Pope's general audience of Dec. 5

Every week on Wednesday, the Pope holds a public meeting, called the general audience, where pilgrims and tourists who come to Rome have a chance of seeing and hearing him speak in several languages, and also receive his blessing. The general audience of Dec. 5 was held indoors in the Vatican’s Paul VI audience hall. It began with aides reading a passage from the Letter of St. Paul to the Ephesians, in several languages. An aide greeted the Pope on behalf of the English speaking pilgrims. Pope Benedict then spoke in English.

Listen:
Dear Brothers and Sisters,
In this Year of Faith, we begin the Advent season by reflecting on the grandeur of God’s plan for our salvation. The great hymn which begins Paul’s Letter to the Ephesians praises the merciful love with which God “chose us in Christ, before the foundation of the world” (Eph 1:4) to become his adopted sons and daughters. God’s plan is to unite all things in Christ, bringing all creation to fullness in him (v. 10). He has made this plan known to us through an economy of revelation which culminates in the incarnation of the Son and the outpouring of the Holy Spirit. God’s self-revelation in Christ corresponds to our deepest human hopes and aspirations, and it invites us to respond by offering God the obedience of faith. As our free assent of mind and will to divine revelation, faith calls us to conversion and brings a new way of seeing the reality of our lives and the world around us. During this Advent, may we contemplate ever more fully the beauty of God’s loving plan, and strive to be living signs of his saving presence in our world.
I offer a cordial welcome to the pilgrimage group from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. My greeting also goes to the Anglican visitors from Ardingly College. I thank the choir for their praise of God in song. Upon all the English-speaking pilgrims, including the groups from Australia and the United States of America, I invoke God’s blessings of joy and peace.