Spiritual Reflections at, TX US - THE MEANING OF CHRISTMAS....

CHRISTMAS: FEAST OF RESTORED CREATION VATICAN CITY, DEC 24, 2007 (VIS) The Pope tonight celebrated Midnight Mass in the Vatican Basilica for the Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord. "The time came for Mary to be delivered. And she gave birth to her first-born Son and wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger, because there was no room for them in the inn," said the Pope, beginning his homily with a quote from the Gospel of Luke. "These words touch our heart every time we hear them" because "in some way mankind is awaiting God, waiting for Him to draw near. "But when the moment comes," the Pope added, "there is no room for Him. Man is so preoccupied with himself, he has such urgent need of all the space and all the time for his own things, that nothing remains for others - for his neighbor, for the poor, for God. And the richer men become, the more they fill up all the space by themselves. And the less room there is for others. "St. John, in his Gospel, went to the heart of the matter, giving added depth to St. Luke's brief account of the situation in Bethlehem: 'He came to His own home, and His own people received him not.' This refers first and foremost to Bethlehem," said the Holy Father, but "truly, it refers to all mankind: He through whom the world was made, the primordial Creator-Word, enters into the world, but He is not listened to, He is not received." "Thank God, this negative detail is not the only one, nor the last one that we find in the Gospel," said Pope Benedict, recalling "the maternal love of Mary, ... the fidelity of St. Joseph, the vigilance of the shepherds and ... the visit of the wise men." Hence, "there are those who receive Him, and thus, beginning with the stable, with the outside, there grows silently the new house, the new city, the new world. The message of Christmas makes us recognize the darkness of a closed world, and thereby no doubt illustrates a reality that we see daily. Yet it also tells us that God does not allow Himself to be shut out. He finds a space, even if it means entering through the stable; there are people who see His light and pass it on." The Pope continued: "In some Christmas scenes from the late Middle Ages and the early modern period, the stable is depicted as a crumbling palace. It is still possible to recognize its former splendor, but now it has become a ruin, the walls are falling down - in fact, it has become a stable. Although it lacks any historical basis, this metaphorical interpretation nevertheless expresses something of the truth that is hidden in the mystery of Christmas." In the stable of Bethlehem, in the city of King David, "the Davidic kingship started again in a new way," the Holy Father explained. "The new throne from which this David will draw the world to himself is the Cross." And the new palace is "different from what people imagine a palace and royal power ought to be like. It is the community of those who allow themselves to be drawn by Christ's love and so become one body with Him, a new humanity. The power that comes from the Cross, the power of self-giving goodness, this is the true kingship." "Gregory of Nyssa, in his Christmas homilies, developed the same vision setting out from the Christmas message in the Gospel of John: 'He pitched His tent among us'," said the Holy Father. "Gregory applies this passage about the tent to the tent of our body, which has become worn out and weak, exposed everywhere to pain and suffering. And he applies it to the whole universe, torn and disfigured by sin. What would he say if he could see the state of the world today, through the abuse of energy and its selfish and reckless exploitation?" "Thus, according to Gregory's vision, the stable in the Christmas message represents the ill-treated world. What Christ rebuilds is no ordinary palace. He came to restore beauty and dignity to creation, to the universe: this is what began at Christmas and makes the angels rejoice. The earth is restored to good order by virtue of the fact that it is opened up to God, it obtains its true light anew, and in the harmony between human will and divine will, in the unification of height and depth, it regains its beauty and dignity. Thus Christmas is a feast of restored creation." HML/CHRISTMAS/... VIS 071228 (780) GOD OFFERS HIMSELF AS SURE HOPE FOR SALVATION VATICAN CITY, DEC 25, 2007 (VIS) - At midday today, Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord, the Holy Father pronounced his traditional Christmas Message from the central loggia of the Vatican Basilica, and imparted the "Urbi et Orbi" blessing. Extracts of the Message are given below: "'A holy day has dawned upon us.' A day of great hope: today the Savior of mankind is born. The birth of a child normally brings a light of hope to those who are waiting anxiously. "The Creator of man became man in order to bring peace to the world. ... It is only the 'great' light manifested in Christ that can give 'true' peace to men: that is why every generation is called to welcome it, to welcome the God Who in Bethlehem became one of us." And, "if we are to recognize it, if we are to receive it, faith is needed and humility is needed." "Now, on this Christmas Day, when the joyful news of His saving birth continues to resound, who is ready to open the doors of his heart to the holy Child? ... Who is waiting for the dawn of the new day, keeping alight the flame of faith? Who has time to listen to His word and to become enfolded and entranced by His love? Yes! His message of peace is for everyone; He comes to offer himself to all people as sure hope for salvation." "May the light of Christ, which comes to enlighten every human being, shine forth and bring consolation to those who live in the darkness of poverty, injustice and war; to those who are still denied their legitimate aspirations for a more secure existence, for health, education, stable employment, for fuller participation in civil and political responsibilities, free from oppression and protected from conditions that offend against human dignity. "It is the most vulnerable members of society - women, children, the elderly - who are so often the victims of brutal armed conflicts, terrorism and violence of every kind, which inflict such terrible sufferings on entire populations. At the same time, ethnic, religious and political tensions, instability, rivalry, disagreements, and all forms of injustice and discrimination are destroying the internal fabric of many countries and embittering international relations. Throughout the world the number of migrants, refugees and evacuees is also increasing because of frequent natural disasters, often caused by alarming environmental upheavals. "On this day of peace, my thoughts turn especially to those places where the grim sound of arms continues to reverberate; to the tortured regions of Darfur, Somalia, the north of the Democratic Republic of Congo, the border between Eritrea and Ethiopia; to the whole of the Middle East - especially Iraq, Lebanon and the Holy Land; to Afghanistan, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, to the Balkans and to many other crisis situations that unfortunately are frequently forgotten. "May the Child Jesus bring relief to those who are suffering and may He bestow upon political leaders the wisdom and courage to seek and find humane, just and lasting solutions. "To the thirst for meaning and value so characteristic of today's world, to the search for prosperity and peace that marks the lives of all mankind, to the hopes of the poor: Christ - true God and true Man - responds with His Nativity. Neither individuals nor nations should be afraid to recognize and welcome Him." "Brothers and sisters from every continent, allow the light of this day to spread everywhere: may it enter our hearts, may it brighten and warm our homes, may it bring serenity and hope to our cities, and may it give peace to the world. This is my earnest wish for you who are listening. A wish that grows into a humble and trustful prayer to the Child Jesus, that His light will dispel all darkness from your lives and fill you with love and peace." Following his Message, the Pope extended Christmas greetings in 63 languages and imparted the "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world) blessing. MESS/URBI ET ORBI/... VIS 071228 (690) JOY OF CHRISTMAS PROMPTS US TO ANNOUNCE THE LORD VATICAN CITY, DEC 23, 2007 (VIS) - At midday today, in remarks before praying the Angelus with pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square, the Holy Father recalled that on the Solemnity of the Lord's Nativity we celebrate "the great mystery of love, which never ceases to amaze us. God became the Son of man that we may become children of God." "The evangelizing mission of the Church," the Pope said, "is a response to the cry 'come, Lord Jesus,' which traverses the entire history of salvation and continues to rise from the lips of believers. Come, Lord, to transform our hearts, that justice and peace may spread through the world. "This," the Holy Father added, "is what the 'Doctrinal Note on some aspects of evangelization,' recently published by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, seeks to recall. The document aims, in fact, to remind all Christians - in a situation in which the raison d'etre of evangelization