word, which nestles through the Spirit in the hearts of its inhabitants and pushes them to believe, to hope despite everything, to love by fighting for the good of all.
I think of many courageous people, believers and non-believers, who I have met in recent years and who represent the beating heart of Rome. Truly God has never stopped changing the history and face of our city through the people: the little ones and the poor who live there. He chooses them, inspires them, motivates them to act; he makes them supportive, pushes them to activate networks, to create virtuous bonds, to build bridges and not walls. It is precisely through the thousand streams of the living water of the Spirit that the Word of God fertilizes the city and makes it's otherwise sterile appearance a joyful mother of children (Ps 113: 9).
And what does the Lord ask of the Church of Rome? He entrusts us with his Word and pushes us to throw ourselves into the fray, to involve us in the meeting and in relationships with the inhabitants of the city so that his message will run fast. We are called to meet others and listen to their existence, their cry for help. Listening is already an act of love! Having time for others, dialoguing, recognizing with a contemplative gaze the presence and action of God in their lives, witnessing the new life of the Gospel with deeds rather than words, is truly a service of love that changes reality. In doing so, in fact, new air is circulating in the city and also in the Church, the desire to get back on the road, to overcome the old logic of opposition and fences, to collaborate together, building a more just and fraternal city.
We must not be afraid or feel inadequate for such an important mission. Let us remember: God does not choose us because of our skill, but precisely because we are and we feel small. We thank him for his grace that has sustained us in this year and with joy we raise our song of praise to him. Testo originale nella lingua italiana
The Holy Father, Pope Francis has sent a telegram of condolence for the death of Cardinal Prosper Grech, O.S.A. (Augustinian), the Cardinal Deacon of Santa Maria Goretti, a former professor at various Roman universities and a Consultor with the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. Cardinal Grech died yesterday.
Telegram of His Holiness, Pope Francis
Reverend Father Alejandro Moral Antón, O.S.A.
Prior General of the Order of Saint Augustine
Via Paolo VI, 25
00193 Rome
Having learned the news of the pious departure of the venerated Cardinal Prosper Grech, I wish to express my sentiments of condolence to you, to the entire Augustinian Order and to the family members of the beloved Cardinal, who I have always held in high esteem both for his personal witness of Christian and Consecrated life, and for is example of service to the formation of new generations, especially that of priests.
Remembering the long and competent service that he carried out as a professor in various Roman universities, and equally that which he shared with the Holy see, I raise my prayers in supplication, that the Lord may welcome his soul into the eternal kingdom of light and peace, and I willingly impart my Apostolic blessing to you, to your confreres and to all those who are mourning his death.
Francis
The funeral Mass for His Eminence, Cardinal Prosper Grech will be celebrated on Thursday, 2 January 2020 inside the Vatican Basilica, at the Altar of the Chair, beginning at 11:30am local time (5:30am EST). The Mass will be celebrated by His Eminence, Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, Vice Dean of the College of Cardinals, together with the other Cardinals, Archbishops and Bishops. At the conclusion of the Mass, the Holy Father, Pope Francis will preside over the Rite of Final Commendation.
Here is the text of the reflection I shared at the Masses celebrated today: some thoughts and encouragement for us to take care of one another.
Take care of each other
Any of us who have children can perhaps remember a time when they were very young, a time when you would put them to bed, and then before you yourself went to bed, you would tiptoe into your children's rooms - even hours after they had already been sleeping - just to be sure that they were there. You might have been home all evening. Logically, you knew that they were asleep in their beds. You knew that they were there, but until you could see for yourselves that they were safe - just one more time - you yourself would not be able to sleep. This is the protective instinct of all parents.
Can you imagine what must have gone through Saint Joseph's mind when, after Jesus had been born, another angel appeared to him late in the night and confirmed his worst fear: that his child was in mortal danger, and that he would have to take the child and his mother and flee to Egypt (Mt 2:13). This was not merely a case of hiding his family, but of uprooting them, abandoning his work, their friends ... and fleeing to a foreign land so that his child would be safe. Like any parent, Joseph got up instantly, took the child and his mother in the middle of the night and went away (cf Mt 2:14).
In order to protect his child, Joseph chose to give up everything and to become a refugee in a strange land. All parents want what Saint Joseph wanted: to provide a safe home for their children. Sometimes they are forced to flee great dangers and even to become refugees in order to do so. Others are more fortunate: they can stay in their homes and protect their children by ensuring access to clean air, pure water, nourishing food, a good education and a future that is filled with hope.
Later in life, adults sometimes look back upon their own childhoods with gratitude for the ways in which their parents cared for them. As our parents increase in age, the words of today's first reading take on a deeper meaning: My child, says Sirach, help your father in his old age ... even if his mind fails, be patient with him (Sir 3:12-13).
The wisdom of the scriptures reminds us that not only should parents care for their children, but children should also honour their fathers and respect their mothers (cf Sir 3:3-4). With the example of Saint Joseph and the Virgin Mary to help us, we are all called to clothe ourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, meekness and patience (Col 3:12) so that we can care for one another out of love at all stages of life.
Prenez soin les uns des autres
Tous ceux d'entre nous qui ont des enfants se souviennent peut-être d'un moment où ils étaient très jeunes, d'un moment où vous les mettiez au lit, puis avant de vous coucher, vous alliez sur la pointe des pieds dans la chambre de vos enfants - même des heures après qu'ils étaient déjà tombés en dormis - juste pour être sûr et certain qu'ils étaient là. Vous auriez pu être à la maison toute la soirée. Logiquement, vous saviez qu'ils dormaient dans leur lit. Vous saviez qu'ils étaient là, mais jusqu'à ce que vous puissiez voir par vous-mêmes qu'ils étaient en sécurité - une fois de plus - vous-même ne pouviez pas dormir. Voilà l'instinct protecteur de tous les parents.
Pouvez-vous imaginer ce qui a dû traverser l'esprit de Saint Joseph quand, après la naissance de Jésus, un autre ange lui est apparu tard dans la nuit et a confirmé sa pire peur: que son enfant était en danger de mort et qu'il devrait prendre le enfant et sa mère et s'enfuient en Egypte (Mt 2, 13). Il ne s'agissait pas simplement de cacher sa famille, mais de les déraciner, d'abandonner son travail, tous leurs amis ... et de fuir vers une terre étrangère pour que son enfant soit en sécurité. Comme tout parent, Joseph se leva instantanément, en plein milieu de la nuit, prit l'enfant et sa mère et s'en alla (cf Mt 2, 14).
Afin de protéger son enfant, Joseph a choisi de tout abandonner et de devenir réfugié dans un pays étrange. Tous les parents veulent ce que Saint Joseph voulait: offrir un foyer sûr à leurs enfants. Parfois, ils sont contraints de fuir de grands dangers et même de devenir des réfugiés pour ce faire. D'autres ont plus de chance: ils peuvent rester chez eux et protéger leurs enfants en leur garantissant un air pur, de l'eau pure, des aliments nourrissants, une bonne éducation et un avenir plein d'espoir.
Plus tard dans la vie, les adultes se souviennent parfois leur propre enfance avec gratitude pour la façon dont leurs parents ont prit soin d'eux. À mesure que nos parents vieillissent, les paroles de la première lecture d'aujourd'hui prennent un sens plus profond: Mon enfant, dit Ben-Sirach le sage, soutiens ton père dans sa vieillesse ... même si son esprit l'abandonne, sois indulgent (Sir 3:12 -13).
La sagesse des Écritures nous rappelle que non seulement les parents devraient prendre soin de leurs enfants, mais les enfants devraient également honorer leurs pères et glorifier leurs mères (cf Sir 3: 3-4). Selon l'exemple de Saint Joseph et de la Vierge Marie, nous sommes tous appelés à nous revêtir de tendresse et de compassion, de bonté, d'humilité, de douceur et de patience (Col 3:12) afin que nous puissions prendre soin les uns des autres, motivés simplement par amour.
At noon today in Rome (6:00am EST), 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 gathered in Saint Peter's Square.
Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
prior to the recitation of the Angelus
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
It is true, today is a beautiful day ... Today, we celebrate the Feast of the Holy Family of Nazareth. The term holy places this family in the context of holiness which is a gift of God but, at the same time, holiness portrays a free and responsible acceptance of God's plan. This was true for the family of Nazareth: they were totally open to the will of God.
