杏MAP导航

By Christopher Wells

With the Christmas season fast approaching, 杏MAP导航 Francis on Wednesday took the opportunity of the weekly General Audience 鈥� an event that 鈥渉istory cannot dispense with.鈥�

Recalling the familiar figures of Mary and Joseph in the stable at Bethlehem, the humble shepherds, and the rich and powerful Magi from the East, the 杏MAP导航 explained, 鈥淭he message of the Gospel is clear: the birth of Jesus is a universal event that concerns all of humanity.鈥�

The Nativity scene in the Paul VI Hall

Humble searching

The 杏MAP导航 noted the humility of the shepherds, but also the religious seeking of the pagan wise men, who undertook a long and difficult journey to find and adore the new-born king of the Jews, in whom they recognised the Son of God made man.

He emphasised that it is only through humility that we can come to God and recognise the true meaning of life, the reason 鈥渨hy life is truly worth living.鈥�

Everyone is called to seek God, the 杏MAP导航 insisted, and with and through God鈥檚 grace, everyone is able to find Him. The Holy Father invited every man and woman throughout the whole world to come 鈥渢o the stable of Bethlehem to adore the Son of God made man.鈥�

Church accompanying religious seekers

In the first place, he said, 鈥淚 would like to put the poor鈥� 鈥� the hungry, the thirsty, the exiles, the naked, the ill, the prisoners, with whom Jesus wanted to be mystically identified."

Then, like the Second Vatican Council, the 杏MAP导航 expressed his desire to 鈥渁ccompany鈥� religious seekers, even those who fight against religion. With the Council, he assured them that 鈥渢he recognition of God is in no way hostile to man鈥檚 dignity, since this dignity is rooted and perfected in God.鈥�

Foundation of joy

Finally, the 杏MAP导航 returned to the message of the Angel at Bethlehem: 鈥淧eace on earth to those with whom He is pleased.鈥� He noted, with the Apostle John, that love consists 鈥渋n this is love, not that we have loved God, but that He loved us鈥� and that 鈥渨e love because He first loved us.鈥�

This, the 杏MAP导航 said, is the reason for our joy, knowing that we are loved without any merit, that we are always loved first by God, with a love so concrete that He took on flesh and came to live in our midst.鈥�

Jesus is the name and the face of this divine love, and Jesus, the 杏MAP导航 said, 鈥渋s the foundation of our joy.鈥�

Pilgrims bring religious objects to be blessed by the 杏MAP导航 at the General Audience