is unclear even to many faithful - that 'the acceptance of the Good News in faith,' of itself leads people to communicate the salvation they have received as a gift." "To be touched by the presence of God, Who draws close to us at Christmas, is a priceless gift. ... There is nothing more beautiful, urgent and important than freely to pass on to mankind what we have freely received from God. Nothing can excuse or relieve us from this difficult but fascinating task. The joy of Christmas, ... while filling us with hope, at the same time prompts us to announce to everyone the presence of God among us." ANG/CHRISTMAS/... VIS 071228 (280) THE LIGHT OF BETHLEHEM HAS NEVER BEEN EXTINGUISHED VATICAN CITY, DEC 25, 2005 (VIS) - The Holy Father celebrated Midnight Mass in the Vatican Basilica for the Solemnity of the Lord's Nativity. During the "Gloria", children coming from the five continents deposited flowers before the image of the Baby Jesus. After the Gospel, Benedict XVI addressed the homily, the salient paragraphs being given below: "The Lord said to me: You are my son; this day I have begotten you". With these words of the second Psalm, the Church begins the Vigil Mass of Christmas, at which we celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ our Redeemer in a stable in Bethlehem. This Psalm was once a part of the coronation rite of the kings of Judah. The people of Israel, in virtue of its election, considered itself in a special way a son of God, adopted by God. Just as the king was the personification of the people, his enthronement was experienced as a solemn act of adoption by God, whereby the King was in some way taken up into the very mystery of God. At Bethlehem night, these words, which were really more an expression of hope than a present reality, took on new and unexpected meaning. The Child lying in the manger is truly God's Son. God is not eternal solitude but rather a circle of love and mutual self-giving". "But there is more: in Jesus Christ, the Son of God, God himself became man. (...) God's everlasting today has come down into the fleeting today of the world and lifted our momentary today into God's eternal today. God is so great that he can become small. God is so powerful that he can make himself vulnerable and come to us as a defenceless child, so that we can love him. (...) This is Christmas: "You are my son, this day I have begotten you". God has become one of us, so that we can be with him and become like him. As a sign, he chose the Child lying in the manger (...) And on every child shines something of the splendour of that "today", of that closeness of God which we ought to love and to which we must yield - it shines on every child, even on those still unborn". "Let us listen to a second phrase from the liturgy of this holy Night, one taken from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah: "Upon the people who walked in darkness a great light has shone". (...) But first, light means knowledge; it means truth, as contrasted with the darkness of falsehood and ignorance. Light gives us life, it shows us the way. But light, as a source of heat, also means love. Where there is love, light shines forth in the world; where there is hatred, the world remains in darkness. In the stable of Bethlehem there appeared the great light which the world awaits". "The light of Bethlehem has never been extinguished. In every age it has touched men and women, "it has shone around them". Wherever people put their faith in that Child, charity also sprang up - charity towards others, loving concern for the weak and the suffering, the grace of forgiveness. From Bethlehem a stream of light, love and truth spreads through the centuries. (...) In that Child, God countered the violence of this world with his own goodness. He calls us to follow that Child". "On this night, when we look towards Bethlehem, let us pray in a special way for the birthplace of our Redeemer and for the men and women who live and suffer there. We wish to pray for peace in the Holy Land: Look, O Lord, upon this corner of the earth, your homeland, which is so very dear to you! Let your light shine upon it! Let it know peace!" "The word "peace" brings us to a third key to the liturgy of this holy Night. The Child foretold by Isaiah is called "Prince of Peace". His kingdom is said to be one "of endless peace". The shepherds in the Gospel hear the glad tidings: "Glory to God in the highest" and "on earth, peace...". At one time we used to say: "to men of good will". Nowadays we say "to those whom God loves". What does this change mean?" (...) We would do better to ask: who are those whom God loves, and why does he love them? (...) The Gospel answers these questions