Pope Francis leads Christmas mass in St. Peter's Basilica during the night, saying that “the miracle of Christmas” is that an infinite God “becomes finite for our sake.”
By Joseph Tulloch
“A Census of the Whole Earth.”
This is how Pope Francis began his sermon at Christmas mass that night in St. Peter's Basilica, quoting directly from the Gospel of Luke.
The evangelist, the Pope said, made a point of highlighting this census, which he could only have mentioned in passing.
This creates a stark contrast: “While the emperor counts the inhabitants of the world, God invades them almost secretly. While those who wield power strive to take their place alongside the greats of history, the king of history chooses the path of smallness.”
“None of the powerful takes notice of him,” emphasized the Pope, “only a few shepherds, pushed to the margins of social life.”
Christmas mass at night in St. Peter's Basilica
Incarnation, not performance
The “Emperor's Census of the Whole Earth,” said Pope Francis, “thus shows the all-too-human thread that runs through history: the striving for worldly power and might, for fame and honor, which measures everything by success to the result.” , numbers and figures, a world obsessed with performance.”
However, there is an alternative to this approach. Jesus, the Pope said, was “not the God of perfection, but the God of the Incarnation.”
“He does not eliminate injustice from above through a demonstration of power,” emphasized Pope Francis, “but from below through a demonstration of love.” He does not burst onto the scene with limitless strength, but penetrates into the narrow limits of our lives.”
Christmas mass at night in St. Peter's Basilica
He became small in size
So let us, Pope Francis urged, turn our gaze to this “living and true God.”
He is, the Pope said, the God who “revolutionizes history by becoming part of history” and the God who “respects us so much that we can reject him; who takes away sin by taking it upon himself.”
“God so desires to embrace our lives,” the Pope added, “that although he is infinite, for our sakes he becomes finite.” In his greatness, he chooses to become small; in his righteousness he submits to our injustice.”
“This,” Pope Francis emphasized, “is the miracle of Christmas.”
Christmas mass at night in St. Peter's Basilica
War in the Holy Land
The Pope's thoughts also turned to the Holy Land, which is currently suffering from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and in particular to Bethlehem, the birthplace of Jesus.
“Tonight,” he said, “our hearts are in Bethlehem, where the Prince of Peace is once again rejected by the futile logic of war, by the battle of arms that, even today, prevents him from finding his place in the world.”
Christmas mass at night in St. Peter's Basilica
Diploma
Pope Francis ended his homily with a prayer.
“Tonight, love changes history. Let us believe, Lord, in the power of your love, which is so different from the power of the world. Like Mary, Joseph, the shepherds and the Magi, let us gather around you and worship you. As you conform us more and more to yourself, we will bear witness to the world of the beauty of your face.”
Full video of the Christmas mass at night