Hello All!   
                   This Area is READ ONLY.  Do not post to this area.   
                   The following press release is Copyrighted by the   
                             Vatican Information Service.   
                   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   
                                  VIS-Press releases   
      
   MAY THE BIRTH OF THE SAVIOUR BRING PEACE TO THE WORLD   
      
   VATICAN CITY, 25 DEC 2010 (VIS) - At midday today, Solemnity of the Nativity of   
   the Lord, the Holy Father pronounced his traditional Christmas Message from the   
   central loggia of the Vatican Basilica, and imparted the "Urbi et Orbi"   
   blessing.   
      
   Extracts of the Message are given below:   
      
   "Dear brothers and sisters listening to me here in Rome and throughout the   
   world, I joyfully proclaim the message of Christmas: God became man; He came to   
   dwell among us. God is not distant: He is 'Emmanuel', God-with-us. He is no   
   stranger: He has a face, the face of Jesus.   
      
   "This message is ever new, ever surprising, for it surpasses even our most   
   daring hope. First of all, because it is not merely a proclamation: it is an   
   event, a happening, which credible witnesses saw, heard and touched in the   
   person of Jesus of Nazareth!   
      
   "'The Word became flesh'. Before this revelation we once more wonder: how can   
   this be? The Word and the flesh are mutually opposed realities; how can the   
   eternal and almighty Word become a frail and mortal man? There is only one   
   answer: Love".   
      
   "God does not change; He is Love. ... Only those who are open to love are   
   enveloped in the light of Christmas. So it was on that night in Bethlehem, and   
   so it is today. The Incarnation of the Son of God is an event which occurred   
   within history, while at the same time transcending history".   
      
   "And what do our hearts, in effect, seek, if not a Truth which is also Love?   
   Children seek it with their questions, so disarming and stimulating; young   
   people seek it in their eagerness to discover the deepest meaning of their   
   life; adults seek it in order to guide and sustain their commitments in the   
   family and the workplace; the elderly seek it in order to grant completion to   
   their earthly existence".   
      
   "The proclamation of Christmas is also a light for all peoples, for the   
   collective journey of humanity. 'Emmanuel', God-with-us, has come as King of   
   justice and peace. We know that His Kingdom is not of this world, and yet it is   
   more important than all the kingdoms of this world. It is like the leaven of   
   humanity: were it lacking, the energy to work for true development would flag:   
   the impulse to work together for the common good, in the disinterested service   
   of our neighbour, in the peaceful struggle for justice. Belief in the God who   
   desired to share in our history constantly encourages us in our own commitment   
   to that history, for all its contradictions. It is a source of hope for   
   everyone whose dignity is offended and violated, since the One born in   
   Bethlehem came to set every man and woman free from the source of all   
   enslavement.   
      
   "May the light of Christmas shine forth anew in the Land where Jesus was born,   
   and inspire Israelis and Palestinians to strive for a just and peaceful   
   coexistence. May the comforting message of the coming of Emmanuel ease the pain   
   and bring consolation amid their trials to the beloved Christian communities in   
   Iraq and throughout the Middle East; may it bring them comfort and hope for the   
   future and bring the leaders of nations to show them effective solidarity. May   
   it also be so for those in Haiti who still suffer in the aftermath of the   
   devastating earthquake and the recent cholera epidemic. May the same hold true   
   not only for those in Colombia and Venezuela, but also in Guatemala and Costa   
   Rica, who recently suffered natural disasters.   
      
   "May the birth of the Saviour open horizons of lasting peace and authentic   
   progress for the peoples of Somalia, Darfur and Cote d'Ivoire; may it promote   
   political and social stability in Madagascar; may it bring security and respect   
   for human rights in Afghanistan and in Pakistan; may it encourage dialogue   
   between Nicaragua and Costa Rica; and may it advance reconciliation on the   
   Korean peninsula.   
      
   "May the birth of the Saviour strengthen the spirit of faith, patience and   
   courage of the faithful of the Church in mainland China, that they may not lose   
   heart through the limitations imposed on their freedom of religion and   
   conscience but, persevering in fidelity to Christ and his Church, may keep   
   alive the flame of hope. May the love of 'God-with-us' grant perseverance to   
   all those Christian communities enduring discrimination and persecution, and   
   inspire political and religious leaders to be committed to full respect for the   
   religious freedom of all".   
      
   Following his Message, the Pope extended Christmas greetings in sixty-five   
   languages and imparted his blessing "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world).   
   MESS/VIS 20101228 (780)   
      
   SUMMARY   
      
   --- MPost/386 v1.21   
    * Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS =Meridian, MS= bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)