by pointing to some particular people whom God loves. There are individuals, like Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth, Zechariah, Simeon and Anna. But there are also two groups of people: the shepherds and the wise men from the East, the Magi". "Tonight let us look at the shepherds. (...) In the world of their time, shepherds were looked down upon; they were considered untrustworthy and not admitted as witnesses in court. But really, who were they? To be sure, they were not great saints, if by that word we mean people of heroic virtue. They were simple souls. The Gospel sheds light on one feature which later on, in the words of Jesus, would take on particular importance: they were people who were watchful. This was chiefly true in a superficial way: they kept watch over their flocks by night. But it was also true in a deeper way: they were ready to receive God's word. Their life was not closed in on itself; their hearts were open. In some way, deep down, they were waiting for him. Their watchfulness was a kind of readiness - a readiness to listen and to set out. They were waiting for a light which would show them the way. That is what is important for God. He loves everyone, because everyone is his creature". "Among Christians, the word "peace" has taken on a very particular meaning: it has become a name for the Eucharist. There Christ's peace is present. In all the places where the Eucharist is celebrated, a great network of peace spreads through the world. The communities gathered around the Eucharist make up a kingdom of peace as wide as the world itself. When we celebrate the Eucharist we find ourselves in Bethlehem, in the house of bread". HML/MIDNIGHT MASS/... VIS 051228 (1045) MODERN AND ADULT MAN, TRUST IN THE CHILD OF BETHLEHEM VATICAN CITY, DEC 25, 2005 (VIS) - At noon today, the Solemnity of the Lord's Birth, the Pope addressed the traditional Nativity message from the central balcony of the Vatican Basilica, the first one of his pontificate and transmitted by 111 television stations from 68 nations. The Holy Father said: "On this solemn day, the Angel's proclamation rings out once again, inviting us, the men and women of the third millennium, to welcome the Saviour. May the people of today's world not hesitate to let him enter their homes, their cities, their nations, everywhere on earth!". Benedict XVI stated that "men and women in our technological age risk becoming victims of their own intellectual and technical achievements, ending up in spiritual barrenness and emptiness of heart. That is why it is so important for us to open our minds and hearts to the Birth of Christ, this event of salvation which can give new hope to the life of each human being". He exhorted: "Wake up, O men and women of the third millennium! At Christmas, the Almighty becomes a child and asks for our help and protection. His way of showing that he is God challenges our way of being human. By knocking at our door, he challenges us and our freedom; he calls us to examine how we understand and live our lives." "Men and women of today, humanity come of age yet often still so frail in mind and will, let the Child of Bethlehem take you by the hand! Do not fear; put your trust in him! The life-giving power of his light is an incentive for building a new world order based on just ethical and economic relationships. May his love guide every people on earth and strengthen their common consciousness of being a family called to foster relationships of trust and mutual support". The Pope assured that "a united humanity will be able to confront the many troubling problems of the present time: from the menace of terrorism to the humiliating poverty in which millions of human beings live, from the proliferation of weapons to the pandemics and the environmental destruction which threatens the future of our planet". Looking at the situations in the different continents, the Holy Father asked "for peace, integral development and the prevention of fratricidal conflicts, for the consolidation of the present, still fragile political transitions, and the protection of the most elementary rights of those experiencing tragic humanitarian crises, such as those in Darfur and in other regions of central Africa". Benedict XVI also asked God to "lead the peoples of Latin America to live in peace and harmony. May he grant courage to people of good will in the Holy Land, in Iraq, in Lebanon, where signs of hope, which are not lacking, need to be confirmed by actions inspired by fairness and wisdom; may he favour the process of dialogue on the Korean Peninsula and elsewhere in the countries of Asia, so that, by the settlement of dangerous disputes, consistent and