HOMILIES, ANGELUS, AND OTHER SPIRITUAL TEXTS

Here is a translation of the catechesis given by the Holy Father at the General Audience on Wednesday, 11/22/06.



Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today we complete our 'encounters' with the Apostle Paul, dedicating a last reflection to him. We cannot take leave of him, in fact, without taking into account one of the definitive components of his activity and one of the most important themes of his thought: the reality of the Church.

First, we must note that that his first contact with the person of Jesus took place through the testimony of the Christian community of Jerusalem. It was a tempestuous contact. Having heard of this new group of believers, he became their fiercest persecutor. He himself acknowledges this at least three times in as many letters: "I persecuted the Church of God," he writes (1 Cor 15,9; Gal 1,13; Phil 3,6), almost presenting his actions as the worst of crimes.

History shows us that one normally reaches Christ through the Church. In a certain sense, it is what happened to Paul as well, who encountered the Church before finding Jesus. But this first contact, in his case, was counterproductive; it did not cause adherence, but rather a violent repulsion. [Paul was a very devout Jew who came to Jerusalem to study with a renowned rabbi.]

Paul's adherence to the Church was brought about by the direct intervention of Christ, who, revealing Himself to Paul on the road to Damascus, identified Himself with the Church and made Paul understand that to persecute the Church was to persecute him, the Lord. In fact, the Risen One said to Paul, the persecutor of the Church: "Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me? (Acts 9:4) (because) in persecuting the Church, he was persecuting Christ.

Thus, Paul converted, at one and the same time, to Christ and to the Church. So we can understand why the Church was so present in the thoughts, in the heart and in the activity of Paul. In the first place, because he literally founded many local Churches in the different cities where he went as evangelizer.

When he speaks of his "concern for all the Churches" (2 Cor 11,28), he is thinking of the various Christian communities established over time in Galatia, Ionia, Macedonia and Achaia.

Some of those Churches caused him worry and displeasure, as, for example, the Churches of Galatia, which he saw "turning to a different gospel" (Gal 1,6), something which he opposed with great determination. And yet, he felt bound to the communities he founded not coldly, bureaucratically, but intensely and passionately.

For example, he describes the Philippians as "my dearest and greatly longed-for brothers, my joy and crown" (4,1). At other times he compares the different communities to a unique letter of recommendation: "You yourselves are our letter of recommendation, a letter written in our hearts, to be known and read by all men" (2 Cor 3,2).

At other times he shows them the genuine feelings not only of a father but even of a mother, as when he addresses them "My little children, with whom I shall suffer the pains of labor until Christ takes shape in you!" (Gal 4,19; cfr l Cor 4,14-15; 1 Thes 2,7-8).

In his letters, Paul also illustrates for us his doctrine on the Church. We know well his original definition of the Church as the "Body of Christ," which we do not find in other Christian authors of the first century (cfr 1 Cor 12,27; Ef 4,12; 5,30; Col 1,24).

The most profound root of this surprising description of the Church is the Sacrament of the Body of Christ itself. St. Paul says: "Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread" (1 Cor 10,17). In the Eucharist, Christ gives us His body and makes us His body. In this sense, St. Paul tells the Galatians: "You are all one in Christ" (Gal 3,28).

In all this, Paul makes us understand that the Church does not only belong to Christ, but that in a sense, the Church is equivalent to and identical with Christ. It is from this that the Church - and all of us who are part of the Church - derive its greatness and nobility. Because we are the limbs of Christ, an extension almost of His personal presence in the world. And thus, it follows that we have the duty to truly live in coformity with Christ.

This concept is also the basis of Paul's exhortations about the many charisms which animate and build the Christian community. All such charisms trace themselves to a single source - the Spirit of the Father and the Son - and we know that no one in the Church lacks this, because, as the Apostle writes, "To each is given the manifestation of the Spirit for the common good" (1 Cor 12,7).

What is important, however, is that all the charisms cooperate together to build the community instead of causing them to be torn apart. And so Paul asks rhetorically: "Is the Christ divided?" (1 Cor 1,13). Paul knows well and teaches us that it is necessary "to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace: one body, one Spirit, just as you are called to one hope" (Eph 4,3-4).

Obviously, to underline the need for unity does not mean advocating that the life of the Church should be flattened out and made to function everywhere in a uniform way. Elsewhere Paul says "Do not quench the Spirit" (1 Thes 5,19), meaning, make generous room for the unpredictable dynamism of the Spirit's charismatic manifestations, because the Spirit is an ever-new source of energy and vitality.

If there is one criterion that Paul values most, it is mutual edification: "Let all things be done for edification" (1 Cor 14,26). Everything should concur to weave the ecclesial fabric in an orderly way, without knotting up, without dropping a stitch, without tearing it.

One of Paul's letters then presents the Church as the bride of Christ (cf. Eph 5,21-33), in this way taking up a prophetic metaphor, which saw the people of Israel as the spouse of the God of the Covenant (cf. Hos 2,4.21; Isa 54,5-8). This expresses the intimacy of the relationship between Christ and his Church, both because she is the object of the most tender love on the part of her Lord, and because love must be mutual and therefore we, as members of the Church, should show Christ our passionate fidelity.

Therefore, it is a relationship of communion that is in play here: the vertical relationship between Jesus Christ and all of us, but also the horizontal relationship among all those who distinguish themselves in the world 'by invoking the name of our Lord Jesus Cirst" (1 Cor 1,2).

This defines us: we are among those who call upon the name of the Lord Jesus. That is why we can understand how desirable it is to realize what Paul himself wished for when he wrote the Corinthians: "If everyone is prophesying, and an unbeliever or uninstructed person should come in, he will be convinced by what he hears; he will be judged by everyone, and the secrets of his heart will be disclosed; and so he will prostrate himself and worship God, declaring, 'God is really in your midst.'" (1 Cor 14,24-25).

That is the way it should be with our liturigcal encounters. A non-Christian who comes into one of our assemblies should be able to say at the end. "God is truly with you."

Let us pray to the Lord that we may be such, in communion with Christ, and in communion among ourselves.

Later, he synthesized the catechesis in English:

Continuing our reflections on the Apostle Paul, we now turn to his teaching on the Church.

St. Paul's encounter with the risen Lord on the way to Damascus led him to understand that, in persecuting the Church, he was persecuting Christ himself. Paul was thus converted both to Christ and the Church. We can understand, then, why the Church plays so important a part in his thought and work.

Paul founded several Churches during his missionary journeys, and he demonstrated, through his letters and visits, a constant and lively "concern for all the Churches" (2 Cor 11:28).

For Paul, the Church is truly the "Body of Christ," an extension, as it were, of the risen Lord's presence in the world, enlivened, structured and built up by the gifts of the Holy Spirit.

The Pauline image of the Church as the Bride of Christ (cf. Eph 5,21ff.) likewise stresses the relationship of fidelity and love uniting the Lord and all the members of his body.

Through the prayers of St. Paul, may we enter ever more deeply into this mystery of communion, in order to testify more effectively to Christ's presence in our world.

My prayerful greetings go to all the English-speaking visitors and pilgrims present in today's audience, including the groups from England, Malta, Japan and the United States of America. I greet especially the Salvatorian Sisters, the American Friends of the Vatican Library, and the delegation from the Association of the Order of Malta. May your visit to the city of the Apostles Peter and Paul renew your love for Christ and his Church, and may God's blessing be upon you all.

At the end, the Holy Father issued an appeal in Italian:

I have learned with deep sorrow the news of the assassination of the Hon. Pierre Gemayel, minister of industry of the government of Lebanon. In condemning firmly this brutal act, I give assurances of my prayers and my spiritual closeness to the family in mourning and the beloved people of Lebanon.

In the face of dark forces which seek to destroy your nation, I ask all Lebanese not to allow yourselves to be conquered by hate but to strengthen yourselves in national unity, justice and reconciliation, and to work together to construct a future of peace.

Finally, I call on the responsible authorities of those nations that have a hand in the destinies of this region to contribute to a negotiated global solution to all the many situations of injustice which have marked it for too many years.

[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 20/12/2006 13.54]

Here is a translation of the words of the Holy Father at Angelus today:




On this last Sunday of the liturgical year, we celebrate the solemnity of Christ the King of the Universe. The Gospel today recounts the dramatic interrogation to which Pontius Pilate subjected Jesus when He was sent to him with the accusation of having usurped the title "King of the Jews."

To the questions of the Roman governor, Jesus responded that yes, He was king, but not of this world (cfr Jn 18,36). He did not come to lord over people and territories, but to liberate men from the slavery of sin and reconcile them with God.

He added: "For this I was born, and for this I came to the world: to render testimony to the truth. Wheobver is for truth hears My voice." (Jn 18,37)

But what is the 'truth' that Christ came to bear witness to in the world? His whole existence reveals that God is love. This is the truth that He bore full witness to with the sacrifice of His own life on Calvary.

The Cross is the throne from which the sublime reality of God-Love was manifested: offering Himself in expiation for the sins of the world, He defeated the dominion of the "prince of this world" (Jn 12,31) and installed definitively the Kingdom of God. A kingdom which will be manifested in its fullness at the end of time, after all enemies, including death, will have been subjugated (cfr 1 Cor 15,25-26).At that time, the Son will render the Kingdom to the Father and finally God will be 'all in all" (1 Cor 15,28).

The road to this goal is long and will not permit shortcuts. It requires that every person freely welcome the truth of God's love. He is love and truth, and neither love nor truth can ever be imposed: they knock on the door of our mind and heart, and where they can enter, they bring peace and joy.

This is how God reigns. This is His plan of salvation, a 'mystery' in the Biblical sense of the word, that is, a design that reveals itself slowly over time.

The Virgin Mary has been associated most singularly with the Kingship of Christ. God asked her, a humble girl from Nazareth, to be the Mother of the Messiah, and Mary responded to this call with her whole being, joining her unconditional Yes to that of her Son Jesus and making herself, like Him, obedient to the point of sacrifice.

For this, God exalted her beyond every other creature and Christ crowned her Queen of Heaven and Earth. To her intercession, we entrust the Church and all humanity, so that the love of God may reign in all hearts and His plan for love and peace may be fulfilled.

After the Angelus, the Pope spoke in Italian about his coming trip to Turkey:

Dear brothers and sisters, as you know, in the coming days, I will be visiting Turkey. I wish to send my cordial greeting to the dear people of Turkey, so rich in history and culture. To them and to their representatives, I express my feelings of respect and sincere friendship.

With much emotion I look forward to meeting the small Catholic community there, which is always in my heart, and to unite myself fraternally with the Orthodox Church on the occasion of the feast of the Apostle St. Andrew.

I confidently follow in the footsteps of my venerated predecessors Paul VI and John Paul II, and I invoke the heavenly protection of the blessed John XXIII who was for ten years the Apostolic Delegate to Turkey and nourished affection and esteem for that nation.

I ask you all to accompany me with prayer that this pilgrimage may bring all the fruits that God desires.

Next December 1, we mark World Day against AIDS. It is my profound wish that the occasion will favor growing responsibility for curing the disease, together with a commitment to avoid any discrimination against those who are afflicted with it.

As I invoke the comfort of th Lord for its victims and their families, I encourage the many initiatives that the Church is carrying on this field.

In English, he said:

I offer a warm welcome to all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors gathered for this Angelus prayer. On this Solemnity of Christ the King, let us pray for the spread of the Gospel, the triumph of God’s reconciling love and the coming of his eternal Kingdom of holiness, justice and peace. May Christ’s peace always reign in your hearts!

