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JESUS CHOSE TO COME TO THE WORLD AS PART OF A FAMILY
GENERAL AUDIENCE POPE FRANCIS
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 17, 2014

Vatican City, 17 December 2014 (VIS) – The family is the “great gift that the Lord has given to the world ever since the beginning, when he entrusted to Adam and Eve the mission of multiplying and filling the earth; the gift that Jesus confirmed and sealed in His Gospel”, said the Holy Father during this Wednesday's general audience, in the first of the new cycle of catechesis dedicated to the family, which will continue throughout the coming year. 

The proximity to Christmas illuminates the mystery of the incarnation of the Son of God, which opens a new chapter in the universal history of man and woman. “And this new beginning occurs within a family, in Nazareth. He could have come spectacularly, or as a warrior, an emperor… No – he came as the son of a family, in a family”, he emphasised.

God chose to be born “in a human family, that He Himself had formed. He created this family in a remote village in the outer reaches of the Roman Empire. Not in Rome, the capital of the Empire, not in a great city, but in an almost invisible and somewhat notorious periphery. This is even noted in the Gospel, almost as if it were a turn of phrase: 'Can anything good come out of Nazareth?'. Perhaps, in many parts of the world, we too still speak in this way when we hear the name of certain peripheral areas of large cities. And yet, it was precisely there, in the outskirts of the great Empire, that there began the most holy and good story of Jesus among mankind”.

“Jesus chose to remain in the periphery for thirty years, during which there is no mention of miracles or healing, of preaching, of crowds who run after him. In Nazareth, everything seems to happen 'normally', according to the habits of a pious and hard-working family of Israelites. … The Gospels, in their sobriety, say nothing of Jesus' adolescence and leave this task to our affectionate imaginings. Art, literature and music have followed the path of the imagination. Certainly, it is not difficult to imagine how much mothers could learn from Mary's tender care for her Son! And how much fathers could benefit from the example of Joseph, a righteous man, who dedicated his life to supporting and defending his wife and child – is family – through difficult times. To say nothing of how much the young could be encouraged by the adolescent Jesus in understanding the necessity and beauty of cultivating their deepest vocation, and of having great dreams”, he added.

“Every Christian family – as Mary and Joseph did – must first welcome Jesus, listen to Him, speak with Him, shelter Him, protect Him, grow with Him; and in this way, make the world better. Let us make space in our heart and in our days for the Lord. This is what Mary and Joseph did, and it was not easy: how many difficulties they had to overcome! It was not a false or unreal family. The family of Nazareth calls to us to rediscover the vocation and the mission of the family, of every family. And so what happened in those thirty years in Nazareth can also happen to us: making love, not hate, normal; mutual help common, instead of indifference and hostility. It is not by chance that Nazareth means 'she who preserves', like Mary who, as the Gospel tells us, 'treasured all these things in her heart'. From then on, whenever there is a family that preserves this mystery, even if it should be at the outer reaches of the world, the mystery of the Son of God is at work. And He comes to save the world”.

© Copyright – Vatican Information Service

edited, 12 January 2015

The text from Libreria Vaticana: 

THE FAMILY – 1. NAZARETH
GENERAL AUDIENCE POPE FRANCIS
St. Peter's Square
Wednesday, 17 December 2014

The family - 1. Nazareth

Dear Brothers and Sisters, Good morning,
The Synod of Bishops on the Family, recently celebrated, was the first stage of a journey, which will conclude next October with the celebration of another Assembly on the theme: “The Vocation and Mission of the Family in the Church and [Contemporary] World”. The prayer and reflection which must accompany this journey is required of all the People of God. I would also like the customary meditations of the Wednesday Audiences to be included in this common journey. I have therefore decided to reflect with you, this year, precisely on the family, on this great gift that the Lord has made to the world from the very beginning, when he entrusted Adam and Eve with the mission to multiply and fill the earth (cf. Gen 1:28); that gift that Jesus confirmed and sealed in his Gospel.

The nearness of Christmas casts a great light on this mystery. The Incarnation of the Son of God opens a new beginning in the universal history of man and woman. And this new beginning happens within a family, in Nazareth. Jesus was born in a family. He could have come in a spectacular way, or as a warrior, an emperor.... No, no: he is born in a family, in a family. This is important: to perceive in the nativity, this beautiful scene.