peaceful conclusions can be reached in a spirit of friendship, conclusions which their peoples expectantly await". The Pope also imparted his blessing "Urbi et Orbi" (to Rome and to the World) with this message in 32 languages. MESS/URBI ET ORBI/... VIS 051228 (560) TO LIVE THE GOSPEL COHERENTLY BEARS A HIGH PRICE VATICAN CITY, DEC 26, 2005 (VIS) - At noon today, before thousands of people convened in Saint Peter's Square, the Pope spoke these words before the Angelus: "After having celebrated the solemnity of Christ's Birth yesterday, today we remember Saint Stephen's rise to heaven, the first martyr". "In an atmosphere of Christmas joy, remembering the martyrdom of Saint Stephen should not seem out of place. In fact, already the shadow of the Cross falls over the Manger in Bethlehem. This is announced by the poverty of the stall where the Baby cries, the prophecy by Simeon about the contradiction and the sword destined to pierce the Virgin's soul, the persecution by Herod that will make flight from Egypt a necessity". Benedict XVI pointed out that "we should not be surprised if one day, this Child, becoming an adult, would ask his disciples to follow him on the path of the Cross with complete trust and faithfulness. Attracted by his example and supported by the love of many Christians, already from the beginning of Christianity, they would testify their faith with a profusion of blood. Other martyrs followed the first ones throughout the centuries until today". "How can we avoid acknowledging that also today, in various parts of the world, to profess the Christian faith requires the heroism of martyrs? How can we not say that everywhere, even where there is no persecution, to live the Gospel with coherence bears a high cost with it?". "Contemplating the Divine Child in Mary's arms and looking at the example of Saint Stephen, we ask God for the grace to live our faith with coherence, always ready to answer anybody asking us the reason for the hope which is in us". ANG/SAINT STEPHEN/... VIS 051228 (300) CHRIST COMES TO BRING US PEACE by Pope John Paul II: GO JOYFULLY TO THE MANGER IN BETHLEHEM TO BE WITH JESUS VATICAN CITY, DEC 29, 2004 (VIS) - In the last general audience of this year, celebrated in the Paul VI Hall, the Holy Father spoke about contemplating the birth of Jesus in the manger. Before a crowd of 6,500 people, John Paul II said that "on that holy night, God spoke his definitive Word of salvation to humanity in every age and place. ... The liturgy in this period is a meditation on the mystery of the Incarnation." "Let us linger before the nativity scene! In this traditional representation of the nativity 'the Eternal and Omnipotent Creator' speaks to us through His Son, Lord of the universe, who became a child living among us. Mary, his mother, is the first to receive Him and present Him to the world. Near her, we see St. Joseph, called to act as the father and guardian of our Redeemer." The Pope said that the scene is completed by the angels who "proclaim glory to God and peace to mankind, and the shepherds, who represent the humble and poor. The Magi will soon arrive from afar to adore the King of the universe." "The liturgy of Christmastime invites us to go joyfully to the manger in Bethlehem to meet Jesus, our Savior. Come all ye faithful! Come and let us adore Jesus the Lord! Let us open the doors of our hearts so that He may accompany us now and during the new year which is about to begin." Throughout the 26 years of his pontificate, John Paul II has met with 17.5 million people in 1,160 general audiences. In 2004, more than 2,200,000 faithful participated in public gatherings with the Holy Father. AG/CHRISTMAS/...VIS 041229(260) Pope John Paul II says that the words of the prophet Isaiah, "'for to us a child is born to us a son is given', contain the truth of Christmas... A Child is born. In appearance, just another of the world's many children. A Child is born in a stable in Bethlehem. He is born in a condition of extreme deprivation: poor among the poor. But the One who is born is 'the Son' par excellence... Like the unnamed and fortunate shepherds, let us too run to meet the One who has changed the course of history." "O Child, who willed to have a manger for your crib," he exclaimed. "O Creator of the universe, who stripped yourself of divine glory; O Redeemer, who offered your vulnerable body in sacrifice for the salvation of humanity! May the radiance of your birth light up the night of the world. May the power of your message of love thwart the proud snares of the evil one. May the gift of your life make us understand ever more clearly the worth of the life of each human being." "Too much blood is still being shed on the earth! Too much violence and too many conflicts trouble the peaceful coexistence of nations! You come to bring us peace. You are our peace! You alone can make of us 'a people purified' and belonging to you for ever, a people 'zealous for good deeds'." The Pope asked Our Lady to give us her "eyes to contemplate him with faith; grant us your heart to worship him with love. In his simplicity, the Child of Bethlehem teaches us to rediscover the real meaning of our existence." "O Holy Night, so long awaited, which has united God and man forever! You rekindle our hope. You fill us with ecstatic wonder," he concluded. "You assure us of the triumph of love over hatred, of life over death." 