Halloween party ideas 2015
Tweet Share Share Share Share Share

Wednesday, January 11, 2017
GENERAL AUDIENCE POPE FRANCIS
Paul VI Audience Hall-Wednesday, 4 January 2017
PHOTO: L'OSSERVATORE ROMANO

Christian hope - 5. Rachel “is weeping for her children”, but... “there is hope for your descendants” (Jer 31)

Dear Brothers and Sisters, Good morning!
In today’s catechesis, I would like to reflect with you on the figure of a woman who speaks to us about hope lived in tears. Hope lived in tears. This is Rachel, wife of Jacob and mother of Joseph and Benjamin: she who, as the Book of Genesis tells us, dies while giving birth to her second-born son, which is Benjamin.

The Prophet Jeremiah refers to Rachel as he addresses the Israelites in exile, trying to console them with words full of emotion and poetry; that is, he takes up Rachel’s lament, but gives hope:
“Thus says the Lord: ‘A voice is heard in Ramah, / lamentation and bitter weeping. / Rachel is weeping for her children; / she refuses to be comforted for her children, / because they are not’” (Jer 31:15).

In these verses, Jeremiah presents this woman of his people, the great matriarch of the tribe, in a situation of suffering and tears, but along with an unexpected outlook on life. Rachel, who in the Genesis account had died in childbirth and had accepted that death so that her son might live, is now instead represented by the Prophet as alive in Ramah, where the deportees gathered, weeping for the children who in a certain sense died going into exile; children who, as she herself says, ‘are no more’, they are lost forever.

For this reason Rachel does not want to be consoled. This refusal of hers expresses the depth of her pain and the bitterness of her tears. Before the tragedy of the loss of her children, a mother cannot accept words or gestures of consolation, which are always inadequate, never capable of alleviating the pain of a wound that cannot and does not want to be healed, a pain proportionate to love.

Every mother knows all of this; and today too, there are many mothers who weep, who do not accept the loss of a child, inconsolable before a death that is impossible to accept. Rachel holds within her the pain of all the mothers of the world, of all time, and the tears of every human being who suffers irreparable loss.

This refusal of Rachel, who does not want to be consoled, also teaches us how much sensitivity is asked of us before other people’s suffering. In order to speak of hope to those who are desperate, it is essential to share their desperation. In order to dry the tears from the faces of those who are suffering, it is necessary to join our tears with theirs. Only in this way can our words be really capable of giving a little hope. If I cannot speak words in this way, with tears, with suffering, then silence is better: a caress, a gesture and no words.

God, with his sensitivity and his love, responds to Rachel’s tears with true words, not contrived; in fact Jeremiah’s text continues in this way:
“Thus says the Lord:” — he responds to those tears — “‘Keep your voice from weeping, and your eyes from tears; / for your work shall be rewarded, says the Lord, / and they shall come back from the land of the enemy. / There is hope for your future, says the Lord, / and your children shall come back to their own country’” (Jer 31:16-17).

Precisely through the mother’s tears, there is still hope for the children, who will return to life. This woman, who had accepted death at the moment of childbirth, so that the child might live, is, with her tears, the beginning of new life for the children who are exiled, prisoners, far from their homeland. To the suffering and bitter tears of Rachel the Lord responds with a promise that can now be the source of true consolation for her: the people will be able to return from exile and freely experience in faith their own relationship with God. The tears generated hope. This is not easy to understand, but it is true. So often, in our life, tears sow hope; they are seeds of hope.

As we know, this text of Jeremiah is later taken up by the Evangelist Matthew and applied to the massacre of the innocents (cf. 2:16-18). A text which places before us the tragedy of the killing of defenceless human beings, the horror of power which scorns and terminates life. The children of Bethlehem die because of Jesus. And he, the innocent Lamb, would then die, in turn, for all of us. The Son of God entered the suffering of mankind. This must not be forgotten. When someone addresses me and asks me difficult questions, for example: ‘Tell me, Father: why do children suffer?’, truly, I do not know how to respond. I say only: ‘Look at the Crucifix: God gave us his Son, he suffered, and perhaps you will find an answer there’. But there are no answers here [pointing to his head]. Just looking at the love of God who gives his Son who offers his life for us can indicate some path of consolation. For this reason we say that the Son of God entered the pain of mankind; he shared it and embraced death; his Word is definitively the word of consolation, because it is born of suffering.

And on the Cross it will be He, the dying Son, to give new fertility to his mother, entrusting to her the disciple John and making her mother of the people of faith. Death is conquered, and thus Jeremiah’s Prophecy is fulfilled. Mary’s tears, too, like those of Rachel, generated hope and new life. Thank you.

Special greetings:
I address a warm welcome to the Italian-speaking pilgrims, and I wish everyone serenity and peace for the new year.