God chose to come into the world in a human family, which He himself formed. He formed it in a remote village on the outskirts of the Roman Empire. Not in Rome, which was the capital of the Empire, not in a big city, but on its nearly invisible outskirts, indeed, of little renown. The Gospels also recall this, almost as an expression: “Can anything good come out of Nazareth?” (Jn 1:46). Perhaps, in many parts of the world, we still talk this way, when we hear the name of some areas on the periphery of a big city. And so, right there, on the outskirts of the great Empire, began the most holy and good story of Jesus among men! And that is where this family was.

Jesus dwelt on that periphery for 30 years. The Evangelist Luke summarizes this period like this: Jesus “was obedient to them”; — that is, to Mary and Joseph. And someone might say: “But did this God, who comes to save us, waste 30 years there, in that suburban slum?”. He wasted 30 years! He wanted this. Jesus’ path was in that family — “and his mother kept all these things in her heart. And Jesus increased in wisdom and in stature, and in favour with God and man” (Lk 2:51-52). It does not recount miracles or healing, or preaching — He did none in that period — or of crowds flocking; in Nazareth everything seemed to happen “normally”, according to the customs of a pious and hardworking Israelite family: they worked, the mother cooked, she did all the housework, ironed shirts... all the things mothers do. The father, a carpenter, worked, taught his son the trade. Thirty years. “But what a waste, Father!”. God works in mysterious ways. But what was important there was the family! And this was not a waste! They were great saints: Mary, the most holy woman, immaculate, and Joseph, a most righteous man.... The family.

We are certainly moved by the story of how the adolescent Jesus followed the religious calendar of the community and the social duties; in knowing how, as a young worker, He worked with Joseph; and then how He attended the reading of the Scriptures, in praying the Psalms and in so many other customs of daily life. The Gospels, in their sobriety, make no reference to Jesus’ adolescence and leave this task to our loving meditation. Art, literature, music have taken this journey through imagination. It is certainly not difficult to imagine how much mothers could learn from Mary’s care for that Son! And how much fathers could glean from the example of Joseph, a righteous man, who dedicated his life to supporting and protecting the Child and his wife — his family — in difficult times. Not to mention how much children could be encouraged by the adolescent Jesus to understand the necessity and beauty of cultivating their most profound vocation and of dreaming great dreams! In those 30 years, Jesus cultivated his vocation, for which the Father had sent him. And in that time, Jesus never became discouraged, but increased in courage in order to carry his mission forward.

Each Christian family can first of all — as Mary and Joseph did — welcome Jesus, listen to Him, speak with Him, guard Him, protect Him, grow with Him; and in this way improve the world. Let us make room in our heart and in our day for the Lord. As Mary and Joseph also did, and it was not easy: how many difficulties they had to overcome! They were not a superficial family, they were not an unreal family. The family of Nazareth urges us to rediscover the vocation and mission of the family, of every family. And, what happened in those 30 years in Nazareth, can thus happen to us too: in seeking to make love and not hate normal, making mutual help commonplace, not indifference or enmity. It is no coincidence, then, that “Nazareth” means “She who keeps”, as Mary, who — as the Gospel states — “kept all these things in her heart” (cf. Lk 2:19, 51). Since then, each time there is a family that keeps this mystery, even if it were on the periphery of the world, the mystery of the Son of God, the mystery of Jesus who comes to save us, the mystery is at work. He comes to save the world. And this is the great mission of the family: to make room for Jesus who is coming, to welcome Jesus in the family, in each member: children, husband, wife, grandparents.... Jesus is there. Welcome him there, in order that He grow spiritually in the family. May the Lord grant us this grace in these last days of Advent. Thank you.


© Copyright - Libreria Editrice Vaticana


AT CHRISTMAS, JESUS CALLS OUT AGAIN TO THE HEART OF EVERY CHRISTIAN

ANGELUS POPE FRANCIS

THE FOURTH SUNDAY OF ADVENT, 21 DECEMBER 2014


Vatican City, 21 December 2014 (VIS) – On the fourth and final Sunday of Advent, with Christmas just around the corner, the Gospel narrates the Angel's annunciation to Mary and the Virgin's “yes” that made possible the Incarnation, the revelation of a mystery “enveloped in silence for eternity”. Before this morning's Angelus prayer, Pope Francis addressed the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square, focusing on two essential aspects of Mary's attitude as a model to prepare for Christmas. 

The first is her faith, which consists of listening to the Word of God in order to surrender herself entirely to it, with full willingness of both mind and heart. “In her 'yes', full of faith, Mary does not know which road she will have to embark upon, how much pain she will have to suffer, what risks she will run. But she is aware that it is the Lord Who asks her to entrust herself entirely to Him, and she surrenders herself to His love. This is Mary's faith”.