At the end, addressing the Italian-speaking pilgrims, he said:

I salute the Italian-speaking pilgrims, particularly the numerous choir directors, musicians and singers who are taking part in the XXVIII National Congress of Sacred Music promoted by the Italian Association of Santa Cecilia.

Dear friends, I am glad that 50 years after his death, you are commemorating the great maestro Lorenzo Perosi, who was the director of the Sistine Chapel Choirahd has left us musical works of the highest religious inspiration. I call on you to be authentic evangelizers through the beauty and harmony expressed in your musical art....

Finally, on the occasion of the Day for Cancer Research observed in Italy today, I wish to express my encouragement to all the associations and researchers engaged in combatting this disease.

I wish you all a good Sunday.

[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 27/11/2006 2.12]

Here is a translation of the Holy Father's words at the Angelus today.



Dear brothers and sisters!

Together with you, I wish to thank the Lord once more for the apostolic voyage which I made to Turkey in recent days, in which I felt accompanied and sustained by the prayers of the entire Christian community.

My heartfelt thanks to all of you! On Wednesday, at the general audience, I will be able to speak more extensively of this unforgettable spiritual and pastoral experience, from which I hope that good fruits will be borne, for an ever more sincere cooperation among the disciples of Christ and for a profitable dialog with Muslim believers.

It is incumbent on me now to renew my thanks to all who organized the trip, and who contributed in various ways to its peaceful and fruitful occurrence.

I address special thoughts to the authorities in Turkey and to my friends the Turkish people who accorded me a welcome worthy of their traditional spirit of hospitality.

I would like, above all, to remember with affection the Catholic community who live on Turkish soil. I think of them as we enter Advent time this Sunday.

I was able to meet and celebrate Mass with these brothers and sisters of ours who find themselves in conditions that are often not easy. It is truly a small flock, varied, rich in enthusiasm and faith, who, we might say, constantly live - and in a powerful way - the experience of Advent sustained by hope.

During Advent, the liturgy often reiterates and assures us, almost as if to conquer our natural diffidence against the God-who-is-coming. He comes to be with us, in every situation; he comes to live among us, to live with us and in us; he comes to bridge the distances that divide and separate us; he comes to reconcile us with Him and among ourselves.

He comes into the history of mankind to knock at the door of every man and woman of goodwill, to bring to individuals, families and peoples the gift of brotherhood, concord and peace.

That is why Advent is par excellence a time of hope when believers in Christ are invited to stay in vigilant and diligent waiting, nourished by prayer and the factual works of love. May the coming Nativity of Christ fill the hearts of all Crhistians with joy, serenity and peace.

To live this period of Advent in the most authentic and fruitful way, the liturgy exhorts us to look at the Most Blessed Mary, and to walk with her ideally towards the cave of Bethlehem.

When God knocked on the door of her young life, she welcomed Him with faith and love. In a few days, we shall contemplate her in the luminous mystery of her Immaculate Conception.

After the Angelus, he said:

I salute affectionately the big ghroup of young people from the Focolare movement who have come from the nations of Europe and Latin America for a training encounter. Dear young people, learn from the Virgin Mary how to become authentic disciples of Jesus. May the Lord bless you all!

His greeting in English:

I am happy to greet all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present for this Angelus. Today, the First Sunday of Advent, the Church begins a new liturgical year. The Gospel speaks of Christ, the Son of Man, and invites us to prepare our hearts to receive him. May Advent be a time of purification that leads to love, as we look with hope to the dawn of his coming. I wish you all a pleasant stay in Rome, and a blessed Sunday!

[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 03/12/2006 17.58]

The general audience today began inside St. Peter’s Basilica where the Holy Father addressed a gathering of pilgrims from Lazio, the region within which Rome is located, and other parts of Italy. Here is a translation of his words to them:

Dear brothers and sisters!

I am happy to welcome you in this Basilica and to address to each of you a heartfelt welcome. I greet above all the faithful from the Diocese of Lazio, who have gathered here with their Bishops on the occasion their visit ad limina apostolorum.
Dear friends, I encourage you to live your lives of faith ever more profoundly, keeping well in mind the orientations that emerged at the recent convention of the Italian Church in Verona. We are certain that courageous evangelizing action will awaken the hoped-for renewal of Catholic engagement iin society, even in Lazio.

The first task of evangelization is to show Jesus Christ as the Savior of every man. Never tire of entrusting yourselves to Him and of announcing Him through your own life, within your family and in every circle. This is what is expected of the Church today, what is expected of Christians.

Then, I greet you the faithful from the Deaconate of Busto Arsizio, and in thanking you for your visit, I wish that each of you may use this time of Advent as a propitious occasion to strengthen the faith and adhere to the Gospel.

My thoughts also go to you, the representatives of the Parish of the Immaculate in Terzigno, and I invite you – in the school of your celestial patroness, the Holy Virgin - to love God above everything, always willing and ready to do His will.

Finally, I greet you, the students of the Scuole Pie in Frascati, and I asure you of my prayers so that the Redeemer may instill true joy in your hearts and fill you with His gifts.

I bless everyone with affection.


The Pope then proceeded to the Aula Paulo VI where he gave the usual audience and spoke of his recent trip to Turkey.


DEar brothers and sisters!

As has been customary after every Apostolic voyage, I wish - in the course of this general audience - to review the various stages of the pilgrimage which I made to Turkey from Tuesday to Friday last week. A visit which, as you know, was not going to be easy for many reasons, but which God accompanied from the very beginning, and which was therefore happily carried out. Since I had asked you to help prepare and accompany that visit with your prayers, I ask you now to join me in giving thanks to the Lord for its course and its conclusion.

I entrust to Him the fruits that I hope may come from it, both in our relations with our Orthodox brothers as well as in the dialog with Muslims.

First of all, I feel I must renew the heartfelt expression of my appreciation to the President of the Republic of Turkey, to the Prime Minister and to all the other authorities who welcomed me with such courtesy and who assured the conditions necessary so that everything could proceed in the best way possible.

Next I give my fraternal thanks to the Bishops of the Catholic Church in Turkey, and all their co-workers, for everything they have done.

I address particular thanks to the Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I, who received me in his home; to the Armenian Patriarch Mesrob II, to the Syrian Orthodox Metropolitan Mor Filuksinos and all the other religious authorities.

Throughout the whole trip, I felt spiritually sustained by my venerated predecessors, the Servants of God Paul VI and John Paul II, who had both made trips to Turkey, but above all, by Blessed John XXIII, who was the Pontifical Representative in that noble land from 1935 to 1944, leaving there memories rich with love and devotion.

Going back to the vision of the Second Vatican Council (cfr Lumen Gentium, 14-16), I could say that even the apostolic voyages of the Pope contribute to fulfill the mission which extends out in concentric circles.”

In the innermost circle, the Successor of Peter confirms Catholics in their faith; in the intermediate circle, he meets other Christians; and in the outermost ring, he addresses himself to non-Christians and all of humanity.

The first day of my visit to Turkey took place in this third ‘ring’, the largest. I met with the Prime Minister, the President of the Republic and the President for Religious Affairs, addressing the latter with my first discourse. I paid homage at the mausoleun of the “Father of the Nation’ Mustafa Kemal Ataturk. And I had the chance to speak to the Diplomatic Corps at the Apostolic Nunciature of Ankara.

This intense series of encounters constituted an important part of the visit, especially considering that Turkey is a nation that is overwhelmingly Muslim but regulated by a Constitution that affirms the secularity of the State.

It is therefore an emblematic nation in terms of the great challenge being played out on a global level today: On the one hand, it is necessary to rediscover the reality of God and the public relevance of religious faith, and on the other, it is necessary to assure that the expression of such faith should be free, devoid of fundamentalist degeneration, and capable of firmly repudiating every form of violence.

Meanwhile, I had the propitious occasion to renew my sentiments of esteem for Muslims and Islamic civilization. At the same time, I was able to insist on the importance of Christians and Muslims committing themselves together for the human being, for life, for justice and peace, restating that the distinction between the civil sphere and the religious constitutes a value, but the State must assure the citizen and the religious communities effective freedom of worship.

In the area of inter-religious dialog, Divine Providence allowed me to carry out, almost at the end of my trip, an act which had not originally been planned, but which proved to be quite significant: the visit to the famed Blue Mosque of Istanbul.

Pausing for some moments of meditation in that place of prayer, I addressed myself to the only Lord of heaven and earth, the merciful Father of all humanity, that all believers may acknowledge themselves to be His creatures and give testimony of true brotherhood!

The second day brought me to Ephesus, and so, I found myself rapidly drawn into the innermost ‘circle’ of this trip, a direct contact with the Catholic community. Near Ephesus, in fact, in a pleasant locality called the Hill of the Nightingale, overlooking the Aegean Sea, is the Sanctuary of Mary’s House.

This is an ancient chapel that was built around a simple cottage which, according to a very ancient tradition, the Apostle John ordered built for the Virgin Mary, after he had broight her there with him to Ephesus. Jesus Himself had entrusted each one to the other when, before dying on the Cross, He said to Mary: “Woman, behold your son!” and to John, “Behold your Mother.” (Jn 19, 26-27).

Archaeological research has shown that the place has been the center of a Marian cult since time immemorial, dear even to Muslims, who habitually com here to venerate She whom they call Meryem Ena, or Mother Mary.

I celebrated Mass in the garden facing the Sanctuary for a group of faithful who had come from the nearby city of Izmir and other parts of Turkey, and even some from abroad. Near Mary’s House, we truly felt ‘at home’, and in that atmosphere of peace, we prayed for peace in the Holy Land and in the whole world. There, I also wanted to remember Don Andrea Santoro, priest of Rome, who bore witness to the Gospel in Turkey with his own blood.

The ‘intermediate circle,’ that of ecumenical relations, occupied the central part of this trip, on the occasion of the Feast of St. Andrew on November 30. This was the ideal context for consolidating brotherly relations between the Bishop of Rome, successor of Peter, and the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople, a church founded, according to tradition, by St. Andrew, brother of Simon Peter.

Following the footsteps of Paul VI, who met with Patriarch Athenagoras, and of John Paul II, who was welcomed by Athenagoras’s successor Dimitrios I, I renewed with His Holiness Bartholomew I this act of great symbolic value, to confirm our reciprocal commitment to proceed on the road to reestablishing full communion between Catholics and Orthodox.

To ratify our firm intention, I signed along with Patriarch Bartholomew a Common Declaration as an ulterior stage in this common journey. It was particularly significant that this act took place at the end of the Solemn Liturgy of the Feast of St. Andrew, which I attended, and which ended with the double blessing imparted by the Bishop of Rome and the Patriarch of Constantinople, successors to Peter and Andrew, respectively.

In that way, we showed that at the bottom of every ecumenical effort, there is always prayer and a persevering invocation of the Holy Spirit.

Still in this circle, I had the joy of visiting the Patriarch of the Armenian Apostolic Church, His Beatitude Mesrob II, and to meet the Syrian Orthodox Metropolitan. And in this context, it is a pleasure to recall the conversation that I had with the Grand Rabbi of Turkey.

My visit concluded, just before departing for Rome, with a return to the innermost circle, meeting the Catholic community that was present in all its components at the Latin Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Istanbul.

The Mass was attended by the Ecumenical Patriarch, the Armenian Patriarch, the Syrian Orthodox Metropolitan and representatives of Protestant Churches. In short, all Christians – in the diversity of their traditions, rites and languages – were together in prayer. Comforted by the word of Christ, who promised to believers ‘rivers of lving water’ (Jn 7,38) and with the image of many members united in one body (cfr 1 Cor 12, 12-13), we lived the experience of a renewed Pentecost.