For example, how can we not to be amazed by Mary's docility to the action of the Holy Spirit who asks her to become the mother of the Messiah? Because Mary, like every young woman of her time, was about to fulfill her life plan, that is, to marry Joseph.
But when she realized that God was calling her to a particular mission, she did not hesitate to proclaim herself as a servant (cf Lk 1:38). Jesus would exalt her greatness not so much through her role as a mother, but through her obedience to God. Jesus said: Blessed are those who listen to the word of God and keep it! (Lk 11:28), just like Mary did. And when she did not fully understand the events that involved her, Mary silently meditated, reflected and loved the divine initiative. Her presence at the foot of the cross consecrated this total availability.
Then, as regards Joseph, the gospel does not recall one single word: he does not speak, but he acts in obedience. He is the man of silence, the man of obedience.
Today's gospel passage (cf Mt 2: 13-15; 19-23) recalls this obedience of the just Joseph three times, referring to the flight to Egypt and the return to the land of Israel. Under the guidance of God, represented by the Angel, Joseph removes his family from Herod's threats, and saves them. The Holy Family is therefore in solidarity with all the families of the world who are forced into exile, in solidarity with all those who are forced to abandon their land because of repression, violence and war.
Finally, the third person of the Holy Family, Jesus. He is the will of the Father: in him - says Saint Paul - there was no yes and no, but only yes (cf 2 Cor 1:19). And this manifested itself in many moments of his earthly life. For example, the episode in the temple when, to his parents who were anxiously looking for him, he replied: Did you not know that I must be about my Father's affairs? (Lk 2,49); his continual repeating: My food is to do the will of the One who sent me (Jn 4:34); his prayer in the Garden of Olives: My Father, if this cup cannot pass away without me drinking it, your will be done (Mt 26,42). All these events are the perfect realization of the same words spoken by the Christ who says: «You did not want sacrifice or offering ... Then I said: 'Behold, I come ... to do, your will, O God' (Heb 10: 5-7; Ps 40: 7-9).
Mary, Joseph, Jesus: the Holy Family of Nazareth represents a choral response to the Father's will: the three members of this family helped each other to discover the plan of God. They prayed, they worked, they communicated. And I wonder: do you, in your family, know how to communicate or are you like those people at the table, each with a cell phone, while they are chatting? At that table, there seems to be silence, as if they were at Mass ... But they don't communicate with each other. We must resume dialogue in the family: fathers, parents, children, grandparents and siblings must communicate with each other ... This is a task we must carry out today, beginning on this day of the Holy Family. The Holy Family can be the model for our families, so that parents and children support each other in remaining faithful to the gospel, the foundation of the holiness of the family.
Let us entrust to Mary, Queen of the family, all families of the world, especially those that are experiencing suffering or unease, and let us invoke her maternal protection upon them.
Following the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
Let us pray to the Lord for the victims of the horrible terrorist attack that took place yesterday in Mogadishu (Somalia), where a car bomb exploded; more than 70 people were killed. I am close to all the families and to those who are mourning because of these deaths. Let us pray together:
Hail Mary ...
Then, I greet all the Romans, the pilgrims, the parish groups, the associations and the young people. Today, I offer a special greeting to families who are present and to those who are present from home, through television and radio. The family is a precious treasure: we always must maintain the family, care for families: keep up your efforts!
Then, I greet the students from Forlì, the young people from Adrara San Martino and Calcinate who have recently been Confirmed, and the group of adolescents from the parish of Saint Julian in Albino (Bergamo).
I greet all of you, and I wish you all a good Sunday and a serene end to this year. Let us finish this year in peace, peace of heart: this is my wish. And in our families, let us communicate with each other. Thank you again for your good wishes and for your prayers. Please continue and pray for me. Enjoy your lunch and good bye! Testo originale nella lingua italiana
The Holy Father, Pope Francis has sent a telegram of condolence for the victims of an airline accident which has taken place yesterday morning near Almaty (Kazakstan) as well as those who were wounded. The telegram was sent to the civil and ecclesial authorities in that country by the Cardinal Secretary of State, Pietro Parolin, in the name of the Holy Father, Pope Francis.
Telegram of Condolence
Having learned with sadness of the recent plane crash in Almaty, His Holiness, Pope Francis sends his condolences to all those affected by this tragedy. He prays especially for the eternal repose of the deceased and for the healing of those injured. Upon all, especially those involved in the rescue and recovery efforts, His Holiness invokes the strength and peace of Almighty God.
At noon today in Rome (6:00am EST), the Feast of Saint Stephen, deacon and the first martyr, the Holy Father, Pope Francis appeared at the window of his study in the Vatican Apostolic Palace to recite the Angelus with pilgrims gathered in Saint Peter's Square.
Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
prior to the recitation of the Angelus
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Today, we are celebrating the Feast of Saint Stephen, the first martyr. The Book of the Acts of the Apostles speaks about him (cf Acts 6-7), and in today's liturgy we encounter the final moments of his life, when he was captured and whipped (cf Acts 6:12; 7:54-60). In the joyous atmosphere of Christmas, this memorial of the first Christian who was killed for the faith can appear to be out of place. However, from the perspective of faith, today's celebration takes place in harmony with the true meaning of Christmas. In Stephen's martyrdom, violence is in fact in conflict with love, death with life: in the hour of the supreme testimony, he contemplates the open skies and forgives his persecutors (cf Acts 7:60).
This young servant of the Gospel, full of the Holy Spirit, was able to narrate Jesus with words, and above all with his life. Looking at him, we see Jesus' promise to his disciples fulfilled: When they mistreat you for my sake, the Spirit of the Father will give you the strength and the words to bear witness (cf Mt 10: 19-20). At the school of Saint Stephen, who became like his Master both in life and in death, we too fix our gaze on Jesus, the faithful witness of the Father. We learn that the glory of Heaven, that which lasts for eternal life, is not made up of wealth and power, but of love and self-giving.
We need to keep our gaze fixed on Jesus, the author and perfector of our faith (Heb 12: 2), in order to account for the hope that has been given to us (cf 1 Pt 3:15), through challenges and trials that we have to face daily. For us Christians, heaven is no longer distant, separated from the earth: in Jesus, Heaven descended to earth. And thanks to him, with the power of the Holy Spirit, we can take everything that is human and direct it towards Heaven. So that the first testimony is precisely our way of being human, a lifestyle shaped according to Jesus: mild and courageous, humble and noble, non-violent.
Stephen was a deacon, one of the first seven deacons of the Church (cf Acts 6: 1-6). He teaches us to proclaim Christ through gestures of fraternity and gospel charity. His testimony, culminating in martyrdom, is a source of inspiration for the renewal of our Christian communities. They are called to become increasingly missionary, all striving for evangelization, determined to reach men and women in the existential and geographical peripheries, where there is more thirst for hope and salvation. Communities that do not follow the logic of the world, that do not put themselves - their image - at the centre of their focus, but only the glory of God and the good of the people, especially the little ones and the poor.
The feast of this first martyr Stephen calls us to remember all the martyrs of yesterday and today - today there are many! - to feel in communion with them, and to ask them for the grace to live and to die with the name of Jesus in our hearts and on our lips. May Mary, Mother of the Redeemer, help us to live this Christmas time by fixing our gaze on Jesus, to become more like him every day.
Following the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters,
I share the pain that has struck the dear people of the Philippines as a result of typhoon Phanfone. I am praying for the many victims, for those who have been wounded and for their families. I invite you all to recite with me the Hail Mary for these people who I love so much.
Hail Mary ...
I greet all of you, pilgrims from Italy and from all other countries. The joy of Christmas which, even today, fills our hearts, arouses within us a desire to contemplate Jesus in the manger, and then to serve and love him in our brothers and sisters, especially in those who are poor.
During these days, I have received many messages from Rome and from other parts of the world. It is not possible for me to reply to every one of them but I am praying for all of you. Therefore, today I express my sincere gratitude to you and to all peoples, especially for the gift of your prayers which many of you have promised: thank you very much.
Happy feast of Saint Stephen. Please, continue to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch and good bye!
Here is the text of the reflection I prepared for the liturgies marking the nativity of the Lord. Inspired by the Holy Father's recent Apostolic Letter, we can gather around the manger scene to marvel at its beauty and to appreciate the great gift of God's infinite love for all of us.