“Another aspect is the capacity of the Mother of Christ to recognise the time of God. Mary teaches us to seize the favourable moment in which Jesus passes into our life and asks for a prompt and generous response”.

“And Jesus passes”, added the Pope, “because the mystery of Jesus' birth in Bethlehem, which historically took place more than two thousand years ago, occurs as a spiritual event on the 'today' of the Liturgy. The Word, that finds a home in the virginal womb of Mary, during the celebration of the Nativity calls out to the heart of every Christian; it passes, and knocks on the door. Each one of us is called to answer, like Mary, with a personal and sincere 'yes', placing ourselves entirely at the disposal of God and His mercy, His love”.

“How many times does Jesus pass into our lives!”, he exclaimed. “And how many times he sends us an angel, and how often we do not realise, because we are too preoccupied, immersed in our thoughts, in our affairs and even, these days, in our preparations for Christmas, to realise that He passes and knocks at the door of our heart, asking for welcome, asking for a 'yes', like that of Mary”.

“A saint once said, 'I am afraid that the Lord will pass'. Do you know why he was afraid? He was afraid he would not welcome Him, that he would let Him pass by. When we feel in our heart, 'I would like to be a better person', “I feel remorse for doing that”, it is the Lord Who is calling. He makes you feel this: the wish to be better, the wish to stay closer to others and to God. If you feel this, then stop. It is the Lord Who is there! And pray, perhaps go to Confession, to clean up a little … this does you good. But keep in mind: if you feel this desire to improve, it is He Who is calling: do not let Him pass by”.

Francis also recalled, in the mystery of the Nativity, the silent presence of Joseph and emphasised the example that he and Mary offer as an invitation to receive with total openness the Lord Jesus, “who for love made Himself into our brother, and came to bring light to the world”, as the angels proclaimed to the shepherds: 'on earth peace, good will toward men'”.

“The precious gift of Christmas is peace”, he concluded. “Christ, Who is our true peace, calls to our hearts to give us peace, the peace of the soul. Let us open the doors to Christ”.

© Copyright – Vatican Information Service

NEW CYCLE OF CATECHESIS ON THE FAMILY
GENERAL AUDIENCE POPE FRANCIS
WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 10, 2014

Vatican City, 10 December 2014 (VIS) – Having concluded his catechesis on the Church, in today's general audience Pope Francis began a new series dedicated to the family, “a new cycle in this intermediate period between two Synod Assemblies dedicated to this important reality”. Before considering the different aspects of family life, Francis began by speaking about the Synod held last October on the theme “Pastoral challenges to the family in the context of new evangelisation”. 

The Pontiff first praised the work of the Holy See Press Office during the Synod, and the good work accomplished by the media responsible for covering the assembly. He went on to mention the events and results of the assembly, and emphasised that at no point was there any form of censorship and that the Synod Fathers were entirely free to speak frankly. “The only think I asked of them was that they speak with sincerity and courage, and listen with humility”.

He explained that the Instrumentum laboris always remained the basis of all the interventions that took place, and that this document was the result of a previous consultation involving all of the Church. He remarked that “no intervention challenged the fundamental truths of the Sacrament of Marriage: indissolubility, unity, fidelity and openness to life”. All these interventions, in a second phase, were gathered together and gave rise to the Relatio post disceptationem or the post-discussion report, which was divided into three sections: listening to the context and the challenges to the family; looking steadily at Christ and the Gospel of the family, and comparison with pastoral perspectives. The third phase, the group discussions, followed this first approach at a summary. Finally, at the end of its work, each group presented a report and all the group reports were published immediately, “with transparency, so that what was happening was made known”.

Finally, a commission examined all the suggestions that emerged from the groups and the a Final Report was produced, maintaining the same structure as before – listening, looking to the Gospel and pastoral ministry – which was then sent to all the Episcopal Conferences worldwide to enable discussion prior to the Ordinary Assembly, scheduled for October 2015. As always, a Final Message from the Synod was approved, more concise and informative compared to the Report. The Holy Father remarked that the Synod Fathers “did not argue, but there were animated discussions. This is the freedom of the Church”, and added that there are three official Synod documents: the Final Message, the Final Report, and the Pope's concluding discourse.

The Bishop of Rome emphasised that the Synod is not a parliament but rather a protected space that allows the Holy Spirit to intervene, and that now the work of prayer, reflection and fraternal discussion must continue in the particular Churches in preparation for the upcoming Assembly. “Let us commend it to the protection of the Virgin Mother, so that she may help us to follow God's will in making pastoral decisions that offer greater and better help to families”, he concluded.

