Pope delivers Christmas Urbi et Orbi
message
(Vatican
Radio) Pope Francis this Christmas day delivered his Urbi et Orbi message, (to
the city and the world) from the central loggia of St Peter's Basilica. In it
he prayed that recent U.N.-backed peace agreements for Syria and Libya
would quickly end the suffering of their people.
He
also spoke about the ``brutal acts of terrorism'' that struck the French
capital this year as well as conflicts in Africa, the Mideast and
Ukraine.
Below
is the English translation of the Pope's message
Message
of His Holiness Pope Francis
Urbi
et Orbi
25
December 2015
Dear
brothers and sisters, Happy Christmas!
Christ is born for us, let us rejoice in the day of our salvation!
Let us open our hearts to receive the grace of this day, which is Christ
himself. Jesus is the radiant “day” which has dawned on the horizon of
humanity. A day of mercy, in which God our Father has revealed his great
tenderness to the entire world. A day of light, which dispels the
darkness of fear and anxiety. A day of peace, which makes for encounter,
dialogue and reconciliation. A day of joy: a “great joy” for the poor,
the lowly and for all the people (cf. Lk 2:10).
On this day, Jesus, the Saviour is born of
the Virgin Mary. The Crib makes us see the “sign” which God has given us:
“a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger” (Lk 2:12).
Like the shepherds of Bethlehem, may we too set out to see this sign, this
event which is renewed yearly in the Church. Christmas is an event which
is renewed in every family, parish and community which receives the love of God
made incarnate in Jesus Christ. Like Mary, the Church shows to everyone
the “sign” of God: the Child whom she bore in her womb and to whom she gave
birth, yet who is the Son of the Most High, since he “is of the Holy Spirit”
(Mt 1:20). He is truly the Saviour, for he is the Lamb of God who takes
upon himself the sin of the world (cf. Jn 1:29). With the shepherds, let
us bow down before the Lamb, let us worship God’s goodness made flesh, and let
us allow tears of repentance to fill our eyes and cleanse our hearts.
He alone, he alone can save us. Only
God’s mercy can free humanity from the many forms of evil, at times monstrous
evil, which selfishness spawns in our midst. The grace of God can convert
hearts and offer mankind a way out of humanly insoluble situations.
Where
God is born, hope is born. Where God is born, peace is born. And
where peace is born, there is no longer room for hatred and for war. Yet
precisely where the incarnate Son of God came into the world, tensions and
violence persist, and peace remains a gift to be implored and built. May
Israelis and Palestinians resume direct dialogue and reach an agreement which
will enable the two peoples to live together in harmony, ending a conflict
which has long set them at odds, with grave repercussions for the entire
region.
We
pray to the Lord that the agreement reached in the United Nations may succeed
in halting as quickly as possible the clash of arms in Syria and in remedying
the extremely grave humanitarian situation of its suffering people. It is
likewise urgent that the agreement on Libya be supported by all, so as to
overcome the grave divisions and violence afflicting the country. May the
attention of the international community be unanimously directed to ending the
atrocities which in those countries, as well as in Iraq, Libya, Yemen and
sub-Saharan Africa, even now reap numerous victims, cause immense suffering and
do not even spare the historical and cultural patrimony of entire
peoples. My thoughts also turn to those affected by brutal acts of
terrorism, particularly the recent massacres which took place in Egyptian
airspace, in Beirut, Paris, Bamako and Tunis.
To
our brothers and sisters who in many parts of the world are being persecuted
for their faith, may the Child Jesus grant consolation and strength.
We
also pray for peace and concord among the peoples of the Democratic Republic of
Congo, Burundi and South Sudan, that dialogue may lead to a strengthened common
commitment to the building of civil societies animated by a sincere spirit of
reconciliation and of mutual understanding.
May
Christmas also bring true peace to Ukraine, offer comfort to those suffering
from the effects of the conflict, and inspire willingess to carry out the
agreements made to restore concord in the entire country.
May
the joy of this day illumine the efforts of the Colombian people so that,
inspired by hope, they may continue their commitment to working for the
desired peace.
Where
God is born, hope is born; and where hope is born, persons regain their
dignity. Yet even today great numbers of men and woman are deprived of
their human dignity and, like the child Jesus, suffer cold, poverty, and
rejection. May our closeness today be felt by those who are most
vulnerable, especially child soldiers, women who suffer violence, and the
victims of human trafficking and the drug trade.
Nor
may our encouragement be lacking to all those fleeing extreme poverty or war,
travelling all too often in inhumane conditions and not infrequently at the
risk of their lives. May God repay all those, both individuals and
states, who generously work to provide assistance and welcome to the numerous
migrants and refugees, helping them to build a dignified future for themselves
and for their dear ones, and to be integrated in the societies which receive
them.
On
this festal day may the Lord grant renewed hope to all those who lack
employment; may he sustain the commitment of those with public responsibilities
in political and economic life, that they may work to pursue the common good
and to protect the dignity of every human life.
Where
God is born, mercy flourishes. Mercy is the most precious gift which God
gives us, especially during this Jubilee year in which we are called to
discover that tender love of our heavenly Father for each of us. May the
Lord enable prisoners in particular to experience his merciful love, which
heals wounds and triumphs over evil.
Today,
then, let us together rejoice in the day of our salvation. As we
contemplate the Crib, let us gaze on the open arms of Jesus, which show us the
merciful embrace of God, as we hear the cries of the Child who whispers to us:
“for my brethren and companions’ sake, I will say: Peace be within you” (Ps
121[122]:8).
Không có nhận xét nào:
Đăng nhận xét