Dear brothers and sisters, I came back here to the Vatican with my soul filled with gratitude to God and with sentiments of sincere affection and esteem for the inhabitants of the beloved nation of Turkey, by whom I felt welcome and understood.

The sympathy and cordiality that they surrounded me with – nothwithstanding the inevitable difficulties that my visit caused to the normal course of their daily activities – remain with me as a vivid memory that impels me to pray.

May the almighty and merciful God help the Turkish people, those who govern them, and the representatives of the different religions, to construct together a future of peace, that Turkey may be a bridge of friendship and fraternal collaboration between East and West.

Let us pray moreover that, with the intercession of the Most Holy Mary, the Holy Spirit may make this recent apostolic voyage fruitful and inspire in the whole world the mission of the Church instituted by Christ to announce to the whole world the Gospel of truth, peace and love.
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Later, he said this in English:

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Today I invite you to join me in thanking God for the success of my recent Apostolic visit to Turkey.

On my first day I met civic representatives, and reminded them of the great need to rediscover God and the public relevance of faith, while ensuring that such faith is properly understood and lived authentically. In expressing my esteem for Islamic civilization, I urged Christians and Muslims to work together for peace, justice and life!

The following day I visited Ephesus and the sanctuary nearby where, according to an ancient tradition, the Apostle John constructed a house for the Virgin Mary. During Mass we prayed for peace in the Holy Land and the whole world.

The Feast of Saint Andrew was dedicated to consolidating fraternal relationships between the Bishop of Rome and the Ecumenical Patriarch of Constantinople. In signing a Joint Declaration, we reaffirmed our commitment to follow the path to full communion between Catholics and Orthodox.

My visit was concluded in the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit in Istanbul, where Christians from various traditions, gathered in prayer, experienced a renewed Pentecost! Full of gratitude and affection for the people of Turkey, I invite you all to pray that this country may enjoy a peaceful future, as a bridge of friendship between the West and the East!

I welcome all the English-speaking pilgrims here today, including the student groups from America, Australia and Denmark. May your Advent visit to Rome be a time of renewed hope and joy. Upon all of you, I invoke God’s abundant Blessings!

[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 13/01/2007 22.47]

Unlike last year, the Holy Father did not celebrate the Mass of the Immaculate Conception at St. Peter's Basilica, but he presided at the noontime Angelus conducted at St. Peter's Square on major religious holidays. Here is a translation of his words today:

Dear brothers and sisters!

Today we celebrate one of the most beautiful and popular feasts
of the Blessed Virgin: the Immaculate Conception.

Not only did Mary not commit any sin but she was also spared the common heredity of the human race, original sin. This was because of the mission for which God had destined her: to be the Mother of the Redeemer. All this is contained in the truth of the faith which we call the Immaculate Conception.

The Biblical basis for this dogma is found in the words that the Angel addressed to the girl in Nazareth: "Rejoice, you are full of grace, the Lord is with you" (Lk 1,28).

"Full of grace" - in the original Greek, kecharitomene -
it is the most beautiful name for Mary, a name which God Himself gave her, to show that ever and for always, she is the loved one, the elected one, the one chosen to welcome the most precious gift, Jesus, "the incarnated love of God" (Deus caritas est, 12).

We can ask why, among all women, did God choose Mary of Nazareth? The answer is hidden in the unfathomable mystery of divine will. But there is a reason that the Gospel places in evidence: her humility.

Dante Alighieri underscores this quite well in the last canto of Paradise The Divine Comedy): "Virgin Mother, daughter of Your Son, humble and more elevated than any other creature, the fixed word of eternal counsel" (Par XXXIII, 1-3).

The Virgin herself in the Magnificat, her hymn of praise, says this: "My soul doth magnify the Lord...because He has looked down on the humlility of His servant" (Lk 1, 46-48).

God was attracted by the humility of Mary, who found grace in His eyes (cfr Lk 1,30). And so she became the Mother of God, image and model of the Church, elected among all men to receive the blessing of God and diffuse it through the entire human family.

And this blessing was none other than Jesus Christ Himself. He is the fountain of grace, of which Mary was full from the first moment of her existence. She welcomed Jesus with faith, and gave Him to the world with love.

That too is our vocation and our mission, the vocation and mission of the Church: to welcome Christ into our lives and to give Him to the world "so that the world may be saved through Him" (Jn 3,17).

Dear brothers and sisters, today's feast of the Immaculate One lights up like a torch the time of Advent, a time of watchful and faithful waiting for the Lord. As we advance towards the Lord who is coming, we look at Mary who 'shines as a sign of sure hope and consolation for the people of God in pilgrimage" (Lumen gentium, 68).

With this awareness, I invite you all to join me when, this afternoon, I will renew at Piazza di Spagna the traditional homage to our gentle Mother of grace and for grace. Let us now address her with the prayer that recalls the annunciation by the Angel.


After the Angelus, he said this in Italian:

I am happy to greet the members of the Pontifical Academy of the Immaculate, led by its President, Cardinal Andrea Maria Deskur. I assure you of my prayers and extend my best wishes for the activities of the Academy and for the worthy services that it renders.

In this feast, traditionally dedicated also to Italian Catholic Action in a renewal of membership, I address a cordial greeting to the national Presidnet and to the educators of Catholic Action for Youth gathered in Rome for their annual convention, and I extend this greeting to all the diocesan and parochial institutions in Italy.

I encourage Catholic Action to continue dveloping its formative commitment, so that its members can grow in saintliness and in ecclesial communion, and may be credible witnesses of the Risen Christ, hope of humanity.

May the Immaculate Virgin bless Catholic Action and sustain it in its generous intentions to serve the Church and its evangelizing mission.

In English he said:

I greet all the English-speaking visitors present at this Angelus. Today the Church celebrates the Immaculate Conception of our Lord’s Mother, Mary. She who was conceived without sin is a constant reminder of God’s covenant with his chosen people, a promise that is fulfilled in our Saviour Jesus Christ.

May Christians everywhere, following the example of Mary, allow the gift of grace to bear fruit in a life of holiness. I wish you a happy feast day and a pleasant stay in Rome.

Here is a translation of the words of the Holy Father at Angelus today:

Dear brorhers and sisters!

This morning I had the joy of dedicating a new parish church, named for Mary Star of Envangelization, in the Torrino Nord quarter of Rome. It is an event that, even for that quarter itself, takes on symbolic significance within the liturgical period of Advent, as we prepare to celebrate the Nativity of the Lord.

In these days, the liturgy reminds us constantly that "God is coming" to visit His people, to dwell amidst men and form with them a communion of love and life, that is, a family.

The Gospel of John expresses the Incarnation thus: "The Word was made flesh and dwelt amongst us" - literally, he writes "pitches His tent among us" (Jn 1,14).

Doesn't the construction of a Church in the midst of homes in the country or within a city district evoke this great gift and mystery?

The church as edifice is a concrete sign of the Church as community, formed by the living stones which are the faithful -
an image dear to the Apostles. St. Peter (1 Pt 2, 4-5) and St. Paul (Eph 2, 20-22) emphasize how the 'cornerstone' of this spiritual temple is Christ and that, close to Him and close to each other, even we are called to participate in the construction of the living temple.

Thus, just as it is God who takes the initiative to come and dwell among men, and it is always Him who is the principal mover of this plan, it is also true that He does not want to realize it without our active collaboration.

That is why to prepare ourselves for Christmas means to engage ourselves in constructing "God's dwelling with men." No one is excluded. Everyone can and should contribute so that this house of communion should be more spacious and beautiful.

At the end of time, it will be completed and will be the 'heavenly Jerusalem': "I saw then a new sky and a new land," we read in the Book of Apocalypse, 'I also saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, descend from heaven, from God, ready like a bride adorned for her spouse - Here is God's dwelling with men" (Ap 21, 1-3).

Advent invites us to turn our eyes to the "heavenly Jerusalem" which is the ultimate goal of our earthly pilgrimage. At the same time, it exhorts us to commit ourselves to prayer, conversion and good works, to receive Jesus into our lives, to construct together with Him this spiritual edifice of which each of us - our families, our communities - are precious building stones.

Among all the stones that form the heavenly Jerusalem, surely the most splendid and prized - because of all, she is closest to Christ the cornerstone - is the Most Holy Mary. Through her intercession, let us pray that this Advent may be, for the whole Church, a time of spiritual edification which may hasten the coming of the Kingdom of God.

After the Angelus, he said this in Italian:

I am following with intense concern what is happening in the Middle East, where glimmers of hope for a solution to the crises that torment the region alternate with tensions and difficulties that make us fearful of new violence.

Lebanon merits special mention, on whose land, today as yesterday, "men who are different in cultures and religions are called on to live togther to build a nation of dialog and coexistence, and to contribute to the common good" (Post-
Synodal Declaration, A new hope for Lebanon, n. 119).

I therefore share, in the face of recent events, the strong fears expressed by the Patriarch, His Beatitude, Cardinal Nasrallah Boutros Sfeir, and of the Maronite Bishops, in the communique they made public last Wednesday.

Together with them, I ask the Lebanese and their responsible political leaders to have at heart only the good of the nation and harmony among its communities, deriving inspiration for their task from that unity which is the responsibility of all and of everone, and requires patient and persevering efforts, along with a trusting and permanent dialog (cfr ibid. n.20).

I also wish that the international community help identify urgent peaceful and equitable solutions necessary for Lebanon and the entire Middle East, and I invite everyone to prayer at this grave moment.

He then made this announcement:

On Thursday, December 14, I will be meeting university students of Rome at St. Peter's Basilica. Dear young people, I expect you to be there in great numbers so we may prepare for Christmas asking the Lord Jesus for the gift of intellectual charity for the entire university community.


In English he said:

I greet the English-speaking visitors and pilgrims here today. On this second Sunday of Advent, the Church puts before us the figure of John the Baptist, the voice crying in the wilderness: "Prepare a way for the Lord".

During this Advent season, as we wait in joyful hope for the coming of Christ, let us prepare a place for him in our hearts. I invoke God’s abundant blessings upon all of you, and upon your families and loved ones at home.

[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 17/12/2006 3.00]

As last week, the general audience this week had two parts - the first inside St. Peter's Basilica, for the faithful of Calabria (southern Italy) who had come to Rome with their bishops, now on an ad-limina visit. The Pope addressed them, and then proceeded to the Aula Paolo VI for the regular catechesis and audience.

Dear brothers and sisters:

I thank you for your presence and I am happy to address to each of you my heartfelt welcome. I greet, most of all, the faithful of the diocese of Calabria who are assembled here with their Bishops on the occasion of their ad-limina visit.

Dear friends, the Church that lives in Calabria is represented here by its liveliest components - bishops, priests, consecrated persons and faithful laymen - who have a fundamental continuing role in Calabrian society. I refer above all to its evangelizing mission, which is even more urgent in our day, to face actual cultural, social and religious challenges.

Do not tire, meanwhile, of drawing from the Gospel the light and strength to promote an authentic moral, csocial and economic rebirth of your region. Be joyful witnesses for Christ and itireless builders of His Kingdom of justice and love.

Finally, I wish to express now my sincere thanks to Calabria for donating the Christmas tree - a very big and beautiful one - that was put up today in St. Peters' Square. I watched from my window.

I greet the numerous students, particularly those coming from the Archdiocese of Trani-Barletta-Biscgelie.

