杏MAP导航

杏MAP导航 Francis greeting the faithful from the Dioceses of Ugento and Molfetta 杏MAP导航 Francis greeting the faithful from the Dioceses of Ugento and Molfetta 

杏MAP导航 to pilgrims: Advent is a time of consolation and hope

杏MAP导航 Francis reflects on the meaning of Advent in an address to pilgrims from the Italian Dioceses of Ugento-Santa Maria di Leuca and Molfetta-Ruvo-Giovinazzo-Terlizzi.

By Christopher Wells

杏MAP导航 Francis turned his thoughts to the season of Advent and the coming of a new liturgical year, as he met with pilgrims from two Dioceses in the south east part of Italy.

Advent brings "the newness" of our God

In his remarks to pilgrims from the Dioceses of Ugento-Santa Maria di Leuca and Molfetta-Ruvo-Giovinazzo-Terlizzi, 杏MAP导航 Francis said that the time of Advent is a time of 鈥渃onsolation and hope,鈥 the beginning of 鈥渁 new liturgical year, which brings with it the newness of our God, who is the 鈥楪od of every consolation.鈥欌 The Holy Father called to mind a former Bishop of Molfetta, the Servant of God Don Tonino Bello, who had written, 鈥淲e are inclined to new things because we are born for great things.鈥 It鈥檚 true, 杏MAP导航 Francis said. 鈥淲e are born to be with the Lord. When we allow God to enter, true newness arrives.鈥

Life, he continued, should not be spent in waiting for things which may never arrive; but in expectation, in the desire for the Lord 鈥渨ho always brings newness.鈥 He explained this does not mean waiting around doing nothing, but 鈥being active in love.鈥 Christians, the 杏MAP导航 said, 鈥渁re called to keep and spread the joy of anticipation: we await God, Who loves us infinitely, and Who, at the same time, waits for us鈥 to be with Him forever in Heaven.

A time of joyful expectation

鈥淚 hope you will live out Advent in this way,鈥 杏MAP导航 Francis said, 鈥渁s a time of consoling newness and joyful expectation.鈥 Quoting Don Tonino once again, he said this world often seems full of fear 鈥 but that Advent responds to this with 鈥渢he Gospel of Fearlessness,鈥 the opposite of fear. Two words from the Gospel of the First Sunday of Advent sum up this message: 鈥淟ook up,鈥 and 鈥渞aise up your heads.鈥 If fear is holding us down, he said, 鈥淛esus invites you to turn your gaze to heaven, from whence He will come.鈥

杏MAP导航 Francis noted that the pilgrims 鈥 who come from Dioceses bordering the Mediterranean 鈥 鈥渒now well the beauty of the sea.鈥 Looking out on the sea, he said, 鈥測ou can think about the meaning of life: embraced by God, infinite beauty, you cannot remain docked in a safe port, but are called to leave the shore鈥 and 鈥渧enture out in to the open sea.鈥 鈥淟et us embrace the invitation of the Gospel,鈥 the 杏MAP导航 said, echoing Don Tonino, the invitation 鈥渢o stand on our feet, to rise up.鈥 鈥淕et up on your feet, let us turn our gaze to heaven,鈥 he concluded. Then, he said, 鈥渨e will feel the need to open our hands to our neighbour 鈥 and the consolation that we know how to give will heal our fears.鈥

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01 December 2018, 13:11