I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, particularly those from Australia, Canada and the United States of America. May each of you, and your families, cherish the joy of this Christmas season, and draw near in prayer to the Saviour who has come to dwell among us. God bless you!

Lastly, I am pleased to greet young people, the sick, and newlyweds. Dear young people, I wish that you may be able to consider each day of the new year as a gift of God, to be lived with thanksgiving and rectitude, and always going forward! Always. May the new year bring you, dear sick people, consolation in body and in spirit. May the Lord be close to you and may Our Lady comfort you. And may you, dear newlyweds, commit yourselves to achieve a sincere communion of life according to God’s plan.


© Copyright - Libreria Editrice Vaticana


Read more »
Tweet Share Share Share Share Share

Sunday, January 08, 2017
ANGELUS POPE FRANCIS
Saint Peter's Square-Sunday, 1st January 2017

SOLEMNITY OF MARY, THE HOLY MOTHER OF GOD
WORLD DAY OF PEACE
 
PHOTO: Zenit.org / Screenshot CTV
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Good morning!
In recent days we have rested our adoring gaze on the Son of God, born in Bethlehem; today, the Solemnity of Mary Most Holy Mother of God, we turn our gaze to the Mother, while reflecting upon each of them in their close relation. This bond is not exhausted for the fact of having begot and been begotten; Jesus is “born of woman” (Gal 4:4) for a mission of salvation, and his mother is not excluded from this mission, but rather, is intimately associated with it. Mary is aware of this. Therefore she is not closed to considering only her maternal relationship with Jesus, but remains open and attentive toward all the events that take place around him: she keeps and ponders, scrutinizes and closely examines them, as today’s Gospel reading tells us (cf. Lk 2:19). She has already said her ‘yes’ and conveyed her willingness to be involved in the fulfillment of the salvific plan of God, who “has scattered the proud in the imagination of their hearts, he has put down the mighty from their thrones, and exalted those of low degree, he has filled the hungry with good things, and the rich he has sent empty away” (Lk 1:51-53). Now, silent and attentive, she tries to understand what God asks of her day by day.

The visit of the shepherds offers her the opportunity to understand something of God’s will as manifested by these humble and poor people. Luke the Evangelist recounts for us the shepherds’ visit to the grotto with a close succession of verbs expressing movement. He thus says: they go with haste, they find the Babe with Mary and Joseph, they see, they report what they had been told about him, and lastly they glorify God (cf. Lk 2:16-20). Mary closely follows this passage, what the shepherds say, what has happened to them, because she already perceives in it the movement of salvation, which will flow from the work of Jesus, and she adapts, ready for every request of the Lord. God asks Mary not only to be mother of his only begotten Son, but also to cooperate with the Son and for the Son in the plan of salvation, in order that in her, a humble handmaid, great works of divine mercy may be fulfilled.

Now, as we, like the shepherds, contemplate the icon of the Babe in his mother’s arms, we feel growing in our hearts a sense of immense gratitude to She who has given the Saviour to the world. For this reason, on the first day of a new year, we say to her:
Thank you, O Holy Mother of the Son of God, Holy Mother of God! / Thank you for your humility which drew the gaze of God; / thank you for the faith with which you received his Word; / thank you for the courage with which you said ‘here I am’, / forgetting yourself, enthralled by Holy Love, / made wholly one with his hope. / Thank you, O Holy Mother of God! / Pray for us, pilgrims in time; / help us to walk on the path of peace. / Amen.

After the Angelus:
Dear brothers and sisters, Happy New Year! The year shall be good in the measure that each of us, with God’s help, seeks to do good day by day. In this way peace is built, saying ‘no’ — with deeds — to hatred and to violence, and ‘yes’ to brotherhood and reconciliation. Fifty years ago, Blessed Paul VI began celebrating on this day the World Day of Peace, so as to strengthen the common commitment to build a peaceful and fraternal world. In this year’s Message, I proposed adopting non-violence as a style of politics for peace.

Unfortunately, violence has struck even in this night of good wishes and of hope. Sadly, I express my closeness to the Turkish people; I pray for the numerous victims and for the injured, and for the entire Nation in mourning, and I ask the Lord to support all men and women of good will who roll up their sleeves to face the scourge of terrorism and this stain of blood which covers the world with a shadow of fear and dismay.

I wish to thank the President of the Italian Republic for the expression of good wishes that he addressed to me last evening, during his Message to the Nation. I reciprocate wholeheartedly, invoking the Lord’s blessing upon the Italian people so that, with their responsible contribution in solidarity with all, they may look to the future with confidence and hope.