A Living Gospel
The gospel passage that we have heard concludes with the words spoken by the shepherds: Let us go now to Bethlehem and see this thing that has taken place, which the Lord has made known to us (Lk 2:15). Like them, we too have come to gather around the manger. Gazing upon the images that we find here helps us to contemplate the great miracle that took place so many years ago. Our Holy Father has referred to the manger scene as a living gospel rising up from the pages of sacred Scripture (Apostolic Letter, Admirabile signum, 1).
These figurines stand still, and yet they recall the truth of a moment in time when our ancestors in faith, who walked in darkness had seen a great light (Is 9:2) and we have been walking in the light of faith ever since. It is good for us to recall the story, to remember the details of that night, for even today, we are still living out its fulfillment.
At the centre of the manger scene, we find the figures of Mary and Joseph. The decree issued by Caesar Augustus had compelled them to travel from their home in Nazareth to the city of David (cf Lk 2:4), a journey that would have taken them at least three days. Worn out from the journey, Mary gave birth to her firstborn son (Lk 2:7). If we look closely at the figure of Mary, we will find a mother who contemplates her child and shows him to every visitor (AS, 7). We can almost hear the words of her response to the angel's invitation: Behold, I am the handmaiden of the Lord; be it done ... according to your word (Lk 1:38). Mary shows us all how to abandon ourselves in faith to God's will.
At Mary's side, we find the figure of Joseph. The figurine in our manger scene portrays him holding a hat. As he gazes upon the child, it is as though he is also hearing the words that were spoken to him by the angel: She will bear a son, and you are to name him Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins (Mt 1:21). Joseph is usually thought of as the guardian who tirelessly protected the Holy Family, but at that particular moment, I wonder whether he himself was perplexed, wondering how he was going to fulfill the role that God was calling him to play. There are many young fathers and mothers who know that feeling of worry only too well. Young parents are often filled with joy at the birth of their children, but at the same time, they can be overcome with concern and worry for the future in which their children will live. We can all look to Saint Joseph and ask him to help us to look to the future with hope.
Once the statuette of the infant Jesus is placed in the manger, the entire scene comes alive. God appears to us in the form of a child. Hidden in weakness and frailty, he conceals his great power of his love, a love that he reveals by smiling and by opening his arms to all of us (cf AS, 8). In this newborn infant, the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all of us (Titus 2:11). The manger scene is a snapshot of our lives too. In these images, we dare to seek and to find reasons for hope and for joy. These are the eternal gifts that are offered by our God. Let us celebrate and give thanks.
Le passage de l'Évangile que nous avons entendu se poursuit par des paroles prononcées par les bergers: Allons jusqu'à Bethléem et voyons ce qui est arrivé, ce que le Seigneur nous a fait connaître (Lc 2, 15). Comme eux, nous aussi nous sommes rassemblés autour de la crèche. En regardant les images que nous trouvons ici, nous pouvons contempler le grand miracle qui s'est produit il y a tant d'années. Notre Saint-Père a décrit la scène de la crèche comme un évangile vivant qui découle des pages de la Sainte Écriture (Lettre apostolique, Admirabile signum, 1).
Ces figurines sont immobiles, et pourtant elles rappellent la vérité d'un moment précis où le peuple qui marchaient dans les ténèbres a vu se lever une grande lumière (Is 9, 2) et depuis ce temps-là, nous marchons à la lumière de la foi. Il est bon pour nous de nous rappeler l'histoire, de nous souvenir des détails de cette nuit, car même aujourd'hui, nous vivons encore son épanouissement.
Au centre de la crèche, on retrouve les figures de Marie et Joseph. Le décret émis par César Auguste les avait obligés à voyager de leur domicile à Nazareth jusqu'à Bethléem, la ville de David (cf Lc 2, 4), un voyage qui leur aurait pris au moins trois jours. Épuisée par le voyage, Marie mit au monde son fils premier-né (Lc 2, 7). Si nous regardons attentivement la figure de Marie, nous trouverons une mère qui contemple son enfant et le montre à ceux qui viennent le voir (AS, 7). Nous pouvons presque entendre sa voix en réponse à l'invitation de l'ange: Voici la servante du Seigneur; que tout m'advienne selon ta parole (Lc 1, 38). Marie nous montre tous comment nous abandonner par la foi à la volonté de Dieu.
À côté de Marie, on retrouve la figure de Joseph. La figurine de notre crèche le représente tenant un chapeau. En regardant l'enfant, c'est comme si Joseph entendait aussi les paroles qui lui ont été dites par l'ange: Elle enfantera un fils, et tu lui donneras le nom de Jésus, car c'est lui qui sauvera son peuple de ses péchés (Mt 1,21). Joseph est généralement considéré comme le gardien qui a inlassablement protégé la Sainte Famille, mais en ce moment particulier, je me demande s'il était lui-même perplexe, se demandant comment il allait remplir le rôle que Dieu l'appelait à jouer. Il y a beaucoup de jeunes pères et mères qui ne connaissent que trop bien ce sentiment d'inquiétude. Les jeunes parents sont souvent remplis de joie à la naissance de leurs enfants, mais en même temps, ils peuvent être submergés d'inquiétude au sujet de l'avenir de leurs enfants. Nous pouvons tous nous tourner vers Saint Joseph et lui demander de nous aider à envisager l'avenir avec espoir.
Une fois la statuette de l'enfant Jésus placée dans la crèche, toute la scène prend vie. Dieu nous apparaît sous la forme d'un enfant. Caché dans la faiblesse et la fragilité, se trouve sa grande puissance d'amour, un amour qu'il révèle en souriant et en nous ouvrant les bras (cf AS, 8). Chez ce nouveau-né, la grâce de Dieu s'est manifestée pour le salut de tous (Tite 2:11). La scène de la crèche représente aussi un moment particulier. Dans ces images, nous osons chercher et trouver des raisons d'espérer et de réjouir. Ce sont les dons éternels offerts par notre Seigneur. Célébrons ensemble et rendons-lui grâce.
At noon today, the Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord, from the Central Loggia of the Vatican Basilica, the Holy Father, Pope Francis offered his traditional Christmas Message to the faithful who were gathered in Saint Peter's Square and to all those who were listening on radios and watching on television.
Message of His Holiness, Pope Francis
for Christmas 2019
The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light (Is 9:1)
Dear brothers and sisters, Merry Christmas!
From the womb of Mother Church, the incarnate Son of God is born anew this night. His name is Jesus, which means: God saves. The Father, eternal and infinite Love, has sent him into the world not to condemn the world but to save it (cf Jn 3:17). The Father has given him to us with great mercy. He has given him to everyone. He has given him forever. The Son is born, like a small light flickering in the cold and darkness of the night.
That Child, born of the Virgin Mary, is the Word of God made flesh. The Word who guided Abraham’s heart and steps towards the promised land, and who continues to draw to himself all those who trust in God’s promises. The Word who led the Hebrews on the journey from slavery to freedom and who continues to call the enslaved in every age, including our own, to come forth from their prisons. He is the Word brighter than the sun, made incarnate in a tiny son of man: Jesus the light of the world.
This is why the prophet cries out: The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light (Is 9:1). There is darkness in human hearts, yet the light of Christ is greater still. There is darkness in personal, family and social relationships, but the light of Christ is greater. There is darkness in economic, geopolitical and ecological conflicts, yet greater still is the light of Christ.
May Christ bring his light to the many children suffering from war and conflicts in the Middle East and in various countries of the world. May he bring comfort to the beloved Syrian people who still see no end to the hostilities that have rent their country over the last decade. Today may he stir the consciences of men and women of good will. May he inspire governments and the international community to find solutions to allow the peoples of that region to live together in peace and security, and put an end to their unspeakable sufferings. May he sustain the Lebanese people and enable them to overcome the current crisis and rediscover their vocation to be a message of freedom and harmonious coexistence for all.
May the Lord Jesus bring light to the Holy Land, where he was born as the Saviour of mankind, and where so many people – struggling but not discouraged – still await a time of peace, security and prosperity. May he bring consolation to Iraq amid its present social tensions, and to Yemen, suffering from a grave humanitarian crisis.