In this time of Advent, may Mary accompany us towards the encounter with Jesus in the mystery of His Nativity. To her, whom we venerated yesterday as the Virgin of Guadalupe, Patroness of the American continent, I entrust you all, dear young people. May the suggestion she made at Cana to the servants, "Do what Jesus tells you" (Jn 2:5) urge you to open your hearts to the word of Christ that you may fructify your life with it. I bless all of you with affection.




For the regular catechesis, I posted the surprisingly prompt English translation by ZENIT erroneously in HOMILIES, DISCOURSES, MESSAGES, and will leave it there. On this thread, I am posting my usual translation.


Dear Brothers and Sisters:

After speaking at length of the great Apostle Paul, today we will consider two of his closest co-workers, Timothy and Titus. Three letters traditionally attributed to Paul are addressed to them - two to Timothy and one to Titus.

"Timothy" is a Greek name which means "he who honors God." Luke, in the Acts of the Apostles, mentions him six times, but Paul names him on 17 occasions in his letters (and he is mentioned once in the Letter to the Hebrews). We can deduce that he enjoyed great consideration with Paul although Luke does not tell us ery much about him.

The Apostle, in fact, entrusted him with important missions and saw him almost as an "alter ego," as in his great praise of him in the Letter to the Philippians. "I have no one with a soul like his (isopsychon), who will be genuinely anxious for your welfare" (2:20).

Timothy was born in Lystra (some 200 kilometers northwest of Tarsus) of a Jewish mother and a pagan father (cf. Acts 16:1). The fact that his mother had a mixed marriage and that she did not circumcise her son leads us to think Timothy grew up in a family that was not strictly observant, though it is said that he knew the Scriptures from childhood (cf. 2 Tim 3:15). His mother's name has been transmitted to us, Eunice, and that of his grandmother, Lois (cf. 2 Tim 1:5).

When Paul passed through Lystra at the start of his second missionary journey, he chose Timothy as his companion, because "he was well spoken by the brethren at Lystra and Iconium" (Acts 16:2), but he "circumcised him because of the Jews that were in those places" (Acts 16:3).

Together with Paul and Silas, Timothy went across Asia Minor to Troas, from where he went to Macedonia. We are told that in Philippi, where Paul and Silas were accused of disturbing the public order and imprisoned for having opposed the exploitation of a slave girl as an oracle by some unscrupulous individuals (cf. Acts 16:16-40), Timothy was spared.

When Paul was later obliged to proceed to Athens, Timothy joined up with him in that city, and from there was sent to the young Church of Thessalonica to get information and to confirm that Church in the faith (cf. 1 Thes 3:1-2). He re-joined the Apostle in Corinth, giving him good news about the Thessalonians and working with him in the evangelization of that city (cf. 2 Cor 1:19).

We next find Timothy in Ephesus, during Paul's third missionary journey. It is probably from there that the Apostle wrote Philemon and the Philippians, both letters co-written with Timothy (cf. Phm 1; Phi1:1). From Ephesus, Paul sent him to Macedonia with a certain Erastus (cf. Acts 19:22) and later to Corinth, to bring a letter, in which he asked the Corinthians to give him a good welcome (cf. 1 Corinthians 4:17; 16:10-11).

We see him again as co-writer of the Second Letter to the Corinthians, and when, from Corinth, Paul wrote the Letter to the Romans, he sent them greetings from Timothy, as well as some others (cf. Rom 16:21). From Corinth, the disciple again traveled to Troas, on the Asian shore of the Aegean Sea, there to await the Apostle who was going back to Jerusalem at the end of his third missionary journey (cf. Acts 20:4).

From that moment on, ancient sources do not tell us more except for the one reference in the Letter to the Hebrews, where we read: "I must let you know that our brother Timothy has been set free. If he comes soon, I shall see you together with him." (13,23).

In conclusion, we can say that the figure of Timothy stands out as a pastor of great importance. According to Eusebius's later "Ecclesiastical History," Timothy was the first bishop of Ephesus (cf. 3:4). Some of his relics have been in Italy since 1239, in the Cathedral of Termoli, in Molise, having come from Constantinople.

As for the figure of Titus, whose name is of Latin origin, we know that he was Greek by birth, that is, pagan (cf. Gal 2:3). Paul took him along to Jerusalem for the so-called Apostolic Council, which solemnly accepted that the Gospel could be preached to pagans without requiring them to comply with Mosaic law.

In the Letter he addresses to him, the Apostle praises him, calling him "my true child in our common faith" (Titus 1:4). After Timothy left Corinth, Paul sent Titus there with the task of bringing that rebellious community to obedience. Titus restored the peace between the Church of Corinth and the Apostle, who wrote to the Corinthians: "God, who comforts the afflicted, comforted us by the arrival of Titus, who not only is back but has also brought the comfort that he had from you. In fact, he told us of your desires, your sorrows, and your affection...Therefore we are comforted. In addition, I rejoice still more at the joy of Titus, because his mind has been set at rest by you all" (2 Cor 7:6-7,13).

At Corinth, Titus was again sent by Paul, who called him "my companion and collaborator" (2 Cor 8:23), to organize the completion of fund-raising for the Christians of Jerusalem (2 Cor 8:6).

Subsequent news found in the Pastoral Letters speak of him as bishop of Crete (cf. Titus 1:5), from whence, at Paul's invitation, he joined the Apostle in Nicopolis, in Epirus, (cf. Tit 3:12). Later he also went to Dalmatia (cf. 2 Tim 4:10). We do not have any more information on Titus's subsequent trips or how he died.

In conclusion, if we consider together the two figures of Timothy and Titus, we note some facts that are very significant.

The most important is that Paul used collaborators to carry out his missions. He remains the Apostle par excellence, founder and pastor of many Churches. Bu tit is clear that he did not do everything by hismelf, but he relied on trusted persons who shared his labors and his responsibilities.

Another observation has to do with the willing availability of these co-workers. The sources regarding Timothy and Titus highlight their readiness to assume various demands, ofren consisting of representing Paul even in situations that were far from easy. In other words, they teach us to serve the Gospel generously, knowing that this is also a service to the Church itself.

Finally, let us take up the suggestion that Paul makes to Titus in the letter addressed to him: "I want you to insist on these things, so that those who believe in God may exert themselves to be first in good works. This is something good for all men" (Ti 3:8).

Through our concrete commitment, we should and can discover the truth of these words, and precisely in this time of Advent, we can ourselves br rich in good works and thereby open the doors of the world to Christ, our Savior.

The Pope later said in English:

Dear Brothers and Sisters:

Continuing our catechesis on the Church's apostolic ministry, we now consider Saints Timothy and Titus, two close associates of Saint Paul in his missionary journeys.

Timothy, born of a Jewish mother and a pagan father, is frequently mentioned in the Apostle's Letters. Titus, a convert from paganism, was brought by Paul to the Council of Jerusalem, which sanctioned the preaching of the Gospel to the pagans while not imposing on them the precepts of the Mosaic Law.

Both were sent by Paul on important missions to the young Churches, often as his representatives in difficult situations. As we see from the New Testament epistles addressed to Timothy and Titus, Paul clearly counted on the help of these two collaborators in his ministry. Timothy and Titus were likewise prompt in accepting the responsibilities entrusted to them by the Apostle.

May the example of these apostolic men inspire us to serve the cause of the Gospel with generosity, and thus contribute to the building up of Christ's Church.

I offer a cordial welcome to the members of the ecumenical pilgrimage sponsored by the Catholic Bishops' Conference and the National Council of Churches in Korea. May your visit to Rome be a source of inspiration in your efforts to promote the unity of all Christ's followers.

Upon all the English-speaking visitors present at today's Audience, especially those from the Philippines, Australia and the United States of America, I cordially invoke God's blessings of joy and peace.

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If you get a chance to compare the ZENIT translation and mine, you will note that I tend to be less literal and try to be more idiomatic, and that I follow English syntax when I translate.

[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 13/01/2007 22.49]

Here is a translation of the wro\\ords of the Holy Father at Angelus today:




Dear brothers and sisters!

On the third Sunday of Advent today, the liturgy invites us to spiritual joy. It does so with the celebrated antiphon which takes up an exhortation of the Apostle Paul: "Gaudete in Domino..." - "Rejoice in the Lord awlays...The Lord is near" (cfr Phi 4, 4-5).

Even the first Biblical Reading of the Mass is an invitation to joy. The prophet Sophonius, at the end of the seventh century B.C., addresses the city of Jerusalem and its people in these words: "Rejoice, daughter of Zion, exult, Israel,/ and be happy with all your heart, daughter of Jerusalem!/...The Lord yoru God who isin your midst is a powerful savior." (Soph 3, 14-17).

God Himself is represented with analogous sentiments: "He will exult in joy for you, He will renew you with His love,/ He will rejoice with you with cries of joy, as on days of feasting" (Soph 3, 17-18a).

This promise is fully realized in the mystery of Christmas, which we will be celebrating in a week, and which asks to renew itself in the 'today' of our life and our history.

The joy which the liturgy awakes in the hearts of Christians is not reserved for them alone: it is a prophetic announcement destined for all humanity, particularly for the poorest, in this case, to those who are poorest in joy!

Let us think of our brothers and sisters who, especially in the Middle East, in some regions of Africa and in other parts of the world, live the tragedy of war: what joy could they possibly have? How will Christmas be for them?

Let us think of those who are sick and those who are alone, who, besides undergoing physical trials, also suffer spiritually because all too often they feel abandoned. How do we share with them our joy without lacking respect for their suffering?

Let us also think of those - especially the youth - who have lost the sense of true joy and look for it in in vain where it is impossible to find: in the exasperating drive towards self-affirmation and success, in false entertainments, in consumerism, in moments of intoxication, in the artificial paradise of drugs and every form of alienation.

We cannot not contrast the liturgy today and its exhortaiton to "Rejoice!" with these tragic realities. As in the times of the prophet Sophonius, it is precisely to those who are undergoing trials, to the "wounded in life and orphans of joy" .that the Word of the Lord is addressed preferentially.

The invitation to joy is not an alienating message nor a sterile palliative, but on the contrary, it is a prophecy of salvation, a call to rescue that is part of an interior renewal.

To transform the world, God chose a humble girl from a village in Galilee, Mary of Nazareth, and called on her in these words: "Rejoice, you who are full of grace, the Lord is with you." In those words lie the secret of the authentic Christmas. God repeats it to the chruch and to each of us: Rejoice, the Lord is near.

With the help of Mary,let us offer ourselves, with humility and courage, so that the world may welcome Christ, who is the source of true joy.

After the Angelus, he said:

My thoughts go today to the hundreds of thousands of Iraqi refugees in Syria who were forced to leave their country because of the tragic situation there.

Caritas of Syria is already doing its part to help them, but I also call on the sensitivity of private individuals, of itnernational organizations and of governments so that they may come to the aid of their most urgent needs.

I raise to the Lord a prayer that He may give comfort to these brothers and sisters and move the hearts of others to generosity.

In English, he said:

I am happy to greet all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present for today’s Angelus.

As we celebrate the Third Sunday of Advent we are called to purify our hearts and to open them with joy to Christ our Lord and Saviour. He comes to us in our humanity, offering us a share in his divinity.

May your stay in Rome renew your faith in the Lord, and may he grant you all a blessed Sunday!

At the end he wished everyone -

"A good Sunday and a fruitful preparation for a Holy Christmas."

[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 17/12/2006 17.11]

Here is a translation of the Holy Father's catechesis at the General Audience today at the Aula Paolo VI.

===============================================================


Dear brothers and sisters:

"The Lord is near; come, let us adore him."