I greet all of you present here, families, associations and youth groups, wishing you a happy and peaceful new year. I express my gratitude for the many initiatives of prayer and of commitment to peace taking place in every part of the world. I remember in particular last evening’s national march held in Bologna, sponsored by CEI, Caritas, Catholic Action and Pax Christi, with the support of the Diocese and Municipality of Bologna.

I greet the participants in the “Peace in all lands” demonstration, sponsored by the Community of Sant’Egidio. Thank you for your presence and your witness!

To all I wish a year of peace in the Lord’s grace and with the maternal protection of Mary, Mother of God.

Happy feast day and, please, do not forget to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch! Arrivederci!
          
© Copyright - Libreria Editrice Vaticana


Read more »
Tweet Share Share Share Share Share

Wednesday, January 04, 2017
GENERAL AUDIENCE POPE FRANCIS
Wednesday, 28 December 2016
 
PHOTO: L'OSSERVATORE ROMANO

Speaker:
Dear Brothers and Sisters: Our continuing catechesis on Christian hope leads us in these Christmas days to consider the example of Abraham, who, as Saint Paul tells us, “hoped against hope” in God’s promises. Trusting in the Lord’s word that a son would be born to him, Abraham left his home for a new land. Although the fulfilment of God’s promise was long delayed and seemed to be impossible, Abraham continued to hope. Even his discouragement and complaints were a sign of his continuing trust in God. Abraham, our father in faith, shows us that sure trust in God’s word does not mean that we will not have moments of uncertainty, disappointment and bewilderment. It was at such a moment that God appeared to Abraham, called him forth from his tent and showed him the night sky shining with countless stars, assuring him that such would be the number of his descendents. Hope is always directed to the future, to the fulfilment of God’s promises. May the example of Abraham teach us not be afraid to go out from our own tents, our limited outlooks, and to lift our eyes to the stars.

Holy Father:
Saluto i pellegrini di lingua inglese presenti all’odierna Udienza, specialmente quelli provenienti dal Bangldesh e dagli Stati Uniti d’America. A ciascuno di voi e alle vostre famiglie auguro di custodire la gioia di Natale, incontrando nella preghiera il Salvatore che desidera farsi vicino a tutti. Dio vi benedica!

Speaker:
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, particularly those from Bangladesh and the United States of America. May each of you, and your families, cherish the joy of Christmas and draw near in prayer to the Saviour who has come to dwell among us. God bless you!
       
© Copyright - Libreria Editrice Vaticana


Read more »
Tweet Share Share Share Share Share

Monday, January 02, 2017
FEAST OF ST STEPHEN, PROTOMARTYR

ANGELUS POPE FRANCIS
Saint Peter's Square
Monday, 26 December 2016  
 
PHOTO: L'OSSERVATORE ROMANO
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Good morning!
The joy of Christmas fills our hearts today too, as the liturgy involves us in celebrating the martyrdom of Saint Stephen, the First Martyr, inviting us to reflect on the witness that he gave us with his sacrifice. It is precisely the glorious witness of Christian martyrdom, suffered for love of Christ; the martyrdom which continues to be present in the history of the Church, from Stephen up to our time.

Today’s Gospel (cf. Mt 10:17-22) told us of this witness. Jesus forewarns the disciples of the rejection and persecution they will encounter: “you will be hated by all for my name’s sake” (v. 22). But why does the world persecute Christians? The world hates Christians for the same reason that they hated Jesus: because he brought the light of God, and the world prefers darkness so as to hide its evil works. Let us recall that Jesus himself, at the Last Supper, prayed that the Father might protect us from the wicked worldly spirit. There is opposition between the Gospel and this worldly mentality. Following Jesus means following his light, which was kindled in the night of Bethlehem, and abandoning worldly obscurity.

The Protomartyr Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, was stoned because he professed his faith in Jesus Christ, the Son of God. The Only Begotten Son who comes into the world invites every believer to choose the way of light and life. This is the meaning of his coming among us. Loving the Lord and obeying his voice, the Deacon Stephen chose Christ, Life and Light for all mankind. By choosing truth, he became at the same time a victim of the inexplicable iniquity present in the world. But in Christ, Stephen triumphed!


Today too, in order to bear witness to light and to truth, the Church experiences, in different places, harsh persecution, up to the supreme sacrifice of martyrdom. How many of our brothers and sisters in faith endure abuse and violence, and are hated because of Jesus! I shall tell you something: today’s martyrs are more numerous with respect to those of the first centuries. When we read the history of the first centuries, here in Rome, we read of so much cruelty toward Christians; I tell you: there is the same cruelty today, and to a greater extent, toward Christians. Today we should think of those who are suffering from persecution, and to be close to them with our affection, our prayers and also our tears. Yesterday, Christmas Day, Christians persecuted in Iraq celebrated Christmas in their destroyed cathedral: it is an example of faithfulness to the Gospel. In spite of the trials and dangers, they courageously witness their belonging to Christ and live the Gospel by committing themselves in favour of the least, of the most neglected, doing good to all without distinction; in this way they witness to charity in truth.

