2008-12-25 16:32:36

The Message this Christmas


(25 Dec 08 - RV) Jesus was born for everyone…., so that each person and every human situation may come to know the power of God’s saving grace, which alone can transform evil into good, which alone can change human hearts, making them oases of peace.


That was at the heart of Pope Benedict’s Urbi et Orbi message this year, to the city of Rome and to the entire world. Dedicating his prayers for a conversion of heart among warring groups in the Middle East and Africa, Pope Benedict also warned against selfishness saying if people look only to their own interests, our world will certainly fall apart.


Urbi et Orbi is a Latin expression meaning to or for the city and the world.


In antiquity, it was the official phrase that began edicts and proclamations that were to be binding not only on the city of Rome, but on the whole world.


Now, the phrase refers to a solemn blessing the Pope gives on Christmas and Easter, as well as on other rare and very special occasions.


Beginning with an invocation of Sts. Peter and Paul, on whose ministry the Roman Pontiff’s own is founded, the prayer goes on to implore the intercession of Mary, the Virgin Mother of God, St. Michael, Archangel, Prince of the Heavenly Host, John the Baptist and all the saints so the God might show mercy on those who attend the blessing, bringing them to forgiveness of sin and everlasting life in and through Christ.


The focal point of the prayer asks God to grant all those in attendance indulgence, absolution, and remission of all sins, time for a true and fruitful penance, an always repentant heart and amendment of life, the grace and consolation of the Holy Spirit, and perseverance in good works unto the end.


The prayer concludes by imploring the blessing of Almighty God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit for all those in attendance, now and forever.


It has become tradition over the years, and especially at Christmastime, for the Pope to deliver an address before the benediction, in which he notes areas of particular concern to him personally, for the life of the Church and humanity, generally.


This Christmas was no exception, and the Holy Father chose to concentrate on the universality of God’s self-revelation in Jesus Christ.


The constant refrain of the Holy Father’s address the truth that God’s coming into the world is for all men and women.


Praying that the many people who continue to dwell in darkness and the shadow of death might come to know the power of God’s saving grace, Pope Benedict asked that the divine Light of Bethlehem radiate throughout the Holy Land, where the horizon seems once again bleak for Israelis and Palestinians.


May it spread throughout Lebanon, Iraq and the whole Middle East, he continued, praying that it might bring forth rich fruit from the efforts of all those who, rather than resigning themselves to the twisted logic of conflict and violence, prefer instead the path of dialogue and negotiation as the means of resolving tensions within each country and finding just and lasting solutions to the conflicts troubling the region.


This light, said Pope Benedict, brings transformation and renewal, and is besought by the people of Zimbabwe, in Africa, trapped for all too long in a political and social crisis which, sadly, keeps worsening, as well as the men and women of the Democratic Republic of Congo, especially in the war-torn region of Kivu, Darfur, in Sudan, and Somalia, whose interminable sufferings are the tragic consequence of the lack of stability and peace.


Pope Benedict said Children living in those countries are especially awaiting this light, as indeed are the children of all countries experiencing troubles, so that their future can once more be filled with hope.


The Holy Father went on to say, “Wherever the dignity and rights of the human person are trampled upon; wherever the selfishness of individuals and groups prevails over the common good; wherever fratricidal hatred and the exploitation of man by man risk being taken for granted; wherever internecine conflicts divide ethnic and social groups and disrupt peaceful coexistence; wherever terrorism continues to strike; wherever the basics needed for survival are lacking; wherever an increasingly uncertain future is regarded with apprehension, even in affluent nations: in each of these places may the Light of Christmas shine forth and encourage all people to do their part in a spirit of authentic solidarity.


If people look only to their own interests, said Pope Benedict, our world will certainly fall apart.”


So, continued the Holy Father, Let us go, then, brothers and sisters! Let us make haste, like the shepherds on that Bethlehem night. God has come to meet us; he has shown us his face, full of grace and mercy! May his coming to us not be in vain! Let us seek Jesus, let us be drawn to his light which dispels sadness and fear from every human heart. Let us draw near to him with confidence, and bow down in humility to adore him.


Following the Urbi et Orbi Benediction, the Holy Father offered Christmas greetings to the faithful in dozens of languages, including English: "May the birth of the Prince of Peace remind the world where its true happiness lies; and may your hearts be filled with hope and joy, for the Saviour has been born for us". RealAudioMP3















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