With this invocation, the liturgy invites us, in these last days of Advent, to come nearer, almost on tiptoes, to the cave in Bethlehem where the extraordinary event took place that changed the course of history: the birth of the Redeemer.

On the night of Christmas, we will pause once more in front of the manger to contemplate with amazement the "Word made Flesh." As they do each year, sentiments of joy and gratitude are renewed in our hearts as we listen to Christmas carols which celebrate the same extraordinary wonder in all languages.

The Creator of the universe has come out of love to dwell among men. In the Letter to the Philippians, St. Paul states that Christ, "although his nature was divine, did not consider being God a treasure to be jealously kept; rather, He emptied himself, took on the condition of a slave, becoming similar to men." (2,6). He appeared in human form, the Apostle adds, humbling Himself. In the Feast of the Holy Nativity, we relive the realization of this sublime mystery of grace and mercy.

St. Paul also says: "But when the fullness of time had come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law, to ransom those under the law, so that we might receive adoption" (Gal 4, 4-5).

In fact, the chosen people had been awaiting the Messiah for centuries, but they imagined Him to be a powerful and victorious military leader who would liberate His people from the oppression of strangers.

Instead the Savior was born in silence and the most absolute poverty. He came like a light to illuminate every man - the evangelist John notes - "but his own people did not welcome Him" (Jn 1,9,11). But the Apostle adds: "To whomever welcomed Him, He gave the power to become children of God" (ivi 1, 122). The promised Light lit up the hearts of those who had persevered in waiting vigilantly and diligently .

The liturgy of Advent exhorts us to be sober and vigilant in order not to allow ourselves to be weighed down by sin and by excessive preoccupation with the world. It is, in fact, by keeping vigil and praying that we can recognize and welcome the radiance of Christ's Nativity.

St. Maximus of Turin, a bishop of the the 4th-5th century, said in one of his homilies: "The time tells us that the Nativity of Christ our Lord is near. Despite its distresses, the world itself proclaims the imminence of that which will renew it and desires with impatience that the splendor of a more brilliant sun will light up its shadows... This waiting by Creation involves us in the wait for the rising of Christ, the new Sun" (Disc. 61a, 1-3). Therefore Creation itself leads us to discover and recognize Him who is to come.

But the question is: Does mankind in our time still await a Savior? One gets the feeling that many now consider God to be alien to their own interests. They apparently don't have any need for Him - they live as if God did not exist, or worse, as if He were an 'obstacle' to be rid of in order to 'realize' themselves.

Even among believers, we can be certain, there are some who allow themselves to be attracted by alluring chimeras and to be distracted by misleading doctrines that propose illusory shortcuts to happiness.

But, despite its contradictions, its distresses and its tragedies, it is perhaps for those very reasons that mankind today seeks a path of renewal, of salvation; mankind is looking for a Savior, and it awaits, perhaps not consciously for some, the advent of a Savior who renews the world and our lives the advent of Christ, who is the only true Redeemer of mankind and of every man.

Certainly, false prophets continue to propose salvation at 'little cost' - which always generates scorching delusions. It is our task as Christians to spread, with the testimony of our lives, the truth of Christmas: that Christ comes to every man and woman of good will.

Born in poverty in a manger, Jesus comes to offer everyone that joy and peace which alone can fulfill the expectations of the human heart.

But how do we prepare ourselves to open our heart to the Lord who is coming? The spiritual attitude of waiting in vigilance and prayer remains the fundamental characteristic of the Christian in Advent time.

It is the attitude that marked the protagonists of the story: Zachary and Elizabeth, the shepherds, the Magi, the simple and humble people. But most of all, that of Mary and Joseph.

These last two, more than anyone, had first-hand experience of the breathless anxiety and trepidation about the Baby that was to be born. It is not difficult to imagine how they would have lived the last few days waiting to embrace the newborn in their arms.

May their attitude be ours, dear brothers and sisters. Let us listen, in this respect, to the exhortation of the aforementioned St. Maximus, Bishop of Turin: "As we prepare to welcome the Nativity of the Lord, let us dress ourselves in clean and spotless garments. I speak of the garments of the soul, not of the body. Let us dress ourselves not in robes of silk but with good works. Splendid vestments may cover our limbs but do not adorn the conscience" (ibid).

Born among us, may the Baby Jesus not find us distracted or engaged simply in decorating our homes with lights. Rather, let us prepare in our spirits and in our families a worthy dwelling where He can feel welcomed with faith and love.

May the Virgin and St. Joseph help us to live the mystery of the Nativity with renewed wonder and peace-giving serenity. With these sentiments, I wish to express my most fervent wishes for a holy and happy Christmas to all of you who are here, and to your dear ones, with a special thought for those who are in difficulties or suffer physically or spiritually.

Merry Christmas to all of you!

In English, he said:

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

"The Lord is at hand: come let us adore him!". In these last days of Advent, the liturgy invites us to draw close to the stable of Bethlehem contemplating in awe the birth of the Redeemer. Full of joy and thanksgiving we recall how the Creator of the universe, out of love, came to dwell among us.

For many centuries Israel had awaited the Messiah, imagining him as a powerful and victorious leader. Instead, the Saviour was born in absolute poverty, and the true light who enlightens all people was not accepted by his own (cf. Jn. 1:9-12).

Do we still await the Saviour? Today many consider God irrelevant; an obstacle to success. Even believers sometimes seek tempting but illusory shortcuts to happiness. And yet, perhaps even because of this confusion, humanity seeks a Saviour and awaits the coming of Christ, the one true Redeemer. We Christians, through our witness against those who offer ‘cheap salvation’, defend the truth of Christmas which Christ brings to every person of goodwill.

Let us then, with Mary and Joseph, prepare to open our hearts to the Lord who is at hand. Do not be distracted by the trappings! Be watchful and pray! In this way our homes will welcome Jesus with faith and love.

I welcome all the English-speaking pilgrims here today. May these final days of Advent be full of spiritual wonder. To you and your loved ones, especially those who may be in difficulty or suffering, I extend my best wishes for a happy and holy Christmas!

At the end of his greeting to Italian-speaking pilgrims he said:

Dear friends, I thank you for your participation in this encounter. In a few days, it will be Christmas, and I imagine that in your homes, you will be putting the finishing touches to the creche, which represents a very suggestive image of the Nativity.

I wish that such an important element, not only of our spirituality, but of our art and culture, may continue to be a simple and eloquent way to remember Him who has come 'to dwell among us.'

[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 29/12/2006 2.47]

Here is a translation of the Holy Father's words at the Angelus today:



Dear brothers and sisters,

Thhe celebration of the Holy Nativity is now imminent. The vigil today prepares us to live intensely the mystery which the night of liturgy invites us to contemplate with the eyes of Faith.

The Divine NewBorn, whom we deposit in the manger, manifests our salvation. In the God who made Himself man for us, we all feel loved and welcomed; in Him, we discover that each of us is precious and unique in the eyes of the Lord.

The birth of Christ helps us to be aware how much human life is worth, the life of every human being, from the very first moment to the natural end.

To whoever opens his heart to this 'baby wrapped in swaddling clothes' and lying 'in a manger' (cfr Lk 2,12), He offers the possibility of looking with new eyes at day-to-day reality. He allows us to taste the power of the interior fascination exerted by the love of God which can transform even sorrow into joy.

Let us prepare ourselves, dear friends, to meet Jesus - Emmanuel, God-with-us. Born in poverty in Bethlehem, He wants to be a travelling companion to each of us.

In this world, from the time He Himself came to 'pitch his tent' among us, no one is a stranger. It is true that we are all transients in this world, but Jesus Himself makes us feel at home in a world sanctified by His presence. But He asks us to make it a home that is welcoming to all.

The surprising gift of Christmas is this: Jesus came for each of us, and has made us brothers in Him. Our corresponding task is to overcome our preconceptions and prejudices, to take down barriers and eliminate the differences that divide us - or worse, place individuals and peoples against each other - in order that we may build together a world of justice and peace.

With these sentiments, dear brothers and sisters, let us live he last few hours that separate us from the Nativity, preparing ourselves spiritually to welcome the Baby Jesus.

In the heart of the night, He will come for our sake. But it is His wish to to come into us, to dwell in the heart of each of us. In order that this may happen, it is indispensable that we make ourselves available and that we hasten to receive Him, ready to make room for Him within us, in our famlies, in our cities.

May His birth not catch us fully occupied with celebrating Christmas, forgetting that the protagonist of this celebration is He!

May Mary help us to keep that inner concentration that is indispensable for full enjoyment of profound joy at the Redeemer's birth.

We address our prayers to her now, thinking specially of those who will be spending Christmas in sorrow and loneliness, in sickness and in suffering. May the Virgin bring them all comfort and consolation.

Later, he said this in English:

I am happy to greet all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present for this Angelus. Today is the Fourth Sunday of Advent and also, this year, Christmas Eve.

The Liturgy of today’s celebration invites all believers to welcome joyfully the promised Messiah who comes to us through the Virgin Mary.

I wish you all a pleasant stay in Rome, and a blessed Christmas filled with the peace of Christ our Lord and Saviour!

At the end, addressing the Italian-speaking pilgrims, he said:

I address my heartfelt greetings to the staff of Osservatore Romano who are in St. Peter's Square today and I express my appreciation for the initiative of offering proceeds from the special sales of the newspaper in the holiday season for the children who are patients at the pediatric ward of Gemelli Polyclinic.

I greet all Italian-speaking pilgrims with affection, and I wish everyone a Christmas that is rich in seernity and spiritual gifts.

[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 24/12/2006 17.15]

I must admit I was not expecting an Angelus today so I really did not learn about it until just now. was there one on this day last year? Has St. Stephen's Day been elevated to a major church holiday?

Here is a translation of the Holy Father's words at the Angelus today.


Dear brothers and sisters!

On the day that follows the solemnity of the Nativity of Christ, we celebrate today the feast of St. Stephen, deacon and first Christian martyr. At first glance, the pairing of the commemoration of the proto-martyr with the birth of the Redeemer may be surprising, because of the striking contrast between the peace and joy of Bethlehem and the tragedy of Stephen, stoned to death in Jerusalem, in the first persecution of the nascent Church.

Actually, the apparent contrast is easily overcome if we consider the mystery of the Nativity more deeply. The child Jesus who lies in the cave, is the Only-Begotten Son of God made man. He will save mankind by dying on the Cross. Now, we see Him lying in swaddling clothes on that manger. After His Crucifixion, he will be wrapped in cloths again and deposited in a sepulcher.

It is not by chance that the Christmas icoography has sometimes represented the Divine Newborn laid out in a tiny sarcophagus, to show that the Redeemer is born to die - He is born to give His life in behalf of everyone.

St. Stephen was the first to follow the footsteps of Christ with martyrdom. He died, like the Divine Master, forgiving and praying for his killers (cfr Acts 7,60).

In the first four centuries of Christianity, all the saints venerated by the Church were martyrs. One speaks of a numberless host that the liturgy calls 'the shining army of martyrs' - martyrum candidatus exercitus.

Their death did not bring on fear and sorrow, but rather the spiritual enthusiasm which in turn gave rise to even more new Christians. For the believers, the day of death - even more, the day of martyrdom - is not the end of everything, but rather the passage to eternal life - it is the day of definitive birth, in Latin, dies natalis.

Now we understand the link between Christ's dies natalis and St. Stephen's dies natalis. If Jesus had not been born on earth, then men cannot be born in heaven. Only because Christ was born is it possible for us to be reborn!