In making room in our heart for the Son of God who gives himself to us at Christmas, let us joyfully and courageously renew the will to follow him faithfully, as the only guide, by continuing to live according to the Gospel attitude and rejecting the mentality of those who dominate this world.


Let us raise our prayers to the Virgin Mary, Mother of God and Queen of Martyrs, that she may guide us and always sustain us on our journey in following Jesus Christ, whom we contemplate in the grotto of the Nativity and who is the faithful Witness of God the Father.


After the Angelus:
I express my heartfelt condolences on hearing the distressing news of the Russian aircraft which crashed in the Black Sea. May the Lord comfort the dear Russian people and the families of the passengers who were aboard: journalists, the crew, and the excellent Russian Army choir and orchestra. May the Blessed Virgin Mary support the search operations currently underway. In 2004 the Choir performed in the Vatican for the 26th anniversary of the Pontificate of Saint John Paul II: let us pray for them.

Dear brothers and sisters, in the climate of Christian joy which emanates from the Birth of Jesus, I greet you and thank you for coming.

To all of you who have come from Italy and other nations, I renew my good wishes of peace and serenity: may these be days of joy and fraternity for you and for your families. I greet and convey my best wishes to all those who are named Stephen or Stephanie!

In these weeks I have received many messages of good wishes from the whole world. As I am unable to respond to each one, today I express to everyone my sincere thanks, especially for the gift of prayer. Heartfelt thanks! May the Lord reward you abundantly!

Happy feast day! Please, do not forget to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch. Arrivederci!


© Copyright - Libreria Editrice Vaticana

Read more »
Tweet Share Share Share Share Share

Wednesday, December 28, 2016
GENERAL AUDIENCE POPE FRANCIS
Paul VI Audience Hall Wednesday, 21 December 2016
 
PHOTO: L'OSSERVATORE ROMANO

Christian hope - 3. Christ’s birth is the source of hope

Dear Brothers and Sisters, Good morning!
We have recently begun a catechetical journey on the theme of hope, which is so very appropriate in the Season of Advent. The Prophet Isaiah has guided us up to this point. Today, just days before Christmas, I would like to reflect more specifically on the moment in which, so to speak, hope came into the world, with the incarnation of the Son of God. It was also Isaiah who foretold the birth of the Messiah in several passages: “Behold, a young woman shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel” (7:14); and also: “there shall come forth a shoot from the stump of Jesse, and a branch shall grow out of his roots” (11:1). In these passages, the meaning of Christmas shines through: God fulfills the promise by becoming man; not abandoning his people, he draws near to the point of stripping himself of his divinity. In this way God shows his fidelity and inaugurates a new Kingdom, which gives a new hope to mankind. And what is this hope? Eternal life.

When we speak of hope, often it refers to what is not in man’s power to realize, which is invisible. In fact, what we hope for goes beyond our strength and our perception. But the Birth of Christ, inaugurating redemption, speaks to us of a different hope, a dependable, visible and understandable hope, because it is founded in God. He comes into the world and gives us the strength to walk with him: God walks with us in Jesus, and walking with him toward the fullness of life gives us the strength to dwell in the present in a new way, albeit arduous. Thus for a Christian, to hope means the certainty of being on a journey with Christ toward the Father who awaits us. Hope is never still; hope is always journeying, and it makes us journey. This hope, which the Child of Bethlehem gives us, offers a destination, a sure, ongoing goal, salvation of mankind, blessedness to those who trust in a merciful God. Saint Paul summarizes all this with the expression: “in this hope we were saved” (Rom 8:24). In other words, walking in this world, with hope, we are saved. Here we can ask ourselves the question, each one of us: am I walking with hope or is my interior life static, closed? Is my heart a locked drawer or a drawer open to the hope which enables me to walk — not alone — with Jesus?

In Christian homes, during the Season of Advent, the Nativity scene is arranged, according to the tradition which dates back to Saint Francis of Assisi. In its simple way, the Nativity scene conveys hope; each one of the characters is immersed in this atmosphere of hope.
First of all we note the place in which Jesus was born: Bethlehem. A small village in Judea where, thousands of years earlier, David was born, the shepherd boy chosen by God to be the King of Israel. Bethlehem is not a capital city, and for this reason is preferred by divine Providence, who loves to act through the little ones and the humble. In that birthplace was born the highly anticipated “Son of David”, Jesus, in whom the hope of God and the hope of man meet.