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REDISCOVER THE TRUE JOY OF JESUS CHRIST

ANGELUS POPE FRANCIS

THE THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT, 14 DECEMBER 2014


Vatican City, 14 December 2014 (VIS) – Today, the third Sunday of Advent, known as the “Sunday of Joy” (Gaudete), Pope Francis appeared at the window of his study to pray the Angelus with the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square, including many children who had brought their figurines of the baby Jesus from their Nativity displays, to be blessed by the Holy Father.

Francis remarked that the time of Advent, which began two weeks ago, invites us to spiritual vigilance to prepare the way for the Lord who is on his way. “On this third Sunday the liturgy proposes to us another inner attitude with which to await the Lord: joy. Man's heart desires joy. We all wish for joy, every family, every population aspires to happiness. But what is the joy that the Christian is required to live and to bear witness to? It is that which comes from closeness to God, from His presence in our life. Ever since Jesus entered into history, with his birth in Bethlehem, humanity has received the germ of the Kingdom of God, like the terrain that receives the seed, the promise of a future harvest. There is no need to search elsewhere! Jesus has come to bring joy to all for ever. It is not merely a hoped-for joy, or a joy postponed to paradise: here on earth we are sad but in paradise we will be joyful. No! It is not this, but rather it is a joy that is already real and that can be experienced now, because Jesus Himself is our joy, and with Jesus our home is joyful”.

“We baptised sons and daughters of the Church, all of us, are called upon to always welcome newly the presence of God among us and to help others to discover this presence, or to rediscover it if they have forgotten. It is a beautiful mission, similar to that of John the Baptist: guiding people towards Jesus – not to ourselves! – because it is towards Him that the human heart tends when it seeks joy and happiness”.

“St. Paul, in today's liturgy, indicates the conditions for being missionaries of joy: pray diligently, always give thanks to God, follow His Spirit, seek that which is good and avoid evil”, continued the Pope. “If this is our way of life, then the Good News will be able to enter into many homes and to help people and families rediscover that in Jesus, there is salvation. In Him it is possible to find inner peace and the strength to face each day the different situations of life, even the most onerous and difficult. We never hear about a sad saint or a saint with a gloomy appearance. It would be contradictory. A Christian is a person whose heart is filled with peace because he or she knows to place joy in the Lord even when experiencing difficult moments in life. To have faith does not mean not having difficult moments, but rather having the strength to face them knowing that we are not alone. And this is the peace God gives to His sons and daughters”.

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di Roberto Laurita


Signore Gesù, cosa avrà provato quel giorno
Maria, la madre tua,
all’annuncio dell’angelo?
Sta per accadere
un evento straordinario,
che avrebbe cambiato
il corso della storia umana.
Le parole dei profeti
diventavano finalmente realtà
e il disegno di Dio giungeva
al suo compimento.

Ecco perché, Signore Gesù,
capisco molto bene
il turbamento di Maria,
il suo desiderio di comprendere
il senso del messaggio ricevuto,
la domanda che pone.

Ma non posso fare a meno
di riconoscere allo stesso tempo
la sua fiducia a tutta prova,
la sua disponibilità
ad entrare in un progetta
che la sorprende e la supera.

Signore Gesù, tu hai preso carne
nel grembo di Maria:
per l’azione dello Spirito
tu, il Figlio di Dio, sei diventato un uomo,
per rivelare a tutti l’amore di Dio,
che libera e che salva,
che offre misericordia e grazia,
che dona la possibilità di una vita nuova.

Signore Gesù, donaci di accoglierti
con lo stesso slancio di Maria.

*del foglietto per la messa alla Chiesa Santa Cristina-Parma.

di Roberto Laurita

Mentre il potente di turno
esibisce la sua forza imponendo
il censimento dei suoi sudditi,
tu, Signore Gesù, fai il tuo ingresso
nella storia degli uomini
e scegli un modo
piuttosto inedito
per rivelarti ai nostri occhi.

Vieni alla luce in un alloggio di fortuna
E la tua culla è una mangiatoia.
Passeresti del tutto in incognito
se un angelo non annunciasse
ai pastori del luogo
l’evento che cambierà la storia.

Sì, sono dei pastori, povera gente
e per di più considerata
estranea al mondo di Dio,
i destinatari del messaggio.
E sono essi i primi che vengono
a vedere il segno loro offerto.

