Subject: VISnews 111228
Organization: VIS
From: Vatican Information Service - Eng - txt
VATICAN INFORMATION SERVICE
TWENTY FIRST YEAR - N. 227
ENGLISH
WEDNESDAY, 28 DECEMBER 2011
SUMMARY: 24 - 28 DECEMBER
- Christmas Transforms Faith to Love
- Christ Is the Hand God Extends to Humanity
- The True Imitation of Christ Is Love
- Holy Family, an Icon of the Domestic Church
- Other Pontifical Acts
___________________________________________________________
CHRISTMAS TRANSFORMS FAITH TO LOVE
VATICAN CITY, 24 DEC 2011 (VIS) - The Pope tonight celebrated Midnight Mass
in the Vatican Basilica for the Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord.
In the course of the Eucharistic celebration, following the reading of the
Gospel, the Holy Father delivered his homily.
"This was the great joy of Christmas for the early Church: God has
appeared. No longer is He merely an idea, no longer do we have to form a
picture of Him on the basis of mere words. He has 'appeared'. But now we
ask: how has He appeared? Who is He in reality? The reading at the Dawn Mass
goes on to say: 'the kindness and love of God our Saviour for mankind were
revealed'. For the people of pre-Christian times, whose response to the
terrors and contradictions of the world was to fear that God Himself might
not be good either, that He too might well be cruel and arbitrary, this was
a real 'epiphany', the great light that has appeared to us: God is pure
goodness. Today too, people who are no longer able to recognise God through
faith are asking whether the ultimate power that underpins and sustains the
world is truly good, or whether evil is just as powerful and primordial as
the good and the beautiful which we encounter in radiant moments in our
world. 'The kindness and love of God our Saviour for mankind were revealed':
this is the new, consoling certainty that is granted to us at Christmas".
"God has appeared - as a child. It is in this guise that He pits Himself
against all violence and brings a message that is peace. At this hour, when
the world is continually threatened by violence in so many places and in so
many different ways, when over and over again there are oppressors' rods and
bloodstained cloaks, we cry out to the Lord: O mighty God, you have appeared
as a child and you have revealed yourself to us as the One Who loves us, the
One through Whom love will triumph. And you have shown us that we must be
peacemakers with you. We love your childish estate, your powerlessness, but
we suffer from the continuing presence of violence in the world, and so we
also ask you: manifest your power, O God. In this time of ours, in this
world of ours, cause the oppressors' rods, the cloaks rolled in blood and
the footgear of battle to be burned, so that your peace may triumph in this
world of ours.
"Christmas is an epiphany - the appearing of God and of His great light in
a child that is born for us. Born in a stable in Bethlehem, not in the
palaces of kings. In 1223, when St. Francis of Assisi celebrated Christmas
in Greccio with an ox and an ass and a manger full of hay, a new dimension
of the mystery of Christmas came to light. ... For the early Church, the
feast of feasts was Easter: in the Resurrection Christ had flung open the
doors of death and in so doing had radically changed the world: He had made
a place for man in God Himself. Now, Francis neither changed nor intended to
change this objective order of precedence among the feasts, the inner
structure of the faith centred on the Paschal Mystery. And yet through him
and the character of his faith, something new took place: Francis discovered
Jesus' humanity in an entirely new depth. ... The Resurrection presupposes
the Incarnation. For God's Son to take the form of a child, a truly human
child, made a profound impression on the heart of the Saint of Assisi,
transforming faith into love. ... In the child born in the stable at
Bethlehem, we can as it were touch and caress God. And so the liturgical
year acquired a second focus in a feast that is above all a feast of the
heart".
"It is right here, in this new experience of the reality of Jesus'
humanity that the great mystery of faith is revealed. Francis loved the
child Jesus, because for him it was in this childish estate that God's
humility shone forth. God became poor. ... God made Himself dependent, in
need of human love, He put Himself in the position of asking for human love
- our love. Today Christmas has become a commercial celebration, whose
bright lights hide the mystery of God's humility, which in turn calls us to
humility and simplicity. Let us ask the Lord to help us see through the
superficial glitter of this season, and to discover behind it the child in
the stable in Bethlehem, so as to find true joy and true light".