Then we look to Mary, Mother of hope. With her ‘yes’ she opened the door of our world to God: her maiden’s heart was full of hope, wholly enlivened by faith; and thus God chose her and she believed in his word. She, who for nine months was the Ark of the new and eternal Covenant, in the grotto, contemplates the Child and sees in him the love of God, who comes to save his people and the whole of humanity.

Next to Mary is Joseph, a descendant of Jesse and of David; he too believed in the words of the angel, and looking at Jesus in the manger, reflects on the fact that that Child has come from the Holy Spirit, and that God himself commanded him to call [the Child] ‘Jesus’. In that name there is hope for every man and woman, because through that son of woman, God will save mankind from death and from sin. This is why it is important to contemplate the Nativity scene!

In the Nativity scene there are also shepherds, who represent the humble and poor who await the Messiah, the “consolation of Israel” (Lk 2:25), and the “redemption of Jerusalem” (2:38). In this Child they see the realization of the promises and hope that the salvation of God will finally arrive for each of them. Those who trust in their own certainties, especially material, do not await God’s salvation. Let us keep this in mind: our own assurance will not save us; the only certainty that will save us is that of hope in God. It will save us because it is strong and enables us to journey in life with joy, with the will to do good, with the will to attain eternal happiness. The little ones, the shepherds, instead trust in God, hope in him and rejoice when they recognize in that Child the sign indicated by the angels (cf. Lk 2:12).

The very choir of angels proclaims from on high the great design that the Child fulfills: “Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased” (2:14). Christian hope is expressed in praise and gratitude to God, who has initiated his Kingdom of love, justice and peace.

Dear brothers and sisters, in these days, contemplating the Nativity scene, we prepare ourselves for the Birth of the Lord. It will truly be a celebration if we welcome Jesus, the seed of hope that God sets down in the furrows of our individual and community history. Every ‘yes’ to Jesus who comes, is a bud of hope. Let us trust in this bud of hope, in this ‘yes’: “Yes, Jesus, you can save me, you can save me”. Happy Christmas of hope to all!

Special greetings:
I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, particularly those from Australia, Japan and the United States of America. I pray that each of you, and your families, may experience a blessed Advent, in preparation for the coming of the newborn Saviour at Christmas. God bless you!

I greet the Scouts who have brought the flame from the Crib of the Nativity in Bethlehem. I invite everyone to pray and to commit themselves to works of mercy so that Christmas may be a personal encounter with the Lord and give rise in us to good intentions to foster solidarity.

Lastly I address a special greeting to young people, to the sick and to newlyweds. Dear young people, prepare yourselves for the mystery of the Incarnation with the faithful obedience and humility that Mary had. You, dear sick people, draw from her that strength and ardour for Jesus who comes among us. And you, dear newlyweds, contemplate the example of the Holy Family of Nazareth, in order to practice the same virtues on your journey of family life.

© Copyright - Libreria Editrice Vaticana


Read more »
Tweet Share Share Share Share Share

Sunday, December 25, 2016
ANGELUS POPE FRANCIS
Saint Peter's Square
Sunday, 18 December 2016

photo: l'osservatore romano

Dear Brothers and Sisters, Good morning!
The liturgy for today, the Fourth and last Sunday of Advent, is characterized by the theme of closeness, God’s closeness to humanity. The Gospel passage (cf. Mt 1:18-24) shows us two people, the two people who, more than anyone else, were involved in this mystery of love: the Virgin Mary and her husband, Joseph. A mystery of love, the mystery of God’s closeness to humanity.

Mary is presented in the light of the prophet who says: “Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son” (v. 23). Matthew the Evangelist recognizes that this happened in Mary, who conceived Jesus through the Holy Spirit (cf. v. 18). The Son of God “comes” into her womb in order to become man, and she welcomes him. Thus, in a unique way, God drew near to mankind, taking on flesh through a woman: God drew near to us and took on flesh through a woman. To us too, in a different way, God draws near with his grace in order to enter our life and offer us the gift of his Son. What do we do? Do we welcome him, let him draw near, or do we reject him, push him away? As Mary, freely offering herself to the Lord of history, allowed him to change the destiny of mankind, so too can we, by welcoming Jesus and seeking to follow him each day, cooperate in his salvific plan for us and for the world. Mary thus appears to us as a model to look to and upon whose support we can count in our search for God, in our closeness to God, in thus allowing God to draw close to us and in our commitment to build the culture of love.