Decisamente Signore Gesù, il tuo
è un ingresso del tutto modesto,
senza nulla di appariscente,
quasi a margine di quella storia
che i grandi si illudono di scrivere.

Ecco perché oggi tutti veniamo a te,
senza alcuna ombra di paura,
nonostante le nostre infedeltà,
la nostra debolezza ed i nostri errori.
Tu sei venuto nella nostra carne
proprio perché ognuno si senta
accolto, amato, atteso.
Tu hai scelto di essere un povero
perché i miseri della terra sappiano
che tu stai dalla loro parte.

*del foglietto per la messa alla Chiesa Santa Cristina-Parma.


 Francis' trip to Turkey
General audience Wednesday, December 3, 2014


Vatican City, 3 December 2014 (VIS) – Pope Francis dedicated the catechesis of this Wednesday's general audience to his recent visit to Turkey, a land dear to many Christians for being the birthplace of the apostle Paul, hosting the first seven councils, and for the presence, near Ephesus, of the “House of Mary”. In the same way as he asked the faithful, before his journey, to accompany him in prayer, today he asked them to give thanks to the Lord for the success of the trip and to pray that it might bear the fruit of dialogue in our relationship with our Orthodox and Muslim brothers, and in the path towards peace among peoples. 

Francis spoke first of his meeting with the authorities on Friday 29, thanking them for the care and respect with which they greeted him. In a constitutionally secular country with a Muslim majority, the Pope noted that it is oblivion to God and not His glorification that engenders violence, and insisted before the leaders of the nation on the importance of concerted efforts between Christians and Muslims for solidarity, peace and justice, reaffirming the need for States to guarantee real freedom of worship to citizens and religious communities.

On the second day, the Pope visited the Museum of Hagia Sophia, the Blue Mosque and the Catholic Cathedral of the Holy Spirit, highly symbolic places for the different religions that co-exist in Turkey. “I did so, feeling within my heart the wish to invoke the Lord, God of Heaven and Earth, merciful Father of all humanity”. The central event of the day was the Mass held in the Cathedral, attended by pastors and faithful of the various Catholic rites in Turkey, along with representatives of other confessions, to invoke together the Holy Spirit, “who builds the unity of the Church: unity in faith, unity in charity, unity in internal cohesion”, so that the People of God, “in the richness of their traditions”, may grow in openness and obedience to His divine action”.

The feast of St. Andrew the Apostle, patron of the Church of Constantinople, on 30 November, offered the ideal context for consolidating the fraternal relations between the Bishop of Rome and the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomaios I, who renewed their joint commitment to the path of re-establishing full communion between Catholics and Orthodox, and signed a Joint Declaration which represents a significant step along the way. Francis expressed his joy at having participated in the Divine Liturgy and for the dual blessing imparted by the Pope and the Patriarch at the end. “Prayer is the foundation of any fruitful ecumenical dialogue under the guidance of the Holy Spirit”.

The Holy Father's final meeting, of which he spoke with emotion, was with a group of young refugees from the war zones of the Middle East, under the care of the Salesians. “It was very important for me to meet them”, he said, “both to express my closeness and that of the Church, and to highlight the importance of hospitality; a value to which Turkey is committed”. The Pope again thanked the country for its work in this field, praised the Salesians for their work with the young refugees, and concluded by again asking all those present to pray for refugees and internally displaced people, and for the removal of the causes of this “painful scourge”.

© Copyright – Vatican Information Service

LIKE MARY, WELCOME GRACE AND CORRESPOND WITH FAITH
ANGELUS POPE FRANCIS
THE SOLEMNITY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION (8/12/14)

Vatican City, 9 December 2014 (VIS) – “Everything is given freely by God, all is grace, all is a gift of His love for us”. This, said Pope Francis, is the message of the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, appearing at the window of his study to pray the Angelus at midday with the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square. 

The Holy Father explained that in the Annunciation, the Archangel Gabriel called Mary “full of grace”, since “in her there was no space for sin: God had always chosen her as the mother of Jesus, and so He protected her from original sin. Mary corresponds to this grace and abandons herself to it, saying to the Angel, 'Be it done to me according to your word'. She does not say 'I will do it according to your word', but rather, 'Be it done to me…'. And the Word was made flesh in her womb. We too are asked to listen to God Who speaks to us and to accept His will; according to the logic of the Gospel, nothing is more active and fruitful than to listen and receive the Word of the Lord”.