May the tiny Babe of Bethlehem bring hope to the whole American continent, where a number of nations are experiencing a time of social and political upheaval. May he encourage the beloved Venezuelan people, long tried by their political and social tensions, and ensure that they receive the aid they need. May he bless the efforts of those who spare no effort to promote justice and reconciliation and to overcome the various crises and the many forms of poverty that offend the dignity of each person.
May the Redeemer of the world bring light to beloved Ukraine, which yearns for concrete solutions for an enduring peace.
May the newborn Lord bring light to the people of Africa, where persistent social and political situations often force individuals to migrate, depriving them of a home and family. May he bring peace to those living in the eastern part of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, torn by continuing conflicts. May he bring consolation to all who suffer because of violence, natural disasters or outbreaks of disease. And may he bring comfort to those who are persecuted for their religious faith, especially missionaries and members of the faithful who have been kidnapped, and to the victims of attacks by extremist groups, particularly in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Nigeria.
May the Son of God, come down to earth from heaven, protect and sustain all those who, due to these and other injustices, are forced to emigrate in the hope of a secure life. It is injustice that makes them cross deserts and seas that become cemeteries. It is injustice that forces them to ensure unspeakable forms of abuse, enslavement of every kind and torture in inhumane detention camps. It is injustice that turns them away from places where they might have hope for a dignified life, but instead find themselves before walls of indifference.
May Emmanuel bring light to all the suffering members of our human family. May he soften our often stony and self-centred hearts, and make them channels of his love. May he bring his smile, through our poor faces, to all the children of the world: to those who are abandoned and those who suffer violence. Through our frail hands, may he clothe those who have nothing to wear, give bread to the hungry and heal the sick. Through our friendship, such as it is, may he draw close to the elderly and the lonely, to migrants and the marginalized. On this joyful Christmas Day, may he bring his tenderness to all and brighten the darkness of this world. Testo originale nella lingua italiana Texte en français Texto en español Texto em português Text in Deutsch
Christmas Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
following the Urbi et Orbi Blessing
Dear brothers and sisters,
I renew my greetings for a Merry Christmas for all of you who have come from every corner of the world to this Square, and to all those from various countries who are present with us through radios and televisions as well as other means of communication. I thank you for your presence on this day of joy.
Everyone is called to give hope to the world, to proclaim with words and above all with our witness of our lives, that Jesus, our peace, is born.
Don't forget, please, to pray for me. Enjoy your Christmas lunch and good bye!
This morning, the Holy See Press Centre has published the text of a Christmas Message that has been sent to the political leaders of South Sudan, signed by the Holy Father, Pope Francis; the Archbishop of Canterbury, His Grace, Justin Welby; and the former Moderator of the Church of Scotland, Reverend John Chalmers.
Christmas Message
addressed to the political leaders of South Sudan
Christmas 2019
Your Excellencies,
In this Christmas season and at the beginning of a new year, we wish to extend to you and to all the people of South Sudan our best wishes for your peace and prosperity, and to assure you of our spiritual closeness as you strive for a swift implementation of the Peace Agreements.
We raise our prayers to Christ the Saviour for a renewed commitment to the path of reconciliation and fraternity, and we invoke abundant blessings upon each of you and upon the entire nation.
May the Lord Jesus, Prince of Peace, enlighten you and guide your steps in the way of goodness and truth, and bring to fulfilment our desire to visit your beloved country.
At 9:30pm local time last night (3:30pm EST), inside the Vatican Basilica, the Holy Father, Pope Francis presided over the celebration of Holy Mass at Night for the Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord.
During the Eucharistic celebration, following the proclamation of the gospel, the Pope shared his homily.
Homily of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
for the Christmas Mass
Those who dwelt in a land of deep darkness, on them has light shone (Is 9:1). The prophecy we heard in the first reading was fulfilled in the Gospel: as shepherds kept watch over their flocks by night, the glory of the Lord shone around them (Lk 2:9). In the midst of our earthly night, a light appeared from heaven. What is the meaning of this light that shone in the darkness? Saint Paul tells us: The grace of God has appeared. The grace of God, bringing salvation to all (Tit 2:11), has shone on our world this night.
But what is this grace? It is divine love, the love that changes lives, renews history, liberates us from evil, fills hearts with with peace and joy. Tonight the love of God has been revealed to us: it is Jesus. In Jesus, the Most High made himself tiny, so that we might love him. But we can still ask ourselves: why does Saint Paul describe the coming of God into our world as grace? To tell us that it is utterly free. Whereas on earth everything seems to be about giving in order to get, God comes down freely. His love is non-negotiable: we did nothing to deserve it and we will never be able to repay it.
The grace of God has appeared. Tonight we realize that, when we failed to measure up, God became small for our sake; while we were going about our own business, he came into our midst. Christmas reminds us that God continues to love us all, even the worst of us. To me, to you, to each of us, he says today: I love you and I will always love you, for you are precious in my eyes.
God does not love you because you think and act the right way. He loves you, plain and simple. His love is unconditional; it does not depend on you. You may have mistaken ideas, you may have made a complete mess of things, but the Lord continues to love you. How often do we think that God is good if we are good and punishes us if we are bad. Yet that is not how he is. For all our sins, he continues to love us. His love does not change. It is not fickle; it is faithful. It is patient. This is the gift we find at Christmas. We discover to our amazement that the Lord is absolute gratuity, absolute tender love. His glory does not overwhelm us; his presence does not terrify us. He is born in utter poverty in order to win our hearts by the wealth of his love.
The grace of God has appeared. Grace is a synonym of beauty. Tonight, in the beauty of God’s love, we also discover our own beauty, for we are beloved of God. For better or worse, in sickness and in health, whether happy or sad, in his eyes we are beautiful, not for what we do but for what we are. Deep within us, there is an indelible and intangible beauty, an irrepressible beauty, which is the core of our being. Today God reminds us of this. He lovingly takes upon himself our humanity and makes it his own, espousing it forever.
The great joy proclaimed tonight to the shepherds is indeed for all the people. We too, with all our weaknesses and failures, are among those shepherds, who were certainly not saints. And just as God called the shepherds, so too he calls us, for he loves us. In the dark night of life, he says to us as he did to them, Be not afraid! (Lk 2:10). Take courage, do not lose confidence, do not lose hope, do not think that to love is a waste of time! Tonight love has conquered fear, new hope has arrived, God’s kindly light has overcome the darkness of human arrogance. Mankind, God loves you; for your sake he became man. You are no longer alone!
Dear brothers and sisters, what are we to do with this grace? Only one thing: accept the gift. Before we go out to seek God, let us allow ourselves to be sought by him. He always seeks us first. Let us not begin with our own abilities but with his grace, for he, Jesus, is the Saviour. Let us contemplate the Child and let ourselves be caught up in his tender love. Then we have no further excuse for not letting ourselves be loved by him. Whatever goes wrong in our lives, whatever doesn’t work in the Church, whatever problems there are in the world, will no longer serve as an excuse. It will become secondary, for faced with Jesus’ extravagant love, a love of utter meekness and closeness, we have no excuse. At Christmas, the question is this: Do I allow myself to be loved by God? Do I abandon myself to his love that comes to save me?
So great a gift deserves immense gratitude. To accept this grace means being ready to give thanks in return. Often we live our lives with such little gratitude. Today is the right day to draw near to the tabernacle, the crèche, the manger, and to say thank you. Let us receive the gift that is Jesus, in order then to become gift like Jesus. To become gift is to give meaning to life. And it is the best way to change the world: we change, the Church changes, history changes, once we stop trying to change others but try to change ourselves and to make of our life a gift.
Jesus shows this to us tonight. He did not change history by pressuring anyone or by a flood of words, but by the gift of his life. He did not wait until we were good before he loved us, but gave himself freely to us. May we not wait for our neighbours to be good before we do good to them, for the Church to be perfect before we love her, for others to respect us before we serve them. Let us begin with ourselves. This is what it means freely to accept the gift of grace. And holiness is nothing other than preserving this freedom.