The other protagonist of today’s Gospel is Saint Joseph. The Evangelist highlights that alone, Joseph cannot explain to himself the event which he sees taking place before his eyes, namely, Mary’s pregnancy. Just then, in that moment of doubt, even anguish, God approaches him — him too — through his messenger and [Joseph] is enlightened about the nature of this maternity: “the child conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit” (cf. v. 20). Thus, in facing this extraordinary event, which surely gave rise to many questions in his heart, he trusts totally in God who has drawn near to him, and after his invitation, does not repudiate his betrothed, but takes her to him and takes Mary to wife. In accepting Mary, Joseph knowingly and lovingly receives Him who has been conceived in her through the wondrous work of God, for whom nothing is impossible. Joseph, a just and humble man (cf. v. 19), teaches us to always trust in God, who draws near to us: when God approaches us, we must entrust ourselves to him. Joseph teaches us to allow ourselves to be guided by Him with willing obedience.

These two figures, Mary and Joseph, who were the first to welcome Jesus through faith, introduce us to the mystery of Christmas. Mary helps us to assume an attitude of openness in order to welcome the Son of God into our concrete life, in our flesh. Joseph spurs us to always seek God’s will and to follow it with full trust. Both allow God to draw near to them.

“‘Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and his name shall be called Emmanuel’, which means, God-with-us” (Mt 1:23). Thus the angel says: “the child shall be called Emmanuel, which means God-with-us”, in other words, God near to us. And to God who draws near, do I open the door — to the Lord — when I sense an interior inspiration, when I hear him ask me to do something more for others, when he calls me to pray?

God-with-us, God who draws near. This message of hope, which is fulfilled at Christmas, leads to fulfilment of the expectation of God in each one of us too, in all the Church, and in the many little ones whom the world scorns, but whom God also loves and to whom God draws near.

After the Angelus:
Dear brothers and sisters, I greet everyone, the faithful of Rome and pilgrims from other countries, families, parish groups and associations.

I ask all of you to pray that the dialogue in the Democratic Republic of Congo may unfold peacefully so as to avoid all types of violence and for the good of the entire country.
I would like to thank all the people and institutions who expressed their best wishes to me yesterday. Thank you very much!

I wish everyone a happy Sunday. The weather is beautiful. Next Sunday will be Christmas. This week — I ask — let us try to find a few moments to stop, be silent, and imagine Our Lady and Saint Joseph who are on their way to Bethlehem. Imagine how they travel: the journey, the hardships, but also the joy, the emotion, and their distress at finding no room, the worrying..., and so on. In this the Nativity helps us a great deal. Let us try to partake of the true Christmas, that of Jesus, who draws near to us — God-with-us, close to us — in order to receive the grace of this celebration, which is a grace of closeness, love, humility and tenderness.
In those moments, remember also to pray for me. Enjoy your lunch. Arrivederci!


© Copyright - Libreria Editrice Vaticana

Read more »
Tweet Share Share Share Share Share

Wednesday, December 21, 2016
GENERAL AUDIENCE POPE FRANCIS
Paul VI Audience Hall Wednesday, 14 December 2016
 
PHOTO: L'OSSERVATORE ROMANO
Christian hope - 2. Isaiah 52: “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good tidings, / who publishes peace…”

Dear Brothers and Sisters, Good morning!
We are coming close to Christmas, and the prophet Isaiah once again helps us to open ourselves to the hope of welcoming the Good News of the coming of salvation.

Isaiah Chapter 52 begins with the invitation addressed to Jerusalem to awake, shake off the dust and chains, and put on the most beautiful clothes, because the Lord has come to free his people (vv. 1-3). And he adds: “my people shall know my name; therefore in that day they shall know that it is I who speak; here am I” (v. 6). It is to this “here am I” said by the Lord, which sums up his firm will for salvation and closeness to us, that Jerusalem responds with a song of joy, according to the prophet’s invitation. It is a very important historic moment. It is the end of the Babylonian Exile; it is the opportunity for Israel to rediscover God and, in faith, rediscover itself. The Lord is near, and the “remnant”, that is, the small population which survived the Exile and whose faith endured while in exile, which had undergone crises and continued to believe and hope even in the midst of darkness, that “remnant” will be able to see the wonders of God.

At this point, the prophet includes a song of exaltation:
“How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good tidings, / who publishes peace, who brings good tidings of good, / who publishes salvation, / who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns’ .... Break forth together into singing, you waste places of Jerusalem; / for the Lord has comforted his people, / he has redeemed Jerusalem./ The Lord has bared his holy arm before the eyes of all the nations; / and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of our God” (Is 52:7, 9-10).

These words of Isaiah, upon which we want to linger a while, make reference to the miracle of peace, and do so in a very specific way, placing the gaze not on the messenger but on his feet which are running quickly: “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good tidings...”.

He is like the spouse in the Canticle of Canticles who runs towards his beloved: “Behold, he comes, leaping upon the mountains, bounding over the hills” (Cant. 2:8). Thus, even the messenger of peace runs, bringing the happy announcement of liberation, of salvation, and proclaiming that God reigns.