"Today, anyone wishing to enter the Church of Jesus' Nativity in Bethlehem
will find that the doorway five and a half metres high, through which
emperors and caliphs used to enter the building, is now largely walled up.
Only a low opening of one and a half metres has remained. ... Anyone wishing
to enter the place of Jesus' birth has to bend down. ... If we want to find
the God Who appeared as a child, then we must dismount from the high horse
of our 'enlightened' reason. We must set aside our false certainties, our
intellectual pride, which prevents us from recognising God's closeness. We
must follow the interior path of St. Francis - the path leading to that
ultimate outward and inward simplicity which enables the heart to see. We
must bend down, spiritually we must as it were go on foot, in order to pass
through the portal of faith and encounter the God Who is so different from
our prejudices and opinions - the God Who conceals Himself in the humility
of a newborn baby. In this spirit let us celebrate the liturgy of the holy
night, let us strip away our fixation on what is material, on what can be
measured and grasped. Let us allow ourselves to be made simple by the God
Who reveals Himself to the simple of heart. And let us also pray especially
at this hour for all who have to celebrate Christmas in poverty, in
suffering, as migrants, that a ray of God's kindness may shine upon them,
that they - and we - may be touched by the kindness that God chose to bring
into the world through the birth of His Son in a stable".
HML/ VIS
20111228 (1090)
CHRIST IS THE HAND GOD EXTENDS TO HUMANITY
VATICAN CITY, 25 DEC 2011 (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:
"The Son of the Virgin Mary is born for everyone; He is the Saviour of
all. This is how Christ is invoked in an ancient liturgical antiphon: 'O
Emmanuel, our king and lawgiver, hope and salvation of the peoples: come to
save us, O Lord our God'. Veni ad salvandum nos! Come to save us! This is
the cry raised by men and women in every age, who sense that by themselves
they cannot prevail over difficulties and dangers. They need to put their
hands in a greater and stronger hand, a hand which reaches out to them from
on high. ... This hand is Jesus, born in Bethlehem of the Virgin Mary. He is
the hand that God extends to humanity, to draw us out of the mire of sin and
to set us firmly on rock, the secure rock of His Truth and His Love".
"Jesus ... means 'Saviour'. He was sent by God the Father to save us above
all from the evil deeply rooted in man and in history: the evil of
separation from God, the prideful presumption of being self-sufficient, of
trying to compete with God and to take His place, to decide what is good and
evil, to be the master of life and death. This is the great evil, the great
sin, from which we human beings cannot save ourselves unless we rely on
God's help".
"The very fact that we cry to heaven in this way already sets us aright;
it makes us true to ourselves. ... God is the Saviour; we are those who are
in peril. ... To realise this is the first step towards salvation, towards
emerging from the maze in which we have been locked by our pride. To lift
our eyes to heaven, to stretch out our hands and call for help is our means
of escape, provided that there is Someone Who hears us and can come to our
assistance.
"Jesus Christ is the proof that God has heard our cry. ... The answer to
our cry which God gave in Jesus infinitely transcends our expectations,
achieving a solidarity which cannot be human alone, but divine. Only the God
Who is love, and the love which is God, could choose to save us in this way,
which is certainly the lengthiest way, yet the way which respects the truth
about Him and about us: the way of reconciliation, dialogue and cooperation.
"Dear brothers and sisters in Rome and throughout the world, on this
Christmas 2011, let us then turn to the Child of Bethlehem, to the Son of
the Virgin Mary, and say: 'Come to save us!'".
"Together let us ask God's help for the peoples of the Horn of Africa, who
suffer from hunger and food shortages, aggravated at times by a persistent
state of insecurity. May the international community not fail to offer
assistance to the many displaced persons coming from that region and whose
dignity has been sorely tried.
"May the Lord grant comfort to the peoples of South-East Asia,
particularly Thailand and the Philippines, who are still enduring grave
hardships as a result of the recent floods.