A charming legend relates that at the birth of Jesus the shepherds hurried to the stable with different gifts. Each brought what he had; some brought the fruits of their labour, others some precious item. But as they were all presenting their gifts, there was one shepherd who had nothing to give. He was extremely poor; he had no gift to present. As the others were competing to offer their gifts, he stood apart, embarrassed. At a certain point, Saint Joseph and Our Lady found it hard to receive all those gifts, especially Mary, who had to hold the baby. Seeing that shepherd with empty hands, she asked him to draw near. And she put the baby Jesus in his arms. That shepherd, in accepting him, became aware of having received what he did not deserve, of holding in his arms the greatest gift of all time. He looked at his hands, those hands that seemed to him always empty; they had become the cradle of God. He felt himself loved and, overcoming his embarrassment, began to show Jesus to the others, for he could not keep for himself the gift of gifts.
Here is the text of the homily I prepared for the fourth Sunday of Advent which was celebrated today. In these final days of the Advent period, some thoughts to help us recognize Jesus who is very close to us.
Unexpected outcome
What was it like for Joseph to hear Mary's extraordinary tale of the encounter she had with the angel? The two were already betrothed, but before they lived together, she was found to be with child (Mt 1:18). The angel had said that this would come about as an act of the Holy Spirit, but how was that possible?
Joseph was a righteous man. He believed in, even longed for the coming of the promised Messiah of whom the prophet Isaiah speaks. He knew the words that we heard today: the young woman is with child and shall bear a son (Is 7:14) but how could he be sure that Mary's story was trustworthy? The story sounded very strange. Could he really trust that what he was hearing was true? If it was true, how could he accept the fact that God was about to fulfill the promise He had made so long ago, but in such a surprising way?
Then an angel appeared to him in a dream and called him by name: Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife (Mt 1:20). And the angel had gone further, explaining that Mary would bear a son. They were to name him Jesus, a name which means to deliver or to rescue. Most of the time, the details of dreams are not easily remembered once we awaken, but this dream helped Joseph to understand that he was being invited to take part in a mystery that was much bigger than he or any human being could imagine. He woke from his sleep and welcomed this unexpected reality into his life.
Thirty years later, the scriptures portray the child who was entrusted to Mary and Joseph spending much of his time doing unexpected things that were sometimes even scandalous. Whether he was sitting at table with sinners and prostitutes or embracing lepers and tax collectors, Jesus would often challenge people's ideas about what God is like.
God comes to us in ways that can confuse and challenge us. At this time of year, we might expect to encounter God in cozy family gatherings and beautiful liturgical celebrations. We might not be able to recognize him in the shivering person sitting out in the cold, or in the cranky relative that we would rather avoid, yet we are all called to belong to Jesus Christ (Rom 1:6) and God makes Himself known to us in sometimes very unexpected ways.
Our celebration of Christ's coming at Christmas is an invitation to open ourselves to new possibilities and new ways of recognizing God. Like Joseph, may we welcome him with open and generous hearts, however he may appear.
Résultat inattendu
Comment était-ce pour Joseph d'entendre l'histoire extraordinaire que Marie a raconté concernant la rencontre qu'elle a eue avec l'ange du Seigneur? Les deux étaient déjà accordés en mariage, mais avant qu'ils aient habiter ensemble, elle fut enceinte (Mt 1,18). L'ange avait dit que cela se produirait par l'action de l'Esprit Saint, mais comment était-ce possible?
Joseph était un homme juste. Il croyait, il désirait même la venue du Messie promis dont parle le prophète Isaïe. Il connaissait les paroles que nous avons entendus aujourd'hui: la vierge est enceinte, elle enfantera un fils (Is 7:14) mais comment pouvait-il être certain que l'histoire que Marie avait raconté était digne de confiance? L'histoire semblait très étrange. Pouvait-il vraiment croire que ce qu'il avait entendu était vrai? Et si c'était vrai, comment pouvait-il accepter le fait que Dieu était sur le point de tenir la promesse qu'il avait faite il y a si longtemps, mais d'une manière si étonnante?
Puis un ange lui apparut en songe et l'appela par son nom: Joseph, fils de David, ne crains pas de prendre chez toi Marie, ton épouse (Mt 1,20). Et l'ange était allé plus loin, expliquant que Marie porterait un fils. Ils devaient le nommer Jésus, un nom qui signifie délivrer ou sauver. La plupart du temps, les détails des rêves ne sont pas faciles à retenir une fois que nous nous réveillons, mais ce rêve a aidé Joseph à comprendre qu'il était invité à prendre part à un mystère qui était beaucoup plus grand que lui ou que tout être humain ne pouvait l'imaginer. Il s'est réveillé de son sommeil et a accueilli cette réalité inattendue dans sa vie.
Trente ans plus tard, les Saints Écritures décrivent l'enfant qui a été confié à Marie et à Joseph passant une grande partie de son temps à faire des choses inattendues qui étaient parfois même scandaleuses. Qu'il soit assis à table avec des pécheurs et des prostituées ou qu'il embrasse des lépreux et des publicains, Jésus remettait souvent en question les idées des gens sur ce qu'est Dieu.
Souvent, le Seigneur vient à notre rencontre d'une manière qui peut nous embrouiller et nous interpeller. Pendant les fêtes, nous pourrions nous attendre à rencontrer le Seigneur dans des réunions familiales chaleureuses et de belles célébrations liturgiques mais nous pourrions ne pas être en mesure de le reconnaître dans la personne tremblante assise dans le froid, ou dans le parent grincheux que nous préférons éviter. Toutefois, nous sommes tous appelés à appartenir à Jésus-Christ (Rom 1: 6) et le Seigneur se fait connaître de manière parfois très inattendue.
Notre célébration de la venue du Christ à Noël est une invitation à nous ouvrir à de nouvelles possibilités et de nouvelles façons de reconnaître le Seigneur. Comme Joseph, puissions-nous l'accueillir avec un cœur ouvert et généreux, quelle que soit son apparence.
At noon today in Rome (6:00am EST), the Holy Father, Pope Francis appeared at the window of his study inside the Vatican Apostolic Palace to recite the Angelus with the faithful and with pilgrims gathered in Saint Peter's Square.
Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
prior to the recitation of the Angelus
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
On this fourth and final Sunday of Advent, the Gospel (cf Mt 1:18-24) guides us towards Christmas through the experience of Saint Joseph, an apparently secondary figure, but in whose attitude all Christian wisdom is encapsulated. He, together with John the Baptist and Mary, is one of the characters that the liturgy offers us for the time of Advent; and of the three, he is the most modest. One who does not preach, does not speak, but tries to do the will of God; and he does it in the style of the Gospel and the Beatitudes. We think: Blessed are the poor in spirit, for the kingdom of heaven is theirs (Mt 5: 3). And Joseph is poor because he lives on the essentials, he works, he lives on work; this is the typical poverty of those who are aware that they depend entirely on God and place their trust in Him.
Today's Gospel story presents a humanly embarrassing and conflicting situation. Joseph and Mary were betrothed; they were not yet living together, but she was expecting a child by God's intervention. Joseph, in his surprise, naturally was troubled but, instead of reacting in an impulsive and punitive way - as was customary, for the law protected him - , sought a solution that respected the dignity and integrity of his beloved Mary. The Gospel says: Joseph her husband, because he was a righteous man and did not want to accuse her publicly, wanted to secretly divorce her (Mt 1:19). In fact, Joseph was well aware of the fact that, if he had denounced his betrothed, he would have exposed her to serious consequences, even to death. He had full confidence in Mary, who he had chosen as his bride. He did not understand but he sought another solution.
This inexplicable circumstance led him to question their bond; therefore, with great suffering, he decided to detach himself from Mary without creating scandal. But the Angel of the Lord intervened to tell him that the solution he was proposing was not the one willed by God. Indeed, the Lord opened a new path for him, a path of union, love and happiness and said to him: «Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary for your wife. In fact, the child who is within her comes from the Holy Spirit (Mt 1:20).
At this point, Joseph totally trusted God, obeyed the Angel's words and took Mary with him. It was precisely this unwavering trust in God that allowed him to accept a humanly difficult and, in a certain sense, incomprehensible situation. In faith, Joseph understood that the child born in Mary's womb was not his son, but he is the Son of God and he, Joseph, would be its custodian, fully assuming his earthly paternity. The example of this meek and wise man urges us to look up and push ourselves further. It is a matter of recovering the surprising logic of God who, far from small or large calculations, is made of openness to new horizons, towards Christ and his Word.