God has not abandoned his people, and he has not left them to be vanquished by evil, because he is faithful, and his grace is greater than sin. We must learn this, because we are stubborn and do not learn. However, I ask: what is greater, God or sin? God! And which is victorious to the end? God or sin? God. Is he able to defeat the most serious, most shameful, the most terrible sin, the worst of sins? With what weapon does God defeat sin? With love! This means that “God reigns”; these are the words of faith in a Lord whose power bends down to humanity, stoops down, to offer mercy and to free man and woman from all that disfigures in them the beautiful image of God, for when we are in sin, God’s image is disfigured. The fulfillment of so much love will be the very Kingdom instituted by Jesus, that Kingdom of forgiveness and peace which we celebrate at Christmas, and which is definitively achieved at Easter. And the most beautiful joy of Christmas is that interior joy of peace: the Lord has remitted my sins, the Lord has forgiven me, the Lord has had mercy on me, he came to save me. This is the joy of Christmas!

These are, Brothers and Sisters, the reasons for our hope. When everything seems finished, when, faced with many negative realities, and faith becomes demanding, and there comes the temptation which says that nothing makes sense anymore, behold instead the beautiful news brought by those swift feet: God is coming to fulfil something new, to establish a kingdom of peace. God has “bared his arm” and comes to bring freedom and consolation. Evil will not triumph forever; there is an end to suffering. Despair is defeated because God is among us.

And we too are urged to awake a little, like Jerusalem, according to the invitation of the prophet; we are called to become men and women of hope, cooperating in the coming of this Kingdom made of light and destined for all, men and women of hope. How bad is it when we find a Christian who has lost hope! “But, I don’t hope in anything; everything is finished for me”: thus says a Christian who is incapable of looking to the horizons of hope, and before whose heart there is only a wall. However, God destroys such walls with forgiveness! And for this reason we must pray, that each day God may give us hope and give it to everyone: that hope which arises when we see God in the crib in Bethlehem. The message of the Good News entrusted to us is urgent. We too must run like the messenger on the mountains, because the world cannot wait, humanity is hungry and thirsty for justice, truth, peace.

And seeing the little Child of Bethlehem, the little ones of the world will know that the promise was accomplished; the message is fulfilled. In a newborn baby, in need of everything, wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in a manger, there is enclosed all of the power of God who saves. Christmas is a day which opens the heart: we need to open our heart to this littleness which is there in that Child, and to that great wonder. It is the wonder of Christmas, for which we are preparing, with hope, in this Season of Advent. It is the surprise of a Child God, of a poor God, of a weak God, of a God who abandons his greatness to come close to each one of us.

Special greetings:
In these joyous days of preparation for Christmas, I offer a cordial welcome to the Italian-speaking pilgrims. I thank you all for your good wishes for my upcoming birthday; thank you very much! But I must say something that will make you laugh: in my homeland, offering birthday wishes beforehand brings bad luck! And one who offers best wishes early is a “jinx”!

I greet the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today’s Audience, particularly those from Australia and the United States of America. I pray that each of you, and your families, may experience a blessed Advent, in preparation for the coming of the newborn Saviour at Christmas. God bless you!

Lastly, I offer a thought to young people, to the sick, and to newlyweds. Today the liturgy recalls Saint John of the Cross, a zealous pastor, mystic and Doctor of the Church. Dear young people, meditate on the greatness of the love of Jesus who was born and died for us. Dear sick people, docilely accept your cross in union with Christ for the conversion of sinners. And you, dear newlyweds, give more space to prayer, above all in this Season of Advent, that your life may become a journey of Christian perfection.

© Copyright - Libreria Editrice Vaticana


Read more »
Tweet Share Share Share Share Share

Sunday, December 18, 2016
ANGELUS POPE FRANCIS
Saint Peter's Square
Sunday, 11 December 2016 
PHOTO: L'OSSERVATORE ROMANO

Dear Brothers and Sisters, Good morning!

Today we celebrate the Third Sunday of Advent, which is characterized by Saint Paul’s invitation: “Rejoice in the Lord always; again I will say, Rejoice.... The Lord is at hand” (Phil 4:4-5). It is not a superficial or purely emotional cheerfulness that the Apostle exhorts, nor is it the cheerfulness of worldliness or of consumerism. No, it is not that, but rather, it entails a more authentic joy, the taste of which we are called to rediscover. The taste of true joy. It is a joy that touches our innermost being, as we await Jesus, who has already come to bring salvation to the world, the promised Messiah, born in Bethlehem of the Virgin Mary. The liturgy of the Word offers us the appropriate context for understanding and living out this joy. Isaiah speaks of wilderness, of dry land, of plains (cf. 35:1); the Prophet has before him weak hands, feeble knees, fearful hearts, people who are blind, deaf and dumb (cf. vv. 3-6). The context of this situation is desolation, an inexorable fate without God.