1. "To us a child is born, to us a son is given" (Is 9:5). Today the mystery of Christmas is renewed: this Child who brings salvation to the world is also born for the men and women of our own time, bringing joy and peace for all. We approach the crib with emotion; together with Mary we go to meet the Long-Awaited of the Nations, the Redeemer of humanity. "Cum Maria contemplemur Christi vultum." With Mary let us contemplate the face of Christ: in that Child, wrapped in swaddling cloths and laid in the manger (cf. Lk 2:7), it is God himself who comes to visit us, to guide our feet in the way of peace (cf. Lk 1:79). Mary watches him, caresses him and keeps him warm, pondering the meaning of the wondrous signs which surround the mystery of Christmas. 2. Christmas is a mystery of joy! The Angels sang in the night: "Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom he is pleased" (Lk 2:14). To the shepherds they described the event as "a great joy for all the people" (cf. Lk 2:10). Joy, despite distance from home, the poverty of the manger, people's indifference, the hostility of power. A mystery of joy nonetheless, for in the City of David "to you is born this day a Saviour" (Lk 2:11). The Church shares in this same joy, surrounded today by the light of the Son of God: the darkness can never obscure it. It is the glory of the Eternal Word, who out of love has become one of us. 3. Christmas is a mystery of love! The love of the Father, who has sent into the world his only-begotten Son, to bestow on us the gift of his own life (cf. 1 Jn 4:8-9). The love of "God-with-us", Emmanuel, who came to earth in order to die on the Cross. In the cold stable, wrapped in silence, the Virgin Mother, with prophetic intuition, already tastes the violent drama of Calvary, the traumatic struggle between darkness and light, between death and life, between hatred and love. The Prince of Peace, born today in Bethlehem, will give his life on Golgotha, so that love may reign on earth. 4. Christmas is a mystery of peace! From the cave of Bethlehem there rises today an urgent appeal to the world not to yield to mistrust, suspicion and discouragement, even though the tragic reality of terrorism feeds uncertainties and fears. Believers of all religions, together with men and women of good will, by outlawing all forms of intolerance and discrimination, are called to build peace: in the Holy Land, above all, to put an end once and for all to the senseless spiral of blind violence, and in the Middle East, to extinguish the ominous smouldering of a conflict which, with the joint efforts of all, can be avoided; in Africa too, where devastating famines and tragic internal conflicts are aggravating the already precarious conditions of entire peoples, although here and there signs of hope are present; in Latin America, in Asia, in other parts of the world, where political, economic and social crises disturb the serenity of many families and nations. May humanity accept the Christmas message of peace! 5. Adorable mystery of the Incarnate Word! Together with you, O Virgin Mother, may we stop and reflect at the manger where the Child lies, to share your own amazement at the immense "condescension" of God. Grant us your own eyes, O Mary, that we may understand the mystery hidden within the frail limbs of your Son. Teach us to recognize his face in the children of every race and culture. Help us to be credible witnesses of his message of peace and love, so that the men and women of our own time, still torn by conflicts and unspeakable violence, may also recognize in the Child cradled in your arms the one Saviour of the world, the endless source of that true peace for which every heart profoundly yearns. When giving his greeting in 62 languages, the Pope said in English: "May the birth of the Prince of Peace remind the world where its true happiness lies; and may your hearts be filled with hope and joy, for the Saviour has been born for us." [Translation by the Vatican Press Office] The Birth of Jesus Shows