Pope’s general prayer intention for December

November 30, 2012 - Pope Benedict XVI’s general prayer intention for the month of December - that migrants throughout the world may be welcomed with generosity and authentic love, especially by Christian communities. The life of Jesus began firstly as a migrant away from his hometown Nazareth in Bethlehem, where there was no room for them, and secondly as a refugee in Egypt fleeing the murderous King Herod. Contemplating on the first Christmas should open our hearts to all those who are compelled to be migrants and refugees in order to survive like Jesus. Migrants and refugees should not be regarded as statistics and problems, but as persons in the image of God. Like us, they are worthy of being treated with dignity and respect. Pope Benedict in his Message for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees this year, said that asylum seekers, who fled from persecution, violence, and situations that put their life at risk, stand in need of our understanding and welcome, of respect for their human dignity and rights. He particularly called on Christian communities to come close to migrant workers and their families by accompanying them with prayer, solidarity, and Christian charity, fostering new political, economic, and social planning that promotes respect for the dignity of every human person, the safeguarding of the family, access to dignified housing, to work and to welfare. Let’s therefore join the Holy Father in praying that migrants throughout the world may be welcomed with generosity and authentic love, especially by Christian communities.