Mary, who embraced the Redeemer in her arms in Bethlehem, also suffered an interior martyrdom. She shared His passion, and she would once again take Him in her arms after He is taken down from the Cross.

To this Mother who knew the joy of childbirth and the ordeal of her Divine Son's death, we entrust all those who are persecuted and who suffer in different ways in order to bear witness to the Gospel and to serve it.

With a special spiritual nearness, I think of those Catholics who keep their loyalty to Peter's Chair without having to compromise, at times even at the cost of great suffering. All the Church admires their example and we pray that they may have the force to persevere, knowing that their tribulations are sources of victory, even if at the moment, they may seem to be failures.

To all, I wish a Merry Christmas once again.


Later, he said this in English:

I am happy to greet all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors present for this Angelus.

Today is the Feast of Saint Stephen, the first Christian martyr. His noble death teaches us to be generous of heart, courageous in living our faith and ready to forgive those who harm us.

May your stay in Rome renew your love of Christ and his Church. I wish you all joy and peace in our Lord and a blessed Christmas Season!

Here is a translation of the Holy Father's catechesis today at the general audience held in the Vatican's Aula Paolo VI.


Dear brothers and sisters,

Our encounter today takes place in the climate of Christmas which is pervaded by intimate joy at the birth of the Savior. We celebrated this mystery just two days ago, and its echo resounds in the liturgy of these days. It is a mystery of light that men in every age can relive in faith.

The words of the evangelist John, whose feast we celebrate today, resounds in our spirit: "Et Verbum caro factus est - the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us" (Jn 114). At Christmas, God comes to dwell among us. He has come for us, to stay with us.

And the question that has come down across two thousand years of Christian history is: "Why did He do this? Why did God become man?"

The hymn that the angels intoned over the cave of Bethlehem helps us to answer this question: "Glory to God in the highest and peace on earth to the men He loves" (Lk 2,14). The canticle of Christmas night, which is in the Gloria of the Mass, forms part of the liturgy, like the other three canticles of the New Testament which refer to the birth and infancy of Jesus: the Benedictus, the Magnificat, and the Nunc dimittis.

While these last 3 are incorporated in the Morning Lauds, in the evening prayer at Vespers, and in the night prayer at Compline, the Gloria is found in the Holy Mass itself.

To the words of the angels, since the end of the second century, some acclamations have been added: "We praise you, we bless you, we adore you, we glorify you, we give you thanks for your immense glory," and later, other invocations: "Lord God, Lamb of God, Son of the Father, who takes away the sins of the world" - to make up a hymn of praise that is sung for the first time at the Mass of the Nativity and in all the succeeding feast days.

Placed at the start of the eucharistic celebration, the Gloria underlines the existing continuity between the birth and death of Christ, between Christmas and Easter - inseparable aspects of the one and the same mystery of salvation.

The Gospel narrates that the multitude of angels sang: "Glory to God in the highest and on earth to the men He loves." The angels announced to the shepherds that the birth of Christ is glory to God in the highest heavens; and is peace on earth for mankind whom He loves.

Opportunely, these angelic words are an explanation of the mystery of the Nativity that was fulfilled in that stable in Bethlehem.

The term 'glory'(doxa) indicates the splendor of God which inspires the acknowledging praise of His creatures, as St. Paul would say, in "the consciousness of the divine glory that shines on the face of Christ" (2 Cor 4,6).

And 'peace' (eirene) synthesizes the fullness of the Messianic gifts, thus, the salvation that, as the Apostle Paul always notes, is Christ Himself: "He, indeed, is our peace" (Eph 2,14).

Finally, there is the reference to 'good will.' Good will (eudokia), in the common language, makes us think of the good will of men, but what is indicated here is rather God's love [in Italian, 'buon volere', literally 'to wish well,' is an expression that means 'to love'] for mankind, which knows no limits.

And so the message of Christmas is this: with the birth of Jesus, God has shown His love for all of mankind.

Let us go back to the question: "Why did God become man?" St. Irinaeus writes: "The Word became the dispenser of the glory of the Father for the good of men...The glory of God is the living man - vivens homo - and the life of man consists of the vision of God." (Adv Haer. IV,20,5.7).

The glory of God is therefore manifested in the salvation of mankind, whom God so loved "that He gave," as the evangelist John says, "His only-begotten Son so that whoever believes in Him shall not die but have eternal life." (Jn 3,16).

Therefore, love is the ultimate reason for the incarnation of Christ. In this respect, we have the eloquent reflection of the theologian Hans Urs von Balthasar who wrote: God "is not, in the first place, absolute power, but absolute love, whose sovereignty is not manifested in keeping what belongs to Him, but in giving it away" (Mysterium paschale I,4). The God that we contemplate in the manger is God-Love.

On this point, the announcement made by the angels is also an invitation for us: let there be glory to God in the highest, let there be peace on earth to mankind whom He loves!

The only way to glorify God and to build peace in the world is in our humble and trustful acceptance of the gift of Christmas: love. Therefore, the song of the angels is a prayer to be repeated often, not only in the Christmas season - a hymn of praise to God in the highest, and a fervent invocation for peace on earth, which should translate into a concrete commitment to build peace with our own lives. This is the task that Christmas gives us.

In English, he said:

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Our Audience today is filled with the joy of Christmas, the mystery of God’s eternal Word made flesh for our salvation.

Down the centuries Christians have contemplated this mystery of light, seeking to understand more fully why God chose to become man. An answer to this question can be found in the joyful song of the angels on the first Christmas: "Glory to God in the highest, and peace among those whom he favours!" (Lk 2:14).

God’s glory, shining on the face of Christ (cf. 2 Cor 4:6), brings that peace which is the crowning of his messianic gifts. Saint Irenaeus tells us that the Word became flesh in order to give us a share in God’s glory: "The glory of God is the living man, and the life of man consists in the vision of God" (Adv. Haer., 20,5,7).

Ultimately, the Incarnation is the fruit of God’s infinite love for humanity; it reveals, in von Balthasar’s insightful phrase, that God is not primarily absolute power, but absolute love, a love revealed in the complete gift of himself.

May the song of the angels inspire us to give "glory to God" and to build "peace on earth", by humbly receiving the gift that God gives us at Christmas: the gift of his love, the gift of his Son.

I offer a very cordial welcome to all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors, especially the groups from Ireland and the United States of America. May your visit to Rome in these holy days be a source of spiritual joy and deepened faith in the Word made flesh. Upon you and your families I invoke the grace and peace of the New-born Saviour. Happy Christmas!

[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 27/12/2006 15.46]

Here is a translation of the Holy Father's words at the Angelus today:



Dear brothers and sisters!

On this last Sunday of the year, we celebrate the feast of the Holy Family of Nazareth. I greet with joy all the families of the world, and wish them the peace and love that Jesus has given us in coming to us at Christmas.

We do not find any discourse on the family in the Gospel, but rather an event that is worth more than any words: God chose to be born into and grow in a human family. He thus consecrated the family as His way, a normal way, of coming to humanity.

In the life He lived in Nazareth, Jesus honored the Virgin Mary and the just Joseph, remaining under their parental authority through his childhood and adolescence (cfr Lk 2,51-52).

In this manner, He brings to light the primary value of the family in educating a person. Mary and Joseph introduced Jesus to the religious community, attending the synagogue in Nazareth. With them, He learned to make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem, as the Gospel recounts in the passage offered to us today for our meditation.

When He was twelve years old, He stayed behind in the Temple, and His parents spent three days looking for Him. But with that action, He made them understand that He needed to concern Himself with "the affairs of His Father", namely, the mission given Him by God (cfr Lk 2,41-52).

This episode reveals the most authentic and profound vocation of the family: to accompany every member along the road to find God and the plan that He has for each of us.

Mary and Joseph educated Jesus, above all, through their example. From His parents, He learned all about the beauty of faith, of love for God and His Law, as well as the demands of justice which find fulfillment in love (cfr Rom 13,10).

From them He learned that, in the first place, one must follow the will of God, and that spiritual bonds are more important than those of blood.

The Holy Family of Nazareth is truly the prototype of every Christian family, where the parents, united in the sacrament of matrimony and nourished by the Word and the Eucharist, are called on to realize the momentous calling and mission of being the living cell, not only of society, but of the Church, as a sign and instrument of unity of all mankind.

Together let us now invoke the protection of the Most Blessed Mary and St. Joseph for every family, especially those who are in difficulty. May they be sustained so that they may be able to resist the disintegrating forces in our contemporary culture which undermine the very bases of the family as an institution. And may they help Christian families in every part of the world to be living images of the love of God.

Later, he said in English:

On this joyful Feast of the Holy Family I am happy to welcome all the English-speaking pilgrims present for today’s Angelus.

In the Holy Family of Nazareth we are given the true model of a Christian home. Let us resolve to make our own homes radiate with Christ’s loving harmony and peace.

Our hearts also turn today to all those for whom family life is marred by sadness, tragedy, or violence. May they be uplifted by the hope which Jesus brings to each one of us.

Upon all of you and your loved ones I invoke God’s abundant blessings of joy and peace!

[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 31/12/2006 16.52]

After the Holy Mass of the Solemnity of Mary, the Most Blessed Mother of God, and for the 40th world Day of Peace, the Holy Fahter led Agnelus prayers. Here is a translation of his words at Angelus:


Dear brothers and sisters!

At the beginning of the new year, I am happy to address to all of you who are present here in St. Peter's Square and to all who are linked to us by radio and television, my most heartfelt wishes for peace and for everything good.

May the light of Christ - the Sun in the horizon of humanity - light up your ways and accompany you through all of 2007!

With happy intuition, my venerated predecessor, the Servant of God Paul VI, wished that the year should open under the protection of the Most Blessed Mary, venerated as the Mother of God.

The Christian community, which these days has remained in prayerful adoration before the manger, today looks with particular love at the Virgin Mother. It identifieS with her as she contemplates the newborn Baby, wrapped in swaddling clothes and laid in the manger.

Like Mary, the Church too remains silent in order to receive and keep the interior resonances of the Word made flesh, and so as not to dissipate the divine-human warmth that emAnates from His presence. He is the Blessing of God! The church, like Mary, can only show Jesus the Savior to all, so that the light of His Face - the splendor of goodness and truth - may reflect on everyone.

Today let us contemplate Jesus, born of the Virgin Mary, in His prerogative as the true Prince of Peace (Is 9,5). He is 'our peace', who came to bring down the 'wall of separation' that divides men and peoples, therefore, to bring down 'enmity' (Eph 2,14).

That is why, Paul VI of venerated memory, also wanted the first of January to be the World Day of Peace, so that every new year may begin with the light of Christ, the great peacemaker of humanity.

Today, I renew my wishes for peace to the rulers and authorities of nations and international organizations and to all men and women of good will.

I do it in particular with the special Message that I prepared, together with my co-workers in the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, with the theme this year of "The human being, heart of peace."

The message touches an essential point - the value of the human being, who is the column that bears the weight of the whole great edifice of peace.

Today there is much talk about human rights, but it is often forgotten that these rights need a stable basis, not something relative, not something opinable. And this basis cannot be other than human dignity. Respect for this dignity begins from the recognition and guardianship of the right to life and to profess one's religion freely.

Let us address our prayers with confidence to the Holy Motehr of God so that the sacred respect for every person and a firm repudiation of war and violence may develop in the conscience of everyone. Help us, Mary, you who have given Jesus to the world, to receive from Him the gift of peace that we may be being sincere and courageous builders of the peace.