May the Virgin Mary and her chaste husband Joseph help us to listen to Jesus who comes, and who asks to be welcomed in our plans and choices.
Following the recitation of the Angelus, the Holy Father continued:
Dear brothers and sisters!
I greet all of you, faithful of Rome and pilgrims from Italy and from other countries.
In particular, I greet the delegations of Italian citizens who live in severely polluted areas and who aspire to a better quality of the environment and fair health protection.
In three days it will be Christmas and my thoughts go especially to the families, to your families who are gathering in these days: those who live far from their parents leave and go home; brothers try to find each other. May Christmas be an occasion of fraternity, growth in faith and gestures of solidarity for all of us towards those in need. And may Saint Joseph accompany us on this journey towards Christmas.
This morning, inside the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in audience the children who are being assisted by the Santa Marta Paediatric Dispensary, which is located inside Vatican City, along with their family members and volunteers.
Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
offered to children and staff from the
Santa Marta Paediatric Dispensary
Good morning everyone!
These children, these kids do wonderful things! I'm happy, I'm glad to see you do this! You also sing well, very well! You're good. And the cake looks like it's good ... Can we eat it? Yes? All together ... Or are we waiting? Let's wait, it's better that way ...
You too, thank you for bringing the children here. Giving children joy is a very big thing. Even parents when they know how to play with children do a very good thing. Playing with children, the expression of children who are the essence of innocence, promise, many good things ... Thank you for this meeting.
And now one thing. I read in these three boxes that the Magi brought, three words: Hope, Love and ... what was it? ... (the children shout: Peace!) Ah, there was no war written? ... (the children say: No!) Are you sure? (the children answer: Yes!) What is more beautiful, war or peace? (the children shout: Peace!) Are you sure? Isn't war more beautiful? What does war do? Speak loudly ... you! (a child says: it destroys). Kills, kills ... War kills life, it kills old people, young people, children, it kills everyone. But to defeat war, love is needed. How can you live without war? With love. All together! How can you live without war? (all: With love). How? (all: With love). Peace, love ... and what was the third? (the children say: Hope). Here, go on with hope. Always looking to the future, looking to the horizon, with the hope that a better world will always come from the Lord, and also from our work. Let's say the three words together: Hope, Love, war ... ah, no! What was it? (the children say: Peace!) Ah, sorry. Hope, Love and Peace. One more time, everyone! (the children shout: Hope, Love and Peace!)
You were good. Thank you! Congratulations! Thank you parents for being here and to all those who have helped organize this party. Now, I have to go for the Angelus and I am praying for you, and you too, pray for me. Ok! Bye! Thank you. Testo originale nella lingua italiana
This morning inside the Paul VI Hall at the Vatican, the Holy Father met with Vatican City employees, along with their family members in order to share with them his Christmas greetings.
Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
offered to staff members and their families
Dear brothers and sisters!
I am happy to be with you for our Christmas appointment. Thank you for coming, and with your families. Thank you!
My wish this time can be summed up in one word: smile.
I was inspired by one of the last countries I visited last month: Thailand. It is called the country of the smile, because there, people smile a lot; they have a special kindness, very noble, which is summed up in this facial feature, which is reflected in all their bearing. This experience impressed me, and makes me think of the smile as an expression of love and affection, typically human.
When we look at a newborn baby, we are led to smile at it, and if a smile blossoms on its small face, then we feel a simple, naive emotion. The child responds to our gaze, but his smile is much more powerful, because it is new, pure, a like spring water, and in us adults it awakens an intimate nostalgia for childhood.
This happened in a unique way between Mary, Joseph and Jesus. The Virgin and her husband, with their love, made a smile blossom on the lips of their newborn child. But when this happened, their hearts were filled with a new joy, from Heaven. And the little stable in Bethlehem was illuminated.
Jesus is the smile of God. He came to reveal to us the love of our Heavenly Father, His goodness, and the first way He did so was to smile at His parents, like every newborn child in this world. And they, the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph, because of their great faith, were able to accept that message, they recognized in Jesus’ smile God’s mercy for them and for all those who were waiting for His coming, the coming of the Messiah, the Son of God, the King of Israel.
Behold, dearly beloved, in the manger we too relive this experience: to look at the Child Jesus and feel that God is smiling at us there, and smiling at all the poor of the earth, at all those who await salvation, who hope for a more fraternal world, where there is no more war and violence, where every man and woman can live in his or her dignity as son and daughter of God.
Here too, in the Vatican and in the various Roman offices of the Holy See, we always need to let ourselves be renewed by the smile of the Child Jesus. Let His defenceless goodness purify us from the waste that often encrusts our hearts, and prevents us from giving the best of ourselves. It is true, work is work, and there are other places and moments in which each person expresses himself in a fuller and richer way; but it is also true that we spend a good part of our days in the work environment, and we are convinced that the quality of work goes hand in hand with the human quality of relationships, of lifestyle. This is especially true for us, who work in the service of the Church and in the name of Christ.
Sometimes it becomes difficult to smile, for many reasons. Then we need God’s smile: Jesus, only He can help us. Only He is the Saviour, and sometimes we experience this in our lives.
Other times things go well, but then there is the danger of feeling too safe and forgetting about others who are struggling. Then too we need God’s smile to strip us of false security and bring us back to the taste for simplicity and gratuitousness.
So, dear friends, today let us exchange this wish: at Christmas, participating in the Liturgy, and also contemplating the manger, let us wonder at God’s smile, which Jesus came to bring. It is He Himself, this smile. Like Mary, like Joseph and the shepherds of Bethlehem, let us welcome Him, let us allow ourselves to be purified, and we too can bring others a humble, simple smile.
Thank you all! Take this wish to your loved ones at home, especially the sick and the elderly. And let us remain united in prayer. Merry Christmas! Testo originale nella lingua italiana
This morning, in the Clementine Hall at the Vatican Apostolic Palace, the Holy Father, Pope Francis received in Audience the Cardinals and Superiors of the Roman Rota for the presentation of Christmas greetings.
Greetings of the Holy Father, Pope Francis
shared with the members of the Roman Rota
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us (Jn 1:14)
Dear brothers and sisters,
I offer all of you a cordial welcome. I express my gratitude to Cardinal Angelo Sodano for his kind words and in a particular way I thank him, also in the name of the members of the College of Cardinals, for the valued service he has long provided as Dean, in a spirit of helpfulness, dedication and efficiency, and with great skill in organization and coordination. In the manner of la rassa nostrana, as the Piedmontese writer Nino Costa would say. Now the Cardinal Bishops have to elect a new dean. I am hoping they will elect someone who can carry this important responsibility full time. Thank you.
To each of you here, to your co-workers and all those who serve in the Curia, but also to the Papal Representatives and their staff, I extend my best wishes for a holy and joyful Christmas. And I add my appreciation for the dedication that you bring daily to your service of the Church. Thank you very much.
Once again this year, the Lord gives us the opportunity to gather for this moment of fellowship which strengthens our fraternity and is grounded in our contemplation of God’s love revealed at Christmas. A contemporary mystic has written that the birth of Christ is the greatest and most eloquent witness of how much God loved man. He loved him with a personal love. That is why he took a human body, united it to himself and made it his own forever. The birth of Christ is itself a ‘covenant of love’, sealed for all time between God and man (Matta el Meskeen, L’Umanità di Dio, Qiqajon-Bose, Magnano 2015, 170-171). As Saint Clement of Alexandria writes, Christ came down and assumed our humanity, willingly sharing in our human sufferings, for this reason: so that, having experienced the frailty of those whom he loves, he could then make us experience his great power (Quis dives salvetur 37, 1-6).
In the light of this boundless benevolence and love, our exchange of Christmas greetings is yet another chance to respond to Christ’s new commandment: Even as I have loved you, you must also love one another. By this all men will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another (Jn 13:34-35). Jesus does not ask us to love him in response to his love for us; rather, he asks us to love one another as he does. In other words, he asks us to become like him, since he became like us. As Saint John Henry Newman prayed: May each Christmas, as it comes, find us more and more like Him, who at this time became a little child for our sake, more simple-minded, more humble, more holy, more affectionate, more resigned, more happy, more full of God (Sermon 7, The Mystery of Godliness, Parochial and Plain Sermons, V). And he went on to say, in that same sermon: (Christmas) is a time for innocence, and purity, and gentleness, and mildness, and contentment, and peace.