"May the Lord come to the aid of our world torn by so many conflicts which
even today stain the earth with blood. May the Prince of Peace grant peace
and stability to that Land where He chose to come into the world, and
encourage the resumption of dialogue between Israelis and Palestinians. May
He bring an end to the violence in Syria, where so much blood has already
been shed. May He foster full reconciliation and stability in Iraq and
Afghanistan. May He grant renewed vigour to all elements of society in the
countries of North Africa and the Middle East as they strive to advance the
common good.
"May the birth of the Saviour support the prospects of dialogue and
cooperation in Myanmar, in the pursuit of shared solutions. May the Nativity
of the Redeemer ensure political stability to the countries of the Great
Lakes Region of Africa, and assist the people of South Sudan in their
commitment to safeguarding the rights of all citizens".
"Let us turn our gaze anew to the grotto of Bethlehem. The Child whom we
contemplate is our salvation! He has brought to the world a universal
message of reconciliation and peace. Let us open our hearts to Him; let us
receive Him into our lives".
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
20111228 (820)
THE TRUE IMITATION OF CHRIST IS LOVE
VATICAN CITY, 26 DEC 2011 (VIS) - At midday today, Feast of St. Stephen the
Protomartyr, the Holy Father appeared at the window of his study to pray the
Angelus with faithful gathered below in St. Peter's Square.
The Pope explained how, "following the generation of the Apostles, martyrs
came to acquire high standing in the Christian community. At times of
greatest persecution, remembering and praising them brought relief to the
faithful on their arduous journey and encouraged those seeking truth to
convert to the Lord. Thus the Church, by divine disposition, venerates the
relics of martyrs and honours them under such names as 'life masters' and
'living witnesses'".
"The true imitation of Christ is love, which some Christian authors have
defined as 'the secret martyrdom'. ... Today, as in antiquity, sincere
adherence to the Gospel may call for the sacrifice of life, and many
Christians in various parts of the world are subject to persecution and
sometimes to martyrdom. But, as the Lord reminds us, 'the one who endures to
the end will be saved'".
"Let us pray to Most Holy Mary, Queen of Martyrs, to maintain our desire
for goodness intact, especially towards those who oppose us. In particular,
let us today entrust the deacons of the Church to divine mercy so that,
illumined by the example of St. Stephen, they may collaborate, in accordance
with their specific mission, in the task of evangelisation".
Appeal for an end to violence in Nigeria
After praying the Angelus the Pope said: "Christmas arouses, even more
strongly, our prayer to God that violent hands may cease to spread death,
and that justice and peace may reign in the world. Yet our earth continues
to be stained with innocent blood. It was with great sadness that I heard
the news of attacks which, this year too, on the Day of Christ's Birth, have
brought mourning and pain to certain churches of Nigeria. I wish to express
my sincere and affectionate closeness to the Christian communities and to
everyone who has been affected by this senseless gesture, and I invite
people to pray to the Lord for the many victims. I make this appeal that,
with the collaboration of all components of society, security and serenity
may be restored. At this time I wish to reiterate once again: violence is a
way which leads only to suffering, destruction and death; respect,
reconciliation and love are the only way to achieve peace".
ANG/ VIS
20111228 (420)
HOLY FAMILY, AN ICON OF THE DOMESTIC CHURCH
VATICAN CITY, 28 DEC 2011 (VIS) - Prayer in the Holy Family of Nazareth was
the theme of Benedict XVI's catechesis during today's general audience,
which was held in the Paul VI Hall in the presence of 7,000 pilgrims.
"The house of Nazareth", the Pope explained, "is a school of prayer where
we learn to listen, to meditate, to penetrate the deepest meaning of the
manifestation of the Son of God, drawing our example from Mary, Joseph and
Jesus".
"Mary is the peerless model for the contemplation of Christ", he said. She
"lived with her eyes on Christ and treasured His every word. ... Luke the
Evangelist makes Mary's heart known to us, her faith, her hope, her
obedience, her interior life and prayer, her free adherence to Christ. All
of these came from the gift of the Holy Spirit, which descended upon her
just as it descended upon the Apostles according to Christ's promise. This
image of Mary makes her a model for all believers".
Mary's capacity to live by the gaze of God is "contagious", the Holy
Father went on. "The first to experience this was St. Joseph. ... With Mary,
and later with Jesus, he began a new rapport with God, he began to accept
Him into his life, to enter into His plan of salvation, to do His will".
