Christmas is more than a party, Pope explains

December 10, 2012 - Pope Benedict XVI on Sunday asked Catholics to prepare for Christmas amid a consumerist society by listening to the voice of John the Baptist, who teaches us to celebrate Christmas as more than a party. "Our aim today is listening to that voice to give space and welcome to the heart of Jesus, the word that saves us," the Pope told pilgrims who gathered in St. Peter’s Square in Rome, to recite the midday ‘Angelus’ prayer with him. The Pope asked Catholics to "prepare to see with the eyes of faith the humble stable of Bethlehem, God's salvation, in this time of Advent." "In the consumer society, in which we seek joy in things, John the Baptist teaches us to live in an essential way, so Christmas is experienced not only as an outward party outside, but as the feast of the Son of God who came to bring peace, life and true joy to people." Analysing the connection between John the Baptist and Christ, the Pope said John "not only is the last of the prophets, but also represents the whole priesthood of the Old Covenant and therefore prepares men for the worship of the spiritual New Covenant inaugurated by Jesus." He spoke of Saint Augustine, who said that Christ is the eternal word since the beginning, while John is the voice that passed by. Building on the theme of John the Baptist in the wilderness, the Pope also spoke about migrants, saying they often encounter little understanding among those they meet in foreign lands. “In preparation for Christmas,” he urged people to have “a joyous and fraternal solidarity” and come to the “aid of their needs and support their hope.”