(Vatican Radio) 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.
Listen:
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!