The attitude of Mary of Nazareth “shows us that being comes before doing, and we must let God act in order to truly become what He wants us to be. It is He Who works so many marvels in us. Mary is receptive, but not passive. Just as, at a physical level, she receives the power of the Holy Spirit but then gives flesh and blood to the Son of God Who grows in her, she also receives grace and corresponds with faith, on a spiritual level. This mystery of the acceptance of grace, that in Mary by unique privilege was without the obstacle of sin, is a possibility for all. … As Mary is greeted by St. Elizabeth as 'blessed among women', so we too have always been 'blessed', that is, loved, and therefore 'chosen first from the creation of the world to be holy and immaculate'. Mary was preserved, whereas we have been saved thanks to baptism and faith: all of us, however, Mary and ourselves, through Christ”.

“Faced with love, faced with mercy, with the divine grace poured into our hearts, just one consequence is imposed: gratuity. None of us can buy salvation! Salvation is a gift freely given by the Lord, a free gift from God who comes to us and abides in us. In the same way as we have received his gift freely, so we are called to freely give, in imitation of Mary, who straight after having received the Annunciation of the Angel, goes to share the gift of her fertility with her relative Elizabeth. Because, if all has been given, everything must be given again in turn. How? By letting the Holy Spirit make of us a gift for others. The Spirit is a gift for us and we, through the Spirit, must be a gift for others and enable the Holy Spirit to make us into instruments of acceptance, instruments of reconciliation, instruments of forgiveness”.

“If our existence is allowed to be transformed by the Lord's grace, so that the Lord's grace may transform us, we cannot keep for ourselves the light that comes from His face, but must instead pass it on so that it may illuminate others”.

© Copyright – Vatican Information Service

BE MESSENGERS OF GOD’S CONSOLATION
ANGELUS POPE FRANCIS
SECOND SUNDAY OF ADVENT (7/12/14)

Vatican City, 9 December 2014 (VIS) – The Holy Father appeared at the window of his study in the Vatican Apostolic Palace at midday today to pray the Angelus with the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square. Before the Marian prayer, Francis spoke about the second Sunday of Advent as a “wonderful time that reawakens in us the expectation of Christ's return and the memory of his historic coming. It is the Lord's invitation as expressed by the prophet Isaiah: 'Comfort, O comfort my people, says your God'”. 

“The prophet invites those who listen to him – including us, today – to spread among the people this message of hope: that the Lord consoles us. And to allow room for the Lord's consolation”, he continued. “But we cannot be messengers of God's consolation if we do not first experience the joy of being consoled and loved by Him. This happens especially when we listen to the Word, the Gospel, which we should carry with us in our pockets … and when we remain in silent prayer in His presence, when we encounter Him in the Eucharist or in the sacrament of Reconciliation”.

The Pope recalled those who are “oppressed by suffering, injustice and abuse; those who are slaves to money, to power, to success and worldliness. “Theirs are false consolations, they are not the true consolation of the Lord! We are all called to console our brethren, showing that only God can eliminate the causes of existential and spiritual crisis”. The Pontiff went on to encourage all those present to allow themselves to be consoled by the Lord, and he concluded by entrusting to Mary the hopes for salvation and peace for all men and women of our time.

© Copyright – Vatican Information Service

La preghiera 7 decembre 2014
di Roberto Laurita


Vi sono ancora uomini e donne
arsi dal desiderio
di un’esistenza diversa,
libera da tutto quello
che la imprigiona e la intorpidisce,
rendendola opaca e priva di gioia.

È per loro che tu sei venuto, Gesù,
per trasformarli con la forza dello Spirito.

Vi sono ancora uomini e donne
che sognano una terra affrancata
dallo sfruttamento e dall’oppressione,
dall’egoismo e dalla cattiveria,
dall’arroganza e dall’ingordigia.

È per loro che tu sei venuto, Gesù,
per cambiare questa storia
e trasfigurarla con la forza dello Spirito.

Vi sono ancora uomini e donne
che riconoscono con sincerità
le loro debolezze e i loro fallimenti,
le loro infedeltà e i loro peccati
e invocano l’intervento di Qualcuno
che li strappi alle sabbie mobili
in cui stanno sprofondando.

È per loro che tu sei venuto, Gesù,
per far assaporare il giusto
di una libertà inaudita,
di un amore a tutta prova.

Il Battista l’ha testimoniato
con audacia e determinazione:
in te Dio viene incontro
a tutti quelli che l’attendono.
Ognuno si guardi bene
Dal lasciarti passare invano.

*del foglietto per la messa alla Chiesa Santa Cristina-Parma.

Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe

HOMILY AND ANGELUS OF POPE FRANCIS
Saint Peter's Square
Sunday, 23 November 2014

HOMILY
Today’s liturgy invites us to fix our gaze on Christ, the King of the Universe. The beautiful prayer of the Preface reminds us that his kingdom is “a kingdom of truth and life, a kingdom of holiness and grace, a kingdom of justice, love and peace”. The readings we have listened to show us how Jesus established his kingdom; how he brings it about in history; and what he now asks of us.

First, how Jesus brought about his kingdom: he did so through his closeness and tenderness towards us. He is the Shepherd, of whom the Prophet Ezekiel spoke in the First Reading (cf. 34:11-12, 15-17). These verses are interwoven with verbs which show the care and love that the Shepherd has for his flock: to search, to look over, to gather the dispersed, to lead into pasture, to bring to rest, to seek the lost sheep, to lead back the confused, to bandage the wounded, to heal the sick, to take care of, to pasture. All of these are fulfilled in Jesus Christ: he is truly the “great Shepherd of the sheep and the protector of our souls” (cf. Heb 13:20; 1 Pt 2:25).

Those of us who are called to be pastors in the Church cannot stray from this example, if we do not want to become hirelings. In this regard the People of God have an unerring sense for recognizing good shepherds and in distinguishing them from hirelings.

After his victory, that is after his Resurrection, how has Jesus advanced his kingdom? The Apostle Paul, in the First Letter to the Corinthians, says: “for he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet” (15:25). The Father, little by little, subjects all to the Son and, at the same time, the Son subjects all to the Father, including even himself in the end. Jesus is not a King according to earthly ways: for him, to reign is not to command, but to obey the Father, to give himself over to the Father, so that his plan of love and salvation may be brought to fulfilment. In this way there is full reciprocity between the Father and the Son. The period of Christ’s reign is the long period of subjecting everything to the Son and consigning everything to the Father. “The last enemy to be destroyed is death” (1 Cor 15:26). And in the end, when all things will be under the sovereignty of Jesus, and everything, including Jesus himself, will be subjected to the Father, God will be all in all (cf. 1 Cor 15:28).

The Gospel teaches what Jesus’ kingdom requires of us: it reminds us that closeness and tenderness are the rule of life for us also, and that on this basis we will be judged. This is how we will be judged. This is the great parable of the final judgement in Matthew 25. The King says: “Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me” (25:34-36). The righteous will ask him: when did we do all this? And he will answer them: “Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me” (Mt 25:40).

The starting point of salvation is not the confession of the sovereignty of Christ, but rather the imitation of Jesus’ works of mercy through which he brought about his kingdom. The one who accomplishes these works shows that he has welcomed Christ’s sovereignty, because he has opened his heart to God’s charity. In the twilight of life we will be judged on our love for, closeness to and tenderness towards our brothers and sisters. Upon this will depend our entry into, or exclusion from, the kingdom of God: our belonging to the one side or the other. Through his victory, Jesus has opened to us his kingdom. But it is for us to enter into it, beginning with our life now – his kingdom begins now – by being close in concrete ways to our brothers and sisters who ask for bread, clothing, acceptance, solidarity, catechesis. If we truly love them, we will be willing to share with them what is most precious to us, Jesus himself and his Gospel.

Today the Church places before us the example of these new saints. Each in his or her own way served the kingdom of God, of which they became heirs, precisely through works of generous devotion to God and their brothers and sisters. They responded with extraordinary creativity to the commandment of love of God and neighbour. They dedicated themselves, without holding back, to serving the least and assisting the destitute, sick, elderly and pilgrims. Their preference for the smallest and poorest was the reflection and measure of their unconditional love of God. In fact, they sought and discovered love in a strong and personal relationship with God, from whence springs forth true love for one’s neighbour. In the hour of judgement, therefore, they heard that tender invitation: “Come, O blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world” (Mt 25:34).

Through the rite of canonization, we have confessed once again the mystery of God’s kingdom and we have honoured Christ the King, the Shepherd full of love for his sheep. May our new saints, through their witness and intercession, increase within us the joy of walking in the way of the Gospel and our resolve to embrace the Gospel as the compass of our lives. Let us follow in their footsteps, imitating their faith and love, so that our hope too may be clothed in immortality. May we not allow ourselves to be distracted by other earthly and fleeting interests. And may Mary, our Mother and Queen of all Saints, guide us on the way to the kingdom of heaven.

ANGELUS
Saint Peter's Square
Sunday, 23 November 2014

Dear Brothers and Sisters,
At the end of this celebration, I wish to greet all of you who have come to pay tribute to these new saints, especially the official delegations from Italy and India.