But finally salvation is proclaimed: “Be strong, fear not!” — the Prophet says — “Behold, your God.... He will come and save you” (cf. Is 35:4). And straight away everything is transformed: the desert blooms, comfort and joy permeate hearts (cf. vv. 5-6). These signs proclaimed by Isaiah as signs of salvation which is already present; they are fulfilled in Jesus. He himself affirms it by responding to the messengers sent by John the Baptist — what does Jesus say to these messengers? “The blind receive their sight and the lame walk, lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, and the dead are raised up” (Mt 11:5). They are not words, but are facts which demonstrate how salvation, brought by Jesus, seizes the human being and regenerates him. God has entered history in order to free us from the slavery of sin; he set his tent in our midst in order to share our existence, to heal our lesions, to bind our wounds and to give us new life. Joy is the fruit of this intervention of God’s salvation and love.

We are called to let ourselves be drawn in by the feeling of exultation. This exultation, this joy.... But a Christian who isn’t joyful is a Christian who is lacking something, or else is not a Christian! It is heartfelt joy, the joy within which leads us forth and gives us courage. The Lord comes, he comes into our life as a liberator; he comes to free us from all forms of interior and exterior slavery. It is he who shows us the path of faithfulness, of patience and of perseverance because, upon his return, our joy will be overflowing. Christmas is near, the signs of his approach are evident along our streets and in our houses; here too, in Saint Peter’s Square, the Nativity scene has been placed with the tree beside it. These outward signs invite us to welcome the Lord who always comes and knocks at our door, knocks at our heart, in order to draw near to us; he invites us to recognize his footsteps among the brothers and sisters who pass beside us, especially the weakest and most needy.

Today we are called to rejoice for the imminent coming of our Redeemer; and we are called to share this joy with others, giving comfort and hope to the poor, the sick, and to people who are lonely and unhappy. May the Virgin Mary, the “handmaid of the Lord”, help us to hear God’s voice in prayer and to serve him with compassion in our brothers, so as to be prepared for the Christmas appointment, preparing our hearts to welcome Jesus.

After the Angelus:
Dear brothers and sisters, every day I am close to the people of Aleppo, above all in prayer. We must not forget that Aleppo is a city, that there are people there: families, children, elderly, sick people.... Sadly we have now become accustomed to war, to the destruction, but we must not forget that Syria is a country full of history, culture and faith. We cannot accept that this is denied by war, which is an aggregation of oppression and untruth. I appeal to everyone for the commitment to make a civilized choice: say ‘no’ to destruction, ‘yes’ to peace, ‘yes’ to the people of Aleppo and of Syria.

Let us also pray for the victims of several brutal terrorist attacks which have struck various countries in recent hours. The places are different, but sadly the violence which sows death and destruction is unique. Unique too, is the response: faith in God and unity in human and civil values. I would like to express particular closeness to my dear brother Pope Tawadros II [Patriarch of the Coptic Orthodox Church] and to his community, in praying for the dead and the wounded.

Today in Vientiane, Laos, Mario Borzaga, a priest of the Missionary Oblates of Mary Immaculate, Paolo Thoj Xyooj, a faithful lay catechist, and 14 companions killed in hatred of the faith shall be declared Blessed. May their heroic faithfulness to Christ be an encouragement and an example to missionaries and especially to catechists, who in mission lands carry out a valuable and irreplaceable apostolic work, for which the Church is grateful to them. Let us also think of our catechists: they do so much work, such beautiful work! Being a catechist is a beautiful thing: it is bringing the Lord’s message so that it may grow in us. A round of applause for catechists, everyone!

I warmly greet all of you, dear pilgrims from various countries. Today the first greeting is reserved for the children and youth from Rome, who have come for the traditional blessing of the “Baby Jesus” [statuettes], organized by the parish oratories and by the Catholic schools of Rome. Dear boys and girls, when you pray before your Nativity scene with your parents, ask Baby Jesus to help us all to remember to love God and neighbour. Remember to pray for me too, as I remember you. Thank you.

I greet the professors of the Catholic University of Sydney, the choir of the Monastery of Grijó in Portugal, the faithful of Barbianello and Campobasso.

I wish everyone a happy Sunday. Do not forget to pray for me. And I would like to say something to the children and youth: we want to hear your song! Arrivederci! Enjoy your lunch! Sing!


© Copyright - Libreria Editrice Vaticana

Read more »
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)

Contact Form

Name

Email *

Message *

LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL © 2010. All Rights Reserved. "FROM INDONESIA TO THE WORLD, ADESSO SONO IN THAILANDIA"
Powered by Blogger
Powered by Blogger.