After the Angelus, he said the following in Italian:

I wish, first of all, to reciprocate the wishes addressed to me yesterday by the President of the Italian Republic in his yearend message. For him, for all the civilian authorities, and for the entire Italian people, I assure special rememberance in my prayers.

I also wish to express my spiritual nearness to the many initiatives promoted by the dioceses and parishes, by associations and movements, on the occasion of the World Day of Peace.

In particular, I remember that of the Conference of Italian Bishops which took place yesterday in Norcia, in the light of the message of St. Benedict. I am happy to greet the participants of the march for "Peace in all countries" organized by the Community of Sant'Egidio here in Rome and in other cities of the world.

In English, he said:

I welcome all the English-speaking pilgrims present for this Angelus on the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God. Today we recall the wonderful mystery that through blessed Mary, virgin and mother, God has become man! Filled with awe, knowing that the world has been given a Saviour, we give thanks to God.

Today is also the World Day of Peace. May Mary show us, in her Son, the way of peace, and enlighten our vision so that we may recognize Christ’s face in the face of every human person.

Upon all of you, your families and communities I invoke God’s abundant blessings of comfort and joy. Happy New Year!

Here is a translation of the Holy Father's catechesis at the general audience today in Aula Paolo VI.

Dear brothers and sisters,

Thank you for your affection. I wish you all a good year!

This first general audience of the New Year still takes place in the atmosphere of Christmas, which invites us to rejoice at the birth of the Redeemer.

Coming to the world, Jesus has abundantly given mankind goodness, mercy and love. Almost speaking for men of all time, the Apostle John observes: "What great love the Father has given us to be called children of God" (1 Jn 3,11).

Whoever pauses to meditate before the Son of God who lies helpless in the manger cannot but feel surprise at this humanly incredible event. We cannot not share the wonder and humble surrender of the Virgin Mary whom God had chosen to be the Mother of the Redeemer precisely because of her humility.

In the Baby of Bethlehem, every man discovers how freely he is loved by God. The light of Christmas shows each of us God's infinite goodness.

In Jesus, the heavenly Father inaugurated a new relationshiop with mankind - He has made us "children through His own Son". It is this reality which, these days, St. John invites us to meditate, with the richness and profoundness of his words which we have cited.

The Apostle beloved to the Lord underscored that 'children of God' "we really are" (1 Jn 3,1). We are not just His creatures; we are His children. In this way, God is near us; in this way, he draws us to Him at the moment of His Incarnation, at the moment He makes Himself one of us.

And so we really belong to the family which has God as the Father, because Jesus, His only-begotten Son, has come to 'pitch his tent among us," the tent of His own flesh, to unite all men in one family, the family of God, truly belonging to the Divine Being - united as one people, one family.

He came to show us the true face of God. And so, when we say the word God, we do not talk about someone we know only from afar. We know the face of God - it is that of the Son who came to bring the heavenly reality closer to us, to earth.

St. John notes: "In this is love: not that we have loved God, but that he loved us..." (1 Jn, 4,10).At Christmastime, that simple but stirring announcement resounds through the world: "God loves us."

"We love him," St. John repeats, "because He loved us first" (1 Jn 4,19). This mystery has been entrusted to us so that, in experiencing divine love, we may live aspiring towards the heavenly reality.

This, we could say, is the spiritual exercise of these days: to live, truly aspiring towards God, searching for His Kingdom and His justice, certain that the rest - all of it - will be given to us (cfr Mt 6,33). The spiritual climate of Christmastime helps this awareness to grow in us.

But the joy of Christmas must not let us forget the mystery of evil - mysterium iniquitatis - the power of darkness which threatens to obscure the splendor of divine light. Unfortunately, these days, we are experiencing these dark powers.

In the prologue to his Gospel, many times proclaimed these days, the evangelist John writes: "The light shines in the darkness, but the darkness has not welcomed it" (1,5). This is the tragedy of refusing Christ, which today, as in the past, is manifested and expressed in so many different ways.

Perhaps most insidious and dangerous are the forms of rejecting God in our days: from clear rejection to indifference, from scientific atheism to presenting a so-called modern or post-modern Jesus: Jesus as man, reduced in various ways to nothing more than a simple man of his times, devoid of His Divinity; or otherwise, a Jesus so idealized that He seems to be a creature of fable.

But Jesus - the true historical Jesus - is true God and true Man, who tirelessly proclaims His Gospel to all, knowing that He is "a sign to be contradicted ...so that the thoughts of many hearts may be revealed," as the prophet Simon had prophesied(cfr Lc 2, 32–33).

In fact, only the Baby who lies in the manger possesses the true secret of life. That is why He asks to be welcomed, to make room for Him in us, in our hearts, in our homes, in our cities, in our society.

Let the words of John in his prologue resound in our minds and hearts: "But to those who did accept him he gave power to become children of God..." (1,12).

Let us try to be among those who welcome Him. Before Him, one cannot stay indifferent. Even us, dear friends, must always take a position about Him. What should be our response? How should we welcome Him?

In this we are helped by the simplicity of the shepherds and by the search undertaken by the Magi who scrutinized the stars for the sign of God. We have an example in the docility of Mary and the wise prudence of Joseph.

The two millennia of Christian history are full of examples of men and women, youths and adults, children and old men, who believed the mystery of Christmas, opened their arms to Emmanuel, God-with-us, and became, with their lives, beacons of light and hope.

The love that Jesus, by being born in Bethlehehem, brought to this world, unites to Him all those who welcome Him in a lasting relationship of friendship and brotherhood.

St, John of the Cross says: "God, in giving us everything - that is, His Son - has thereby said everything. Keep your eye on Him only...and you will find even more than you ask and desire" (Ascent to Mt. Carmel, Book 1, Ep. 22, 4-5).

Dear brothers and sisters, at the start of this New Year, let us relive in us the commitment to open our minds and hearts to Christ, sincerely showing Him our will to live as His true friends. Thus we become collaborators in His plan for salvation, and so testify to the joy that He gives us that we may spread this in turn to everyone around us.

May Mary help us to open our hearts to Emmanuel who took on our poor and fragile humanity to share with us the difficult path of earthly existence. But in the company of Jesus, this difficult path becomes a joyous path. Let us proceed with Jesus, let us walk with HIm, so that the New Year may indeed be happy and good.


Later, he said this in English:

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

At this first Audience of the New Year, we continue our joyful reflection on the birth of our Redeemer. Gazing upon the helpless infant in the crib, alongside Mary and Joseph, we share their sense of wonder at God’s infinite goodness and gratuitous love.

In the words of Saint John’s first letter, "We love because he first loved us" (1 Jn 4:19). Jesus has pitched his tent among us and revealed to us the true face of the Father, drawing us ever more deeply into the mystery of his Kingdom.

Sadly, the light of Christ is not always accepted. In our own day, there are many who reject him or reduce him to a mere "teacher of wisdom", stripped of his divinity.

But Jesus is truly God and truly man, tirelessly proclaiming the Gospel to all people and challenging us to open our hearts to him. "To all who received him, he gave power to become children of God" (Jn 1:12).

What is our response to him? Let us follow the example of so many holy men and women throughout the history of the Church who have welcomed Emmanuel into their lives, becoming beacons of light and hope.

At the start of this new year, let us once more open our hearts and minds to him, so as to spread the joy of discipleship to those around us.

I greet the English-speaking visitors, including the pilgrims from Singapore and North America, especially the seminarians from Saint Meinrad School of Theology. I extend a particular welcome to the group from the American College in Louvain, here to celebrate the one hundred and fiftieth anniversary of their foundation.

May the peace of the new-born King fill your hearts, making you his witnesses in the world, and may God bless you abundantly throughout the year 2007.

Here is a translation of the message by the Holy Father at Angelus today:


Dear brothers and sisters!

The Solemnity of the Epiphany today celebrates the manifestation of Christ to the Magi, an event to which St. matthew gives great importance (cfr Mt 2,1-12).

He narrates in his Gospel that some "Magi" - probably Persian religious leaders - arrived in Jerusalem guided by a 'star,' a heavenly phenomenon interpreted by them as the sign of the birth of a new King of the Jews.

But nobody in the city knew anything. Indeed, the king in charge, Herod, was very disturbed by the news and thought up the 'massacre of the innnocents' to eliminate the rival who was newly born.

But the Magi trusted the Sacred Scriptures, particularly the prophesy of Micah according to which the Messiah would be born in Bethlehem, the city of David, situated 10 kms. south of Jerusalem (cfr Mic 5,1).

Proceeding in that direction, the Magi saw the 'star' again and, filled with joy, they followed it until it 'stopped' over a shed. They entered and found the Baby with Mary - they prostrated themselves in front of Him, and in tribute, they offered Him gold, frankincense and myrrh.

Why is this event so important? Because with it begins the adherence of pagan peoples to faith in Christ, according to the promise made by God to Abraham, about which the Book of Genesis says: "In you all the communities of the earth will find themselves blessed" (Gen 12,3).

If Mary, Joseph and the shepherds of Bethlehem represent the people of Israel welcoming the Lord, the Magi are the first of the Gentiles called to be part of the Church, the new people of God, based no longer on ethnic, linguistic or cultural homogeneity, but only on common faith in Jesus, Son of God.

The Epiphany of Christ, therefore, is at the same time the Epiphany of the Church, which means, a manifestation of its calling and universal mission.

In this context, I am happy to address my heartfelt greeting to our beloved brothers and sisters in the Oriental Churches who, following the Julian calendar, celebrate the Holy Nativity tomorrow. I wish them affectionately an abundance of peace and Christian prosperity.

Similarly, I wish to recall that on the occasion of the Epiphany, we celebrate the World Day of Missions for Children. It is the feast of Christian children who live the gift of faith with joy and who pray that the light of Jesus may reach all the children of the earth.

I thank the children of the "Holy Infancy," present in 110 countries, because they are cherished cooperators of the Gospel and apostles of Christian solidarity towards the most needy.

I encourage all educators to cultivate in children the missionary spirit, so that from among them may come passionate missionaries who will be witnesses to God's goodness and proclaimers of His love.

And now let us turn to the Virgin Mary, star of evangelization: Through her intercession, may Christians in every place on earth live as children of the Light and lead all men to Christ, true Light of the world.


Later, he said in English:

I am happy to greet all the English-speaking visitors present at this Angelus.

The celebration of the Epiphany of the Lord invites us to contemplate Jesus as the divine Saviour, the light that guides us on our journey to eternity.

May Christians everywhere draw nearer to Christ, pay homage to him in word and deed, and share joyfully with others the saving light of his Gospel!

I wish you all a pleasant stay in Rome!

After Holy Mass and administering Baptism to a group of babies in the Sistine Chapel today, the Holy Father led the Angelus from his study window overlooking St. Peter's Square. Here is a translation of his words before the prayer:



Dear brothers and sisters,

Today we celebrate the Baptism of the Lord, which closes the season of the Nativity. The liturgy offers us the story of Jesus's Baptism in the Jordan as recounted by St. Luke (cfr 3,15-16,21-22).

The evangelist narrates that while Jesus was in prayer, after having received Baptism among so many who were attracted by the preaching of the Precursor, the heavens opened and in the form of a dove, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him. And at that moment, a voice sounded from on high: "You are my beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased" (Lk 3,22).

The Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan is remembered and testified to, although in diffrent ways, by all four Evangelists. Indeed, it formed part of apostolic preaching, since it constituted the point of departure for the entire arch of words and deeds to which the Apostles had to bear witness (cfr Acts 1,21-22; 10,37-41).

The apostolic community considered it very important, not only because that moment - for the first time in history - was the manifestation of the mystery of the Trinity in a clear and complete manner, but also because that moment began the public ministry of Jesus along the roads of Palestine.