the Depth of God's Love for Us.. "Let us rejoice and be glad in the Lord, for eternal salvation has appeared in the world, alleluia." With these words the liturgy invites us to remain absorbed in the "holy joy" of Christmas. This ex- hortation directs us to live it entirely in the light of Christ, whose salvation appeared in the world for all human beings. The Christmas season, in fact, once again brings Jesus' mystery and His work of salvation to the attention of Christians. Before the manger, the Church adores the august mystery of the Incarnation: the Child stirring in Mary's arms is the Eternal Word who has entered time and taken on human nature wounded by sin, to unite it to Himself and redeem it. Every human reality and every temporal event thus acquire an eternal resonance: in the person of the Incarnate Word creation is wondrously exalted. St Augustine writes: "God became man so that man might become God". Between heaven and earth a bridge has been built forever: in the God-Man humanity rediscovers the way to heaven. Mary's Son is the universal Mediator, the Supreme Pontiff. This Child's every act is a mystery meant to reveal God s unfathomable benevolence. At the stable in Bethlehem, the infinite love God has for every human being is expressed with disarming simplicity. In the manger we contemplate God made man for us. St. Francis of Assisi had the idea of portraying this message in a live nativity scene at Greccio on December 25, 1223. His biographer, Thomas of Celano, relates that he was radiant with joy because that moving scene shone with Gospel simplicity, poverty was praised and humility recommended. The biographer ends by noting that "after the solemn vigil, everyone went home filled with unspeakable joy." St. Francis' insight is surprising: the manger is not only a new Bethlehem because it recalls the historical event and makes present its message, but it is also an occasion of joy and consolation: it is the day of joy, the time of exultation. Thomas of Celano further observes that that Christmas night was as clear as broad day and sweet to men and animals. The crib celebrates the covenant between God and man, between heaven and earth. Bethlehem, a place of joy, also becomes a school of goodness, because the mercy and love that joins God to His children are expressed there. It visibly demonstrates the brotherhood that must bind all who are brothers and sisters in faith, since they are all children of the one heavenly Father. In this place of communion, Bethlehem shines as the house where everyone can find nourishment and the paschal mystery of the Eucharist is, in a certain way, already foretold. In Bethlehem, as if on a symbolic altar, the undying Life is already celebrated and the people of all time are granted, as it were, a foretaste of the food of immortality, which is "the pilgrims' food, truly bread for sons" (Sequence for Corpus Christi). Only the Redeemer, born in Bethlehem, can fulfill the deepest longings of the human heart and soothe its sufferings and wounds. At the stable in Bethlehern, we contemplate Mary, who brought forth the Son of God by the power of the Holy Spirit. "The woman who was docile to the voice of the Spirit, a woman of silence and attentiveness, a woman of hope who, like Abraham, accepted God's will 'hoping against hope' (cf. Romans 4:18)." Our Lady shines out as a model to all who wholeheartedly put their trust in God's promises. With her and Joseph, we remain in adoration before the manger of Bethlehem, as we imploringly call upon heaven: "Let your face shine upon us and save us, Lord!" Consoled by the gift of the Savior's birth, let us open our heart to Christ, the one, universal way that leads to God. Thus we can continue in the new year with steadfast confidence. May the powerful intercession of Mary, the faithful Virgin, the silent witness to the mystery of Bethlehem, sustain us on our way. --Pope John Paul II to a General Audience, Rome 1/3,01/ Prayer as we begin the New year 2006: Redeemer Lord, you came among us as one of us, to bring good news to the poor, to proclaim release to captives, to give new sight to the blind, to let the oppressed go free and to proclaim the year of the Lord's favor. Be with us, your disciples, as we celebrate the jubilee of your birth. Strengthen our faith in you. Deepen our commitment to the call of our baptism to bring your good news to the world. Lead us to greater union with you, that we may be gospel people, seeking reconciliation and transforming the world through our actions for justice and peace. May you truly bring about, through us, the Lord's year of favor. We ask this in your name, Jesus, who is the Christ yesterday, today and forever. Amen.

(Back)