This mention of Newman brings to mind his well-known words in his Essay on the Development of Christian Doctrine, a book that coincided chronologically and spiritually with his entry into the Catholic Church: Here below to live is to change, and to be perfect is to have changed often ( Chapter 1, Section 1, Part 7); he is not speaking about changing for change’s sake, or following every new fashion, but rather about the conviction that development and growth are a normal part of human life, even as believers we know that God remains the unchanging centre of all things (In one of his prayers, Newman writes: There is nothing stable but Thou, O my God! And Thou art the centre and life of all who change, who trust Thee as their Father, who look to Thee, and who are content to put themselves into Thy hands. I know, O my God, I must change, if I am to see Thy face! (Meditations and Devotions, XI, God Alone Unchangeable)).
For Newman change was conversion, in other words, interior transformation (Newman describes it like this: I was not conscious to myself, on my conversion, of any change, intellectual or moral, wrought in my mind... it was like coming into port after a rough sea; and my happiness on that score remains to this day without interruption (Apologia Pro Vita Sua, 1865, Chapter 5, 238. Cf. J. HONORÉ, Gli aforismi di Newman, LEV, 2010, 167)). Christian life is a journey, a pilgrimage. The history of the Bible is a journey, marked by constantly new beginnings. So it was with Abraham. So it was too with those Galileans who two thousand years ago set out to follow Jesus: When they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him (Lk 5:11). From that time forward, the history of God’s people – the history of the Church – has always been marked by new beginnings, displacements and changes. This journey, of course, is not just geographical, but above all symbolic: it is a summons to discover the movement of the heart, which, paradoxically, has to set out in order to remain, to change in order to be faithful (cf J.M. Bergoglio, Lenten Message to Priests and Religious, 21 February 2007, in In Your Eyes I See my Words: Homilies and Speeches from Buenos Aires, Volume 2: 2005-2008, Fordham University Press, 2020).
All of this has particular importance for our time, because what we are experiencing is not simply an epoch of changes, but an epochal change. We find ourselves living at a time when change is no longer linear, but epochal. It entails decisions that rapidly transform our ways of living, of relating to one another, of communicating and thinking, of how different generations relate to one another and how we understand and experience faith and science. Often we approach change as if it were a matter of simply putting on new clothes, but remaining exactly as we were before. I think of the enigmatic expression found in a famous Italian novel: If we want everything to stay the same, then everything has to change (The Leopard by Giuseppe Tomasi di Lampedusa).
The more healthy approach is to let oneself be challenged by the questions of the day and to approach them with the virtues of discernment, parrhesía and hypomoné. Seen in this light, change takes on a very different aspect: from something marginal, incidental or merely external, it would become something more human and more Christian. Change would still take place, but beginning with man as its centre: an anthropological conversion (cf Apostolic Constitution Veritatis Gaudium, 27 December 2017, 3: In a word, this calls for changing the models of global development and redefining our notion of progress. Yet the problem is that we still lack the culture necessary to confront this crisis. We lack leadership capable of striking out on new paths.
We need to initiate processes and not just occupy spaces: God manifests himself in historical revelation, in history. Time initiates processes and space crystalizes them. God is in history, in the processes. We must not focus on occupying the spaces where power is exercised, but rather on starting long-run historical processes. We must initiate processes rather than occupy spaces. God manifests himself in time and is present in the processes of history. This gives priority to actions that give birth to new historical dynamics. And it requires patience, waiting (Interview given to Father Antonio Spadaro, Civiltà Cattolica, 19 September 2013, p.468). In this sense, we are urged to read the signs of the times with the eyes of faith, so that the direction of this change should raise new and old questions which it is right that we should face (Schreiben an das Pilgernde Volk Gottes in Deutschland, 29 June 2019).
In discussing a change that is grounded mainly in fidelity to the depositum fidei and the Tradition, today I would like to speak once more of the implementation of the reform of the Roman Curia and to reaffirm that this reform has never presumed to act as if nothing had preceded it. On the contrary, an effort was made to enhance the good elements deriving from the complex history of the Curia. There is a need to respect history in order to build a future that has solid roots and can thus prove fruitful. Appealing to memory is not the same as being anchored in self-preservation, but instead to evoke the life and vitality of an ongoing process. Memory is not static, but dynamic. By its very nature, it implies movement. Nor is tradition static; it too is dynamic, as that great man (Gustav Mahler) used to say: tradition is the guarantee of the future and not a container of ashes.
Dear brothers and sisters,
In our previous Christmas meetings, I spoke of the criteria that inspired this work of reform. I also explained some changes already implemented, whether definitively or ad experimentum (cf Address to the Curia, 22 December 2016). In 2017, I highlighted some new elements in the organization of the Curia. I gave as examples: the Third Section of the Secretariat of State, which is working very well; the relationship between the Roman Curia and particular Churches, with reference also to the ancient practice of the Visits ad limina Apostolorum; and the structure of some Dicasteries, especially that for the Oriental Churches and those for ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue, particularly with Judaism.
In today’s meeting, I would like to reflect on some other Dicasteries, beginning with the heart of the reform, that is, with the first and most important task of the Church, which is evangelization. As Saint Paul VI stated: Evangelizing is in fact the grace and vocation proper to the Church, her deepest identity. She exists in order to evangelize (Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Nuntiandi, 8 December 1975, 14. Saint John Paul II wrote that missionary evangelization is the primary service which the Church can render to every individual and to all humanity in the modern world, a world which has experienced marvellous achievements but which seems to have lost its sense of ultimate realities and of existence itself (Encyclical Letter Redemptoris Missio, 7 December 1990, 2).
Today too, Evangelii Nuntiandi continues to be the most important pastoral document of the post-conciliar period. Indeed, the aim of the current reform is that the Church’s customs, ways of doing things, times and schedules, language and structures can be suitably channeled for the evangelization of today’s world rather than for her self-preservation. The renewal of structures demanded by pastoral conversion can only be understood in this light: as part of an effort to make them more mission-oriented (Evangelii Gaudium, 27). Consequently, inspired by the magisterium of the Successors of Peter from the time of the Second Vatican Council until the present, it was decided to give the title Praedicate Evangelium to the new Apostolic Constitution being prepared on the reform of the Roman Curia. A missionary outlook.
For this reason, I would like to discuss today some of the Dicasteries of the Roman Curia whose names explicitly refer to this: the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and the Congregation for the Evangelization of Peoples. I think, too, of the Dicastery for Communication and the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development.
The first two Congregations mentioned were established in an age when it was easier to distinguish between two rather well-defined realities: a Christian world and a world yet to be evangelized. That situation no longer exists today. People who have not yet received the Gospel message do not live only in non-Western continents; they live everywhere, particularly in vast urban concentrations that call for a specific pastoral outreach. In big cities, we need other maps, other paradigms, which can help us reposition our ways of thinking and our attitudes. Brothers and sisters, Christendom no longer exists! Today we are no longer the only ones who create culture, nor are we in the forefront or those most listened to (cf Address to Participants at the International Pastoral Congress on the World’s Big Cities, Consistory Hall, 27 November 2014).We need a change in our pastoral mindset, which does not mean moving towards a relativistic pastoral care. We are no longer living in a Christian world, because faith – especially in Europe, but also in a large part of the West – is no longer an evident presupposition of social life; indeed, faith is often rejected, derided, marginalized and ridiculed.
This point was clearly made by Benedict XVI when he proclaimed the 2012 Year of Faith: Whereas in the past it was possible to recognize a unitary cultural matrix, broadly accepted in its appeal to the content of the faith and the values inspired by it, today this no longer seems to be the case in large swathes of society, because of a profound crisis of faith that has affected many people (Motu Proprio Porta Fidei, 2). This also led to the establishment in 2010 of the Pontifical Council for the Promotion of the New Evangelization for the sake of fostering a renewed evangelization in the countries where the first proclamation of the faith has already resonated and where Churches with an ancient foundation exist but are experiencing the progressive secularization of society and a sort of ‘eclipse of the sense of God’, which pose a challenge to finding appropriate means to propose anew the perennial truth of Christ’s Gospel (Benedict XVI, Homily, 28 June 2010; cf. Motu Proprio Ubicumque et Semper, 17 October 2010). At times I have spoken about this with some of you… I think of five countries that filled the world with missionaries – I told you which ones they are – and today lack the vocational resources to go forward. That is today’s world.
