[Click to watch video of Pope's Christmas message. Audio delay at beginning]
DECEMBER
25, 2019 12:20ZENIT STAFFPAPAL TEXTS
At noon
today from the central loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Francis addressed
the following Christmas Message to the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square.
“The
people who walked in darkness have seen a great light” (Is 9:1)
Dear
Brothers and Sisters, Merry Christmas!
From
the womb of Mother Church, the incarnate Son of God is born anew this night.
His name is Jesus, which means: “God saves”. The Father, eternal and infinite
Love, has sent him into the world not to condemn the world but to save it
(cf. Jn 3:17). The Father has given him to us with great
mercy. He has given him to everyone. He has given him forever. The Son is born,
like a small light flickering in the cold and darkness of the night.
That
Child, born of the Virgin Mary, is the Word of God made flesh. The Word who
guided Abraham’s heart and steps towards the promised land, and who continues
to draw to himself all those who trust in God’s promises. The Word who led the
Hebrews on the journey from slavery to freedom and who continues to call the
enslaved in every age, including our own, to come forth from their prisons. He
is the Word brighter than the sun, made incarnate in a tiny son of man: Jesus
the light of the world.
This is
why the prophet cries out: “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great
light” (Is 9:1). There is darkness in human hearts, yet the light
of Christ is greater still. There is darkness in personal, family and social
relationships, but the light of Christ is greater. There is darkness in
economic, geopolitical and ecological conflicts, yet greater still is the light
of Christ.
May
Christ bring his light to the many children suffering from war and conflicts in
the Middle East and in various countries of the world. May he bring comfort to
the beloved Syrian people who still see no end to the hostilities that have
rent their country over the last decade. May he stir the consciences of men and
women of good will. May he inspire governments and the international community
to find solutions to allow the peoples of that region to live together in peace
and security, and put an end to their sufferings. May he sustain the Lebanese
people and enable them to overcome the current crisis and rediscover their
vocation to be a message of freedom and harmonious coexistence for all.
May the Lord Jesus bring light to the Holy Land, where he was born as
the Saviour of mankind, and where so many people – struggling but not
discouraged – still await a time of peace, security and prosperity. May he
bring consolation to Iraq amid its present social tensions, and to Yemen,
suffering from a grave humanitarian crisis.
May the tiny Babe of Bethlehem bring hope to the whole
American continent, where a number of nations are experiencing a time of social
and political upheaval. May he encourage the beloved Venezuelan people, long
tried by their political and social tensions, and ensure that they receive the
aid they need. May he bless the efforts of those who spare no effort to promote
justice and reconciliation and to overcome the various crises and the many
forms of poverty that offend the dignity of each person.
May the
Redeemer of the world bring light to beloved Ukraine, which yearns for concrete
solutions for an enduring peace. May the
newborn Lord bring light to the people of Africa, where persistent social and
political situations often force individuals to migrate, depriving them of a
home and family. May he bring peace to those living in the eastern part of the
Democratic Republic of the Congo, torn by continuing conflicts. May he bring
consolation to all who suffer because of violence, natural disasters or
outbreaks of disease. And may he bring comfort to those who are persecuted for
their religious faith, especially missionaries and members of the faithful who
have been kidnapped, and to the victims of attacks by extremist groups,
particularly in Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger and Nigeria.
May the
Son of God, come down to earth from heaven, protect and sustain all those who,
due to these and other injustices, are forced to emigrate in the hope of a
secure life. It is injustice that makes them cross deserts and seas that become
cemeteries. It is injustice that forces them to ensure unspeakable forms of
abuse, enslavement of every kind and torture in inhumane detention camps. It is
injustice that turns them away from places where they might have hope for a
dignified life, but instead find themselves before walls of indifference.
May
Emmanuel bring light to all the suffering members of our human family. May he
soften our often stony and self-centred hearts, and make them channels of his
love. May he bring his smile, through our poor faces, to all the children of
the world: to those who are abandoned and those who suffer violence. Through
our frail hands, may he clothe those who have nothing to wear, give bread to
the hungry and heal the sick. Through our friendship, such as it is, may he
draw close to the elderly and the lonely, to migrants and the marginalized. On
this joyful Christmas Day, may he bring his tenderness to all and brighten the darkness
of this world.
[Original text: Italian]
DECEMBER
25, 2019 12:20PAPAL TEXTS