The baptism of Jesus in the Jordan is an anticipation of His baptism of blood on the Cross, and is also a symbol of the entire sacramental activity with which the Redeemer would realize the salvation of humanity.

That is why the patristic tradition has dedicated much interst to this feast, which is the Church's oldest feast after Easter.

"In the Baptism of Christ," today's liturgy chants, "the world is sanctified, sins are pardoned; in water and in the Spirit, we become new creatures" (Antiphon to the Benedictus, Office of Lauds).

There is a close relationship between the Baptism of Christ and our own Baptism. At the Jordan, the heavens opened (cfr Lk 3,21) to indicate that the Savior has opened to us the way of salvation and that we can walk along it, thanks precisely to our new birth 'in water and the Spirit" (Jn 3,5) which is realized in Baptism.

In Baptism, we become part of the mystical Body of Christ which is the Church; we die and resurrect with Him, we invest ourselves with Him, as the Apostle Paul underscores several times (cfr 1 Cor 12,13; Rm 6,3-5; Gal 3,27).

The commitment that comes from Baptism is to 'listen' to Jesus: meaning, to believe in Him and follow him obediently, doing His will, the will of God.

It is in this way that each one may aspire towards sainthood, a goal which, as the Second Vatican Council reminds us, constitutes the calling of all who are baptized.

May Mary - Mother of God's beloved Son - help us to be ever faithful to our Baptism.

After the Angelus prayer, the Holy Father noted:

This morning, as is customary during the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, I had the joy of baptizing some babies. I invite you to pray for these new Christians and for their parents and godparents. May the Virgin Mary watch over them always.

In English, he said:

I offer a warm welcome to the English-speaking visitors and pilgrims gathered for this Angelus prayer.

Today’s liturgical celebration of the Baptism of the Lord reminds us that through faith and baptism all humanity is called to share in the life of God revealed in Jesus Christ, the Eternal Son.

May this mystery of light inspire all of us to live fully the new life of grace bestowed upon us at our baptism and to be faithful witnesses of Christ before the world. God bless you and your families!

[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 08/01/2007 4.53]

Here is a translation of the Holy Father's catechesis at the General Audience held today in Aula Paolo VI.



Dear brothers and sisters,

After the time of festivities, we return today to our catecheses. I have meditated with you over the figures of the Twelve Apostles and St. Paul. We then started to reflect on other figures of the early Church, and today, we will look at St. Stephen, whose feast is celebrated by the Church the day after Christmas.

St. Stephen was the most representative of a group of seven companions. Tradition sees in them the seed of the future ministry if the diaconate, although we must point out that the term itself is not used in the Acts of the Apostles.

The importance of Stephen results nevertheless from the fact that Luke, in the Acts, devotes two entire chapters to him. The account of Luke starts off from the fact that there was an internal subdivision within the primitive Church of Jerusalem: yes, it was composed entirely of Christians with Jewish origin, but while some of them were natives of the land of Israel itself and were called Hebrews, others who had the Old Testament Jewish faith came from the Greek-speaking diaspora and were called Hellenists.

The problem then arose: the neediest among the Hellenists - especially widowers who had no social support - risked being neglected in being assisted for their daily sustenance. To remedy this, the Apostles - while reseerving to themselves (the duties of) prayer and the ministry of the Word as their central tasks - decided to entrust "seven men of good reputation, full of the Spirit and wisdom" to carry out the mission of assisting the needy (Acts 6, 2-4), that is to say, charitable social services.

The seven were: "Stephen, a man full of faith and the Holy Spirit; Phillip, Procurus, Nicanor, Timon, Parmenas and Nicholas. They presented themselves to the Apostles, who after praying, laid their hands on them" (Ats 6, 5-6).

The gesture of the laying of hands could have differnet meanings. In the Old Testament, the gesture meant above all transmitting an important task, as Moses did with Joshua (cfr Nm 27, 18-23), thus designating his successor.

In the same way, the Church of Antioch used this gesture to send Paul and Barnabas on their missions to other peoples of the world (cfr Acts 13,3). An analogous laying of hands on Timothy to entrust him with an official mission is referred to in the two Pauline letters addressed to him (cfr 1 Tm 4,14; 2 Tm 1,6).

We can deduce that this was an important action, to be done only after appropriate discernment, from the First Letter to Timothy: "Do not hasten to lay hands on anyone, so as not to make yourself party to the sins of others" (5,22).

So we see that the gesture of laying hands developed as a sacramental sign. In the case of Stephen and his companions, it certainly was an official transmission by the Apostles of a mission, as well as an invocation of grace to carry it out.

The most important thing to note is that, beyond charitable services, Stephen also carried out a task of evangelization among his co-nationals, the so-called Hellenists.

Luke, in fact, emphasizes that Stephen - "full of grace and strength" - presented in the name of Jesus a new interpretation of Moses and the Law of God, rereading the Old Testament in the light of the proclamation of Jesus's death and Resurrection.

This rereading of the old Testament, a Christological rereading, provoked reaction from the Jews who considered Stephen's words a blasphemy (cfr Acts 6,11-14). For this reason, he was sentenced to death by stoning.

St. Luke transmits to us the saint's last discourse, a synthesis of his preaching. As Jesus had shown His disciples at Emmaus that the whole of the Old Testmament referred to Him, to His Cross and His resurrection, St. Stephen, following Jesus's teaching, read all of the Old Testament in the Christological key.

He showed that the mystery of the Cross is at the center of the story of salvation as told in the Old Testament. He showed that truly, Jesus - He who was crucified and resurrected - was the central point of the whole story. He also said that the cult of the temple was over, and that Jesus, the Resurrected One, is the new and true 'Temple."

It was this No to the temple and its cult that provoked the condemnation of St. Stephen who, at this moment, according to St. Luke, looking up to heaven, saw the glory of God with Jesus at His right hand. Seeing Heaven, God and Jesus, St. Stephen said: "Behold, I see the heavens open and the Son of Man who is seated at the right hand of God" (Acts 7,56).

His martyrdom follows - something he modelled after the Passion of Jesus Himself, in that he gave up his spirit to "the Lord Jesus" and prayed that the sins of his executioners would not be visited on them (cfr Acts 7,59-60).

Stephen's place of martyrdom in Jerusalem is traditionally sited just outside the Damascus Gate in the north, site today of the churhch of St. Etienne (French for Stephen)next to the famed Bible School of the Dominicans.

The execution of St. Stpehen, first martyr for Christ, was followed by local persecution of Christ's followers (cfr Acts 8,1) - the first such verified in the history of the Church.It became the concrete occasion that impelled the group of Hebrew and Hellenist Christians to flee Jerusalem and be dispersed.

Hounded out of Jerusalem, therefore, they transformed themselves into itinerant missionaries: "Those who were dispersed went out among the nations and spread the Word of God" (Acts 8,4). Persecution and the resulting dispersion became mission.

Thus, the Gospel was propagated in Samaria, in Phoenicia, in Syria, and up to the great city of Antioch where, according to Luke, it was proclaimed for the first time even to pagans (cfr Acts 11,19-20), and where for the first time the word "Christians" was heard (Acts 11,26).

In particular, Luke reports that those who stoned Stephen "laid down their cloaks at the feet of a young man called Saul" (Acts 7,58), the same man who from being a persecutor of Christians would become the outstanding Apostle of the Gospel.

This means that the young Saul must have heard the preaching of Stephen and that he knew its principal contents. St. Paul was probably among those who, following and listening to such discourse, "trembled in their hearts and gnashed their teeth against him" (Acts 7,54).

At this point, we can see the wonders of Divine Providence. Saul, dogged adversary of St. Stephen's vision, after encountering the Risen Christ on the road to Damascus, would take up the Christological reading of the Old Testament by the protomartyr Stephen, he would deepen it and complete it, thus becoming the Apostle of the Gentiles.

The Law is fulfilled, he taught, in the cross of Christ. It is faith in Christ, communion with the love of Christ, which is the true fulfillment of all the Law. This is the content of Paul's preaching.

Thus he shows that the God of Abraham has become the God of all. And that all believers in Jesus Christ, as sons of Abraham, are participants in the promises made by the Lord. The vision of St. Stephen was fulfilled in the mission of St. Paul.

The story of Stephen tells us many things. For example, it tells us that one must never dissociate the social commitment of charity from the courageous proclamation of the faith. He was one of the seven who were entrusted primarily with charitable work. But it was not possible to dissociate charity and the Gospel.

And so with charity, he announced the Gospel of the crucified Christ, up to the point of accepting martyrdom himself. This is the first lesson we can learn from the figure of St. Stephen: charity and the Gospel always go together.

Above all, St. Stephen speaks to us of Christ, of the crucified and risen Christ as the center of history and of our life. We can understand from ths that the Cross remains central in the life of the Church and even in our personal life.

Suffering and persecution will never be absent from the history of the Church. Perescution itself becomes, according to a famous sentence by Tertullian, the spring of missions for new Christians. I quote his words: "We multiply every time one of us is mowed down: the blood of Christians is a seed" (Apologetics 50,13: Plures efficimur quoties metimur a vobis: semen est sanguis christianorum).

But even in our life, the Cross, which is never absent, becomes a blessing. Accepting the Cross, knowing that it becomes and is a blessing, we learn the joy of being Christian even in moments of difficulty. The value of Christian witness is irreplaceable because the Gospel leads to it and the Church is nourished by it.

St. Stephen teaches us to treasure these lessons, he teaches us to love the Cross, because it is the way through which Christ comes ever anew to be in our midst.


Later, he synthesized the catechesis in English:


Dear Brothers and Sisters,

In today’s catechesis we consider Saint Stephen, the first martyr. The Acts of the Apostles tells us that Stephen, "a man full of faith and of the Holy Spirit" (Acts 6:5), was one of seven men, traditionally considered the first "deacons", appointed by the Apostles to assist the Greek-speaking widows in the Jerusalem community. The Apostles then "prayed and laid their hands on them" (6:6) as the sign of handing on a specific office within the community as well as beseeching the grace necessary to fulfill it.

In addition to his ministry of charity, Stephen also preached the Gospel, and his fearless proclamation of Jesus as the fulfilment of the Mosaic law led to his death by stoning. His martyrdom in imitation of Christ unleashed a local persecution which resulted in the preaching of the Gospel beyond Jerusalem and, eventually, to the pagans.

As we know, Stephen’s death was witnessed by the young Saul, who, after his dramatic conversion to Christ, would take up and develop Stephen’s preaching of the Gospel as centred on faith in Christ, rather than the observance of the Law.

Stephen’s example shows us the inseparability of faith and charity, and reminds us that every persecution can become an opportunity for the spread of the Gospel and the growth of the Church. Let us have the courage to take up his example of bold witness!

I welcome all the English speaking visitors present at today’s Audience including the young members of the Focolare Movement. May your visit to Rome be a source of inspiration to renew your commitment to share the Good News of Jesus Christ. Upon all of you I invoke God’s blessings of joy and peace.


His brief message for Polish-speaking pilgrims was:

I greet the pilgrims coming from Poland. St. Stephen, deacon and first martyr of the Church, gives an example of faith, of a love-filled service to his fellowmen, of evangelical wisdom and of courage in testifying for Christ. May faith, love and wisdom unite all believers in Poland. God bless you.

[Modificato da TERESA BENEDETTA 10/01/2007 21.11]

Thanks for the translation of today's catechesis.

Hi Lori, glad to see you back here again.

Love your avatar!!!!!