Although the Gospel has not preserved any of Joseph's words, "his is a
silent but faithful presence, constant and active. ... Joseph fulfilled his
paternal role in all aspects". In this context, the Pope explained how
Joseph had educated Jesus to pray, taking Him to the synagogue on Saturdays
and guiding domestic prayer in the morning and evening. "Thus, in the rhythm
of the days spent in Nazareth, between Joseph's humble dwelling and his
workshop, Jesus learned to alternate pray and work, also offering up to God
the fatigue by which they earned the bread the family needed".
Benedict XVI then turned his attention to the pilgrimage of Mary, Joseph
and Jesus to the Temple in Jerusalem, as narrated in the Gospel of St. Luke.
"The Jewish family, like the Christian family, prays in the intimacy of the
home, but it also prays together in the community recognising itself as part
of the pilgrim People of God", he said.
Jesus' first words - "Why were you searching for me? Did you not know that
I must be in my Father's house" - pronounced when Mary and Joseph found Him
sitting among the teachers in the Temple, are a key to understanding
Christian prayer. "From that moment, the life of the Holy Family became even
richer in prayer, because the profound significance of the relationship with
God the Father began to spread from the Heart of the boy (then adolescent,
then young man) Jesus to the hearts of Mary and Joseph. The Family of
Nazareth was the first model of the Church in which, in the presence of
Jesus and thanks to His mediation, a filial rapport with God came to
transform even interpersonal relations".
"The Holy Family", Benedict XVI concluded, "is an icon of the domestic
Church, which is called to pray together. The family is the first school of
prayer where, from their infancy, children learn to perceive God thanks to
the teaching and example of their parents. An authentically Christian
education cannot neglect the experience of prayer. If we do not learn to
pray in the family, it will be difficult to fill this gap later. I would,
then, like to invite people to rediscover the beauty of praying together as
a family, following the school of the Holy Family of Nazareth".
AG/ VIS
20111228 (620)
OTHER PONTIFICAL ACTS
VATICAN CITY, 28 DEC 2011 (VIS) - The Holy Father appointed Bishop Remidio
Jose Bohn, auxiliary of Porto Alegre, Brazil, as bishop of Cachoeira do Sul
(area 10,736, population 220,000, Catholics 161,287, priests 24, permanent
deacons 7, religious 46), Brazil. He succeeds Bishop Irineu Silvio Wilges
O.F.M., whose resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the
Holy Father accepted, upon having reached the age limit.
On Monday 26 December it was made public that the Holy Father accepted the
resignation from the pastoral care of the archdiocese of Port of Spain in
Trinidad and Tobago presented by Archbishop Edward Joseph Gilbert C.SS.R.,
upon having reached the age limit. He is succeeded by Coadjutor Archbishop
Joseph Harris C.S.Sp.
On Saturday 24 December it was made public that the Holy Father appointed:
- Bishop Joseph Hii Teck Kwong, auxiliary of Sibu, Malaysia, as bishop of
the same diocese (area 41,484, population 790,000, Catholics 109,944,
priests 19, religious 30). He succeeds Bishop Dominic Su Haw Chiu, whose
resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father
accepted, in accordance with canon 401 para. 2 of the Code of Canon Law.
- Msgr. Joseph Mbatia of the clergy of the diocese of Nyahururu, Kenya,
vicar general, as bishop of Nyahururu (area 8,066, population 1,043,000,
Catholics 332,700, priests 54, permanent deacons 4, religious 82). The
bishop-elect was born in Itabua, Kenya in 1961 and ordained a priest in
1989. He has worked as assistant to the bishop of Nyeri and as pastor in a
number of parishes in his country. He succeeds Bishop Luigi Paiaro, whose
resignation from the pastoral care of the same diocese the Holy Father
accepted, upon having reached the age limit.
- Bishop Vital Chitolina S.C.I., prelate of Paranatinga, Brazil, as bishop
of Diamantino (area 105,406, population 310,897, Catholics 224,779, priests
25, religious 60), Brazil.
NER:RE/ VIS 20111228
(320)
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