The example of these four Italian saints, born in the Provinces of Vicenza, Naples, Cosenza and Rimini, aids the dear people of Italy to renew the spirit of cooperation and concord for the common good and to look to the future with hope, trusting in the nearness of God, who never abandons us, even in moments of difficulty.

For the intercession of the two Indian saints from Kerala, great land of faith and vocations to the priesthood and religious life, may the Lord grant new missionary drive to the Church in India — that is so good! — so that, inspired by their example of concord and reconciliation, the Christians of India may continue on the path of solidarity and fraternal coexistence.

I affectionately greet the cardinals, bishops, priests, as well as the families, parish groups, associations and schools present. With filial love, let us turn now to the Virgin Mary, Mother of the Church, Queen of the Saints and model for all Christians.

I wish you a happy Sunday, in peace and with the joy of these new saints. I ask you to please pray for me. Have a good lunch and arrivederci!

* Today is celebrated the canonization of blesseds:
- GIOVANNI ANTONIO FARINA
- KURIAKOSE ELIAS CHAVARA OF THE HOLY FAMILY
- LUDOVICO OF CASORIA
- NICOLA OF LONGOBARDI
- EUPHRASIA ELUVATHINGAL OF THE SACRED HEART
- AMATO RONCONI

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Vorrei scrivere una piccola riflessione sulla festa di San Francesco Saverio (1506-1552). San Francesco per me non è un nome nuovo. Lo conoscevo già da bambino e lo festeggiavamo anche in Indonesia ogni anno sin dal 2005. In quest’anno celebrando questa festa per me è come trovare un nuovo sguardo, un nuovo orizzonte. Ho trovato un tesoro che per me è importante. Padre Mario Menin ci ha fatto una riflessione molto bella. Per me è interessante vedere la vita di San Francesco come il grande missionario. 


Mi sono fermato a due parole che sono come riassunto della vita di Francesco cioè l’uomo di desiderio e preghiera. È interessante anche leggere la lettera che ci ha dato Padre Menin di Cardinal Montini o Beato Paolo Sesto ai saveriani giovani a Desio negli anni cinquantanove, nella festa di San Francesco Saverio.  

Queste due parole per me sono come risonanze nel mio cuore in questi due giorni, due e tre dicembre. Mi chiedo, ho il desiderio di diventare missionario saveriano o no? Come è la mia vita di preghiera?

Ho un grande desiderio di diventare saveriano. È questo desiderio che mi ha spinto a vivere questo cammino fino adesso, sin dal 2005 quando ho deciso di entrare in questa congregazione. Anche per me è importante avere un desiderio. Nella vita quotidiana ho tanti desideri. Per esempio il desiderio di studiare o di leggere un libro. Se avessi il desiderio di studiare, direi che lo faccia volentieri. Anche se avessi il desiderio di leggere un libro, leggerei volentieri fino alla fine. Anzi, se non avessi questo desiderio, non farei nulla. O, lo farei come un obbligo e non è come dare la vita per farlo.

Dopo aver riflettuto su queste due parole, vorrei distinguere i miei desideri. Penso di avere tanti desideri. Non vorrei concretizzare tutti i desideri. Vorrei solo avere i desideri che vengono da Dio o i desideri che mi aiutano a crescere come cristiano e come missionario saveriano. Vorrei scartare i desideri non considerati cioè i desideri che non mi aiutano a vivere questo cammino, anche se sono buoni. Per questo è importante vedere il secondo aspetto della vita di Francesco cioè la preghiera. Com’è la mia preghiera?

Dico volentieri la preghiera ogni giorno. Ho un desiderio di preghiera, però qualche volta anche non ho desiderio di pregare. Ho già vissuto questa esperienza cioè dire la preghiera quando non ho desiderio di farlo. Non è solo una volta. Anche, i padri spirituali, i santi, hanno vissuto un’esperienza come questa. Madre Teresa di Calcutta ha un’esperienza molto bella su questo punto. Sembrava una donna di preghiera, però dentro aveva vuota. Pur avendo questa situazione, lei non si stancava mai di pregare. Anch’io vorrei pregare anche se non ho il desiderio di farlo.

Grazie San Francesco Saverio per il tuo esempio di vita. Grazie Dio perché ci hai dato questa figura di missionario. Grazie Padre Mario per la tua riflessione che mi ha aiutato molto. Grazie ai Saveriani  che hanno questo grande patrono. Buona festa.

Parma, 4 dicembre 2014.

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