Spiritual Reflections at, TX US - Christmas Reflections

THE INCARNATION: THE SON OF GOD'S MOST PERFECT GIFT VATICAN CITY, DEC 15, 2006 (VIS) - Yesterday afternoon, the Holy Father met with Roman university students after their traditional mass at St. Peter's Basilica in preparation for Christmas, which was celebrated by Cardinal Camillo Ruini. Benedict XVI stated that "Christmas gifts remind us of the most perfect gift that the Son of God gave us of himself in the Incarnation. (...) Christmas is the day in which God has given himself to human persons and this gift is made perfect, so to speak, in the Eucharist." "The Eucharistic mystery," he continued "constitutes the privileged point of convergence between the various spheres of Christian existence, including that of intellectual pursuit. (...) The Eucharist nourishes a fruitful unity between contemplation and action in us so that we are regularly sustained with faith." Making reference to the immanent arrival of Christmas, the Pope indicated that "in the grotto of Bethlehem we adore the same Lord who wanted to make himself our spiritual nourishment in the Eucharistic sacrament, in order to