At
his weekly General Audience, Pope Francis turned his attention to the
Feast of the Nativity.
“This our encounter,” he said, “is taking place
in the spiritual climate of Advent, made even more intense by the Novena
of the Holy Nativity that we are living in these days, and that leads
us to the Christmas holidays.”
The Holy Father reflected on the Nativity
of Jesus, “the feast of confidence and hope, that overcomes uncertainty
and pessimism.” The reason for our hope, he said, is this: “God is with
us, and God still trusts us.”
“God has willed to share our human
condition to the point of making himself one of us in the Person of
Jesus, who is true man and true God.” But even more surprising, he said,
is that Jesus becomes man not in “an ideal world, an idyllic [world],
but in this real world, marked by so many things, good and bad, marked
by divisions, wickedness, poverty, arrogance and wars.”
In this way God
shows that He is merciful towards humanity, and filled with love for us.
“He is God-with-us: do you believe this?” Pope Francis asked the crowd.
When they responded “Si!” the Holy Father continued “But let us make
this confession: Jesus is God-with-us! All together: Jesus is
God-with-us!” And he thanked the faithful for their enthusiastic
response.
The birth of Jesus, the Pope said, brings us the good
news that we are loved “immensely and individually” by God – and God not
only helps us to know this love for each of us, but also gives and
communicates this love to us.
Pope Francis concluded his
Audience by pointing out two considerations we can take away from these
considerations on the Nativity of Jesus: The first is that God reveals
Himself not as one who remains on high and dominates the universe, but
as one who humbles Himself.
This shows us that in order to be like Him,
we must not put ourselves above others, but must humble ourselves and
serve others. He had strong words for Christians who refuse to humble
themselves: “It is an ugly thing,” he said, “when you see a Christian
who doesn’t want to humble himself, who doesn’t want to serve, a
Christian who struts about everywhere: it’s ugly, eh? That is not a
Christian: that’s a pagan!”
The second consideration is that, if
Jesus has become one of us, than whatever we do for a brother or a
sister, we do for Him. “Jesus Himself reminds us: He who has fed,
welcomed, visited, loved one of the smallest and poorest of people, has
done it for the Son of God.”
Pope Francis concluded his
catechesis with greetings for the various groups who attended the
Audience in Saint Peter’s Square, noting in particular pilgrims from
England, Australia and the United States. He also had a word of thanks
for members of the group “Up with People” for their musical
entertainment during the audience.
Below,
please find the complete text of the English-language summary of the
Pope’s remarks, followed by his greetings for English-speaking pilgrims:
Synthesis: Dear
Brothers and Sisters: In these last days of Advent we prepare ourselves
spiritually to celebrate the birth of Jesus. Christmas is a feast of
joyful hope, for God has become one with us in the person of his Son,
true God and true man. He showed his love for us by becoming part of our
world, with all its conflicts, its suffering and its poverty. Jesus is
truly Emmanuel: God among us. This is the great “gift” which he brings: a
divine love which heals and transforms our hearts, overcoming all
uncertainty and pessimism. Our joyful contemplation of the mystery of
Christmas should make us realize that, as God has become one of us, we
too are called to become like God: humble, close to others, especially
the poor, and ever attentive to their needs. This Christmas, let us ask
Mary, Mother of Jesus and our Mother, to help us see in our neighbour
the face of Jesus, God made man. May we be in this world a ray of that
light which shone forth from Bethlehem, bringing the joy and peace to
the hearts of all men and women.
Greetings: I greet
all the English-speaking pilgrims present at today’s Audience including
those from England, Australia and the United States. I thank the
members of “Up with People” for their musical entertainment. Upon you
and your families I invoke God’s blessings of joy and peace!