The realization that epochal change raises serious questions about the identity of our faith did not burst suddenly on the scene (An epochal change was noted in France by Cardinal Suhard (we can think of his pastoral letter Essor ou déclin de l’Église, 1947) and by the then-Archbishop of Milan, Giovanni Battista Montini. The latter also questioned whether Italy was still a Catholic country (cf Opening Address at the VIII National Week of Pastoral Updating, 22 September 1958, in Discorsi e Scritti milanesi 1954-1963, vol. II, Brescia-Roma 1997, 2328). It gave rise to the term new evangelization, then taken up by Saint John Paul II, who wrote in his Encyclical Letter Redemptoris Missio: Today the Church must face other challenges and push forward to new frontiers, both in the initial mission ad gentes and in the new evangelization of those peoples who have already heard Christ proclaimed (No. 30). What is needed is a new evangelization or a re-evangelization (cf. No. 33).
All of this necessarily entails changes and shifts in focus, both within the above-mentioned Dicasteries and within the Curia as a whole (Saint Paul VI, some fifty years ago, when presenting the new Roman Missal to the faithful, recalled the correspondence between the law of prayer (lex orandi) and the law of faith (lex credendi), and described the Missal as a demonstration of fidelity and vitality. He concluded by saying: So let us not speak of a ‘new Mass’, but rather of ‘a new age in the life of the Church (General Audience, 19 November 1969). Analogously, we might also say in this case: not a new Roman Curia, but rather a new age.
I would also add a word about the recently established Dicastery for Communication. Here too we are speaking of epochal change, inasmuch as “broad swathes of humanity are immersed (in the digital world) in an ordinary and continuous manner. It is no longer merely a question of using instruments of communication, but of living in a highly digitalized culture that has had a profound impact on ideas of time and space, on our self-understanding, our understanding of others and the world, and our ability to communicate, learn, be informed and enter into relationship with others. An approach to reality that privileges images over listening and reading has influenced the way people learn and the development of their critical sense (Christus Vivit, 86).
The Dicastery for Communication has been entrusted with the responsibility of unifying in a new institution the nine bodies that, in various ways and with different tasks, had previously dealt with communications. These were the Pontifical Council for Social Communications, the Holy See Press Office, the Vatican Press, the Vatican Publishing House, L’Osservatore Romano, Vatican Radio, the Vatican Television Centre, the Vatican Internet Service and the Photographic Service. This consolidation, as I have said, was meant not simply for better coordination, but also for a reconfiguration of the different components in view of offering a better product and keeping to a consistent editorial line.
The new media culture, in its variety and complexity, calls for an appropriate presence of the Holy See in the communications sector. Today, we are living in a multimedia world and this affects our way of conceiving, designing and providing media services. All this entails not only a change of culture but also an institutional and personal conversion, in order to pass from operating in self-contained units – which in the best cases had a certain degree of coordination – to working in synergy, in an intrinsically interconnected way.
Dear brothers and sisters,
Much of what I have been saying is also applicable to the Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development. It too was recently established in response to the changes that have taken place on the global level, and amalgamates four previous Pontifical Councils: those of Justice and Peace, Cor Unum, and the pastoral care of Migrants and of Healthcare Workers. The overall unity of the tasks entrusted to this Dicastery is summed up in the first words of the Motu Proprio Humanam Progressionem that instituted it: In all her being and actions, the Church is called to promote the integral development of the human person in the light of the Gospel. This development takes place by attending to the inestimable goods of justice, peace and the care of creation. It takes place by serving those who are most vulnerable and marginalized, particularly those forced to emigrate, who at the present time represent a voice crying in the wilderness of our humanity. The Church is thus called to remind everyone that it is not simply a matter of social or migration questions but of human persons, of our brothers and sisters who today are a symbol of all those discarded by the globalized society. She is called to testify that for God no one is a stranger or an outcast. She is called to awaken consciences slumbering in indifference to the reality of the Mediterranean Sea, which has become for many, all too many, a cemetery.
I would like to recall how important it is that development be integral. Saint Paul VI observed that to be authentic, development must be integral; it must foster the development of every man and of the whole man (Populorum Progressio, 14). In a word, grounded in her tradition of faith and appealing in recent decades to the teaching of the Second Vatican Council, the Church consistently affirms the grandeur of the vocation of all human beings, whom God has created in his image and likeness in order to form a single family. At the same time, she strives to embrace humanity in all its dimensions.
It is precisely this integral aspect that nowadays makes us recognize that our common humanity unites us as children of one Father. “In all her being and actions, the Church is called to promote the integral development of the human person in the light of the Gospel (Humanam Progressionem). The Gospel always brings the Church back to the mysterious logic of the incarnation, to Christ who took upon himself our history, the history of each of us. That is the message of Christmas. Humanity, then, is the key for interpreting the reform. Humanity calls and challenges us; in a word, it summons us to go forth and not fear change.
Let us not forget that the Child lying in the manger has the face of our brothers and sisters most in need, of the poor who are a privileged part of this mystery; often they are the first to recognize God’s presence in our midst (Admirabile Signum, 6).
Dear brothers and sisters,
We are speaking, then, about great challenges and necessary balances that are often hard to achieve, for the simple fact that, poised between a glorious past and a changing, creative future, we are living in the present. Here there are persons who necessarily need time to grow; there are historical situations to be dealt with on a daily basis, since in the process of the reform the world and history do not stop; there are juridical and institutional questions that need to be resolved gradually, without magic formulas or shortcuts.
There is, finally, the dimension of time and there is human error, which must rightly be taken into consideration. These are part of the history of each one of us. Not to take account of them is to go about doing things in abstraction from human history. Linked to this difficult historical process there is always the temptation to fall back on the past (also by employing new formulations), because it is more reassuring, familiar, and, to be sure, less conflictual. This too is part of the process and risk of setting in motion significant changes (Evangelii Gaudium states the rule: to give priority to actions which generate new processes in society and engage other persons and groups who can develop them to the point where they bear fruit in significant historical events. Without anxiety, but with clear convictions and tenacity, EG 223).
Here, there is a need to be wary of the temptation to rigidity. A rigidity born of the fear of change, which ends up erecting fences and obstacles on the terrain of the common good, turning it into a minefield of incomprehension and hatred. Let us always remember that behind every form of rigidity lies some kind of imbalance. Rigidity and imbalance feed one another in a vicious circle. And today this temptation to rigidity has become very real.
Dear brothers and sisters,
The Roman Curia is not a body detached from reality, even though this risk is always present. Rather, it should be thought of and experienced in the context of the journey of today’s men and women, and against the backdrop of this epochal change. The Roman Curia is not a palace or a wardrobe full of clothes to be changed. The Roman Curia is a living body, and all the more so to the extent that it lives the Gospel in its integrity.
Cardinal Martini, in his last interview, a few days before his death, said something that should make us think: The Church is two hundred years behind the times. Why is she not shaken up? Are we afraid? Fear, instead of courage? Yet faith is the Church’s foundation. Faith, confidence, courage… Only love conquers weariness (Interview with Georg Sporschill, S.J. and Federica Radice Fossati Confalonieri: Corriere della Sera, 1 September 2012).
Christmas is the feast of God’s love for us. The divine love that inspires, guides and corrects change, and overcomes the human fear of leaving behind security in order once more to embrace the mystery.
A happy Christmas to all!
In preparation for Christmas, we have listened to sermons on the Holy Mother of God. Let us turn to her before the blessing.
(Hail Mary and blessing)
Now I would like to give you a little gift of two books. The first is the document that I wanted to issue for the Extraordinary Missionary Month (October 2019), and did do in the form of an interview; Senza di Lui non possiamo fare nulla – Without Him We Can Do Nothing. I was inspired by a saying, I don’t know by whom, that when missionaries arrive in a place, the Holy Spirit is already there waiting for them. That was the inspiration for this document. The second gift is a retreat given to priests recently by Father Luigi Maria Epicoco entitled: Qualcuno a cui guardare – Someone To Whom We Can Look. I give you these from the heart so that they can be of use to the whole community. Thank you! Testo originale nella lingua italiana Texte en français
