Pope at Audience: "Jesus’ coming brings
consolation to thirsting world"
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis continued his catechesis
on the theme of 'Christian hope' at his Wednesday General Audience, saying the
Kingdom brought by Jesus at his birth calls us to be joyful heralds in a world
that “yearns for justice, truth, and peace”.
Pope Francis focused his reflection on the words of the
prophet Isaiah: "How beautiful upon the mountains, are the feet of the one
bringing good news" (Is 52:7,9-10).
He said these words help us prepare for the coming feast of
Christmas by opening ourselves to the hope of salvation.
The prophet calls God’s people to rejoice, for the Lord is
near, bringing freedom from exile and the promise of renewal and redemption for
the faithful “remnant” who continued to hope in his word.
Pope Francis noted how the prophet speaks “not of the
messenger but of the messenger’s feet”.
Comparing this to the spouse in the Song of Songs (Sg 2:8),
he said, “So also the messenger of peace races to bring the proclamation of
liberation, of salvation, and declaring that God reigns.”
The Pope said God’s kingdom means that “God has not
abandoned His people and has not let them be overcome by evil, because He is
faithful and His grace is greater than sin… And the fulfillment of so much love
will be exactly the Kingdom established by Jesus, that Kingdom of pardon and
peace, which we celebrate at Christmas and which is manifested conclusively in
Easter.”
“These,” he said, “are the reasons for our hope. When all
seems over, when in the face of so many negative realities faith grows weary
and the temptation to say that all has lost meaning comes, rather, [look to]
the good news brought by those quick feet: God is coming to make something new,
to establish a kingdom of peace. God has ‘extended His arm’ and brings liberty
and consolation.”
Pope Francis went on to say that, strengthened by this
promise, we can face difficulties in the confident knowledge that God’s reign
has begun, and that we ourselves are called to be its joyful heralds in a world
that “yearns for justice, truth, and peace”.
This Christmas, he said, may we open our hearts to the
message of salvation brought by the Christ Child, the Son of God who shows his
great power by embracing smallness, weakness, and poverty.
“This,” he concluded, “is the surprise of a child God, of a
poor God, of a weak God, of a God who abandons His greatness in order to draw
near to each of us.”
(Devin Sean Watkins)
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