This entry is going to be a summary of a few Angelus messages as well as the Holy Father's Urbi et Orbi Message on Christmas Day. (Urbi et Orbi is Latin for 'to the city and to the world'. It is a blessing given only twice a year, on Christmas Day and on Easter Sunday.)
Urbi et Orbi
Christmas 2012
“To the city and to the world…”
Image from http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-202_162-57560774/pope-decries-slaughter-of-defenseless-in-syria/
On Christmas day, Pope Benedict
XVI greeted the city of Rome
In his message, the Holy Father
reflected upon verse 12, “Truth has sprung out of the earth!” from Psalm 85, and its relation to where
humanity finds itself today. The Pope exclaimed with great joy that these words have been
fulfilled, fulfilled in Jesus Christ who has been born in Bethlehem of the
Virgin Mary. The Holy Father quoted
Saint Augustine, saying:
[I]n
this yearly feast we celebrate that day when the prophecy was fulfilled: ‘truth
shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven’. The
Truth, which is in the bosom of the Father has sprung out of the earth, to be
in the womb of a mother too. The Truth which rules the whole world has sprung
out of the earth, to be held in the arms of a woman ... The Truth which heaven
cannot contain has sprung out of the earth, to be laid in a manger. For whose
benefit did so lofty a God become so lowly? Certainly not for his own, but for
our great benefit, if we believe…
If we believe!
Pope Benedict reflected upon this comment of Saint Augustine
“And yet, this same God cannot
enter my heart unless I open the door to him. Porta fidei! The door of
faith! We could be frightened by this,
our inverse omnipotence. This human
ability to be closed to God can make us fearful. But see the reality which chases away this
gloomy thought, the hope that conquers fear: truth has sprung up! God is
born! “The earth has yielded its
fruits” (Ps 67:7). Yes, there is a good earth, a healthy earth,
an earth freed of all selfishness and all lack of openness. In this world there is a good soil which God
has prepared, that he might come to dwell among us. A dwelling place for his presence in the
world. This good earth exists, and today
too, in 2012, from this earth truth has sprung up! Consequently, there is hope in the world, a hope
in which we can trust, even at the most difficult times and in the most
difficult situations. Truth has sprung
up, bringing kindness, justice and peace.”
The Holy Father addressed
specifically the people of Syria Holy Land , the Israelis and Palestinians. He addressed the countries in North Africa,
especially Egypt , and the
continent of Asia , especially the Peoples’
Republic of China. He addressed Mali , Nigeria ,
the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Kenya Latin America . He
addressed us all and reminded us that,
“Kindness and truth, justice and
peace have met; they have become incarnate
in the child born of Mary in Bethlehem
Angelus
Feast of Saint Stephen
December 26, 2012
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| Pope Benedict XVI at his Angelus Message on December 26, 2012, through the Christmas tree! Image from http://blogs.pjstar.com/eye/2012/12/27/photos-of-the-day-december-26-2012/ |
On St. Stephen’s Day we too are called to fix
our eyes on the Son of God whom in the joyful atmosphere of Christmas we
contemplate in the mystery of his Incarnation. Through Baptism and
Confirmation, through the precious gift of faith nourished by the sacraments,
especially the Eucharist, Jesus Christ has bound us to him and with the action
of the Holy Spirit, wants to continue in us his work of salvation by which all
things are redeemed, given value, uplifted and brought to completion. Letting
ourselves be drawn by Christ, as St Stephen did, means opening our own life to
the light that calls it, guides it and enables it to take the path of goodness,
the path of a humanity according to God’s plan of love. Lastly, St Stephen is a
model for all who wish to put themselves at the service of the new
evangelization. He shows that the newness of the proclamation does not consist
primarily in the use of original methods or techniques — which of course, have
their usefulness — but rather in being filled with the Holy Spirit and letting
ourselves be guided by him.
The newness of the proclamation
lies in the depth of the believer’s immersion in the mystery of Christ and in
assimilation of his word and of his presence in the Eucharist so that he
himself, the living Jesus, may speak and act in his messengers. Essentially,
evangelizers can bring Christ to others effectively when they themselves live
in Christ, when the newness of the Gospel is reflected in their own life. Let
us pray the Virgin Mary that in this Year of Faith
the Church may see an increasing number of men and women who, like St Stephen,
can bear a convincing and courageous witness to the Lord Jesus.
Saint Stephen, pray for us!
Angelus
Feast of
the Holy Family
December
30, 2012
Blessed Feast of the Holy
Family! The Holy Father, today,
reflected upon the day’s Gospel passage found in Luke when Jesus as a
twelve-year-old boy stays in the Temple while
Mary and Joseph leave to return to Nazareth
Mary
and Joseph’s anxiety about Jesus is the same as that of every parent who
educates a child, introduces him or her to life and to understanding
reality. Today, therefore, it is only
right to say a special prayer to the Lord for all the families of the
world. Emulating the Holy Family of Nazareth
At
the same time let us pray that every child be welcomed as a gift of God and be
supported by the love of both parents in order to increase, like the Lord Jesus
in wisdom and in stature, and in favour with God and man (Lk 2:52).
May
the love, loyalty and dedication of Mary and Joseph be an example to all
Christian couples who are not the friends or masters of their children’s lives,
but rather are custodians of this incomparable gift of God.
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| Image from http://www.fisheaters.com/customstimeafterepiphany1a.html |
The
silence of Joseph, a just man (cf. Mt 1:19), and the example of Mary who kept
all these things in her heart (cf. Lk 2:51), usher us into the mystery of the
Holy Family, full of faith and humanity. I hope that all Christian families will live
in God’s presence with the same love and the same joy as the family of Jesus,
Mary and Joseph.
…May God bless you and
your dear families!
Angelus
Solemnity
of Mary, Mother of God
46th
World Day of Peace
January
1, 2013
Blessed
Feast Day and Happy New Year to all!
“On
the first day of 2013 I would like the blessing of God to reach each and every
man and woman of the world. I bless you with the ancient formula contained in
Sacred Scripture: ‘The Lord bless you and keep you: The Lord make his face to
shine upon you, and be gracious to you: The Lord lift up his countenance upon
you, and give you peace’ (Num 6:24-26).”
The
Holy Father greets all today at the beginning of this New Year, reflecting upon
the light and warmth felt by all when the Lord shines His face upon us. He has with the birth of Jesus Christ! Pope Benedict XVI teaches that first Jesus’
face was seen in a small, humble way by Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds, but
little by little it has increased and spread everywhere, first upon the Holy
Land and then through the Church which is enlivened by His Spirit. The Holy Father tells us:
In this first Angelus of the new year, let us ask Mary
Most Holy, the Mother of God, to bless us, just as the mother blesses her
children who must leave on a journey. A new year is like a journey: with the
light and grace of God, may it be a path of peace for every person and for
every family, for every country and for the entire world.
After
the Angelus, the Holy Father especially greeted the members of the Taize
Community, who gathered in Rome
Blessed
are the peacemakers!
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| Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us! |
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