Pope: The crib is a school of life, to learn the secret of true joy

(December 14, 2009) The Nativity Scene, the dramatic representation of the birth of Jesus is not just a repetition of a traditional gesture, but "a school of life where we can learn the secret of true joy." This was Pope Benedict XVI’s message to the thousands of pilgrims in St. Peter's Square for the midday “Angelus” prayer and blessing on Dec. 13, the third Sunday of Advent. Among the faithful there were at least 2 thousand children who had brought their statues of the Infant Jesus to be blessed by the Pope, before they place them in the crib at home on Christmas Eve. The Pope urged them to try and live the reality of the crib in their daily life – namely, the love of Christ, his humility and his poverty. "The crib is a school of life where we can learn the secret of true joy,” the Pope said, explaining, “this does not consist in having so many things, but in feeling loved by the Lord, in becoming a gift for others and loving one another.”
After the “Angelus”, the Pope recalled four missionaries killed recently in Africa. The Pope said they "have been faithful witnesses to the Gospel, who were able to proclaim with courage, even risking their lives.” “While I express my closeness to the families and communities who are in pain, I invite everyone to join me in praying that the Lord will accept them in his house, to console those who mourn their loss and bring with His coming, reconciliation and peace, " the Pope added. Those killed were a priest and a nun in the Democratic Republic of Congo and two other priests in South Africa and Kenya.