“Our hearts are in Bethlehem tonight, where the Prince of Peace is still rejected by the lost logic of war, with the noise of weapons that even today prevents him from finding a home in the world.” This said the Pope in the homily at Mass in St. Peter's Basilica on Christmas Eve.
Recalling “the context in which Jesus was born” and the “census of the whole earth” at that time, Francis recalled that “while the Emperor counts the inhabitants of the world, God invades almost secretly; while those who command seek to rise among the great.” of history, the king of history chooses the path of smallness. None of the powerful take notice of him, only a few shepherds who are pushed to the margins of social life.” The Pope warned of “the danger of experiencing Christmas with a pagan idea of God in your head, as if he were a powerful lord in the world Heaven; a God associated with power, worldly success and 'consumer worship.'” .
“The false image of a distant and sensitive God keeps returning,” he explained, “who behaves well with the good and is angry with the bad; by a God created in our image and whose sole purpose is to solve our problems and remove our evils.” . For the Pope, however, “he doesn't use a magic wand, he's not the commercial god of 'everything at once'; “It doesn’t save us at the push of a button, but comes close to changing reality from within.”
Yet he noted: “How deeply rooted in us is the worldly idea of a distant and controlling God, rigid and powerful, who helps his people prevail over others! But that is not the case: He was born for everyone.” . “This is the miracle of Christmas,” Francis said, “not a mixture of sugary affections and worldly comforts, but the unparalleled tenderness of God who saves the world by becoming human.”
“We look at the child, we look at his manger, we look at the manger,” he added: “It is the revealing sign of the face of God, who is compassion and mercy, almighty always and only in love.”
The Pope then urged us to rediscover worship “which is not a waste of time,” quoting the British writer and philologist Tolkien, author of “The Lord of the Rings.” “A great storyteller of epic deeds wrote to his son – he recalled -: 'I offer you the only great thing you can love on earth: the Blessed Sacrament. There you will find charm, fame, honor, loyalty and the true path of it all.' your loved ones on earth'”.
Also yesterday at the Angelus prayer, Francis wished “a Christmas evening in prayer, in the warmth of affection and in sobriety” and recommended: “Let us not confuse the celebration with consumerism! We can and must celebrate as Christians in simplicity, without waste and sharing with those who lack necessities or lack companionship. And to address the theme of conflicts and tragedies around the world: “We are close to our brothers and sisters who suffer from war, we think of Palestine, Israel, Ukraine. We also think of those who suffer from poverty, hunger and slavery.” “The God who took a human heart for himself instills humanity in people,” he concluded.
Meanwhile, Sarah Netanyahu, wife of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, wrote a letter to Pope Francis demanding his “personal intervention” in the situation of Israeli hostages in the hands of Hamas in Gaza.
“Your Holiness,” he wrote, “I ask for your personal intervention in this matter. I ask you to use your influence to demand his release without conditions and without delay.” “I also ask you,” he added, “to appeal to the Red Cross to visit all the hostages and provide them with vital medicine give.”
“His intervention – he explained – could make the difference and save precious lives.” (HANDLING).
The Pope brings the small child to the manger set up in the basilica
At the end of Christmas Eve Mass in St. Peter's Basilica, Pope Francis, still pushed in a wheelchair and surrounded by a group of children from all continents, carried the statue of the baby Jesus down the nave and had it placed in the nativity scene set up in one of the basilica's side chapels.
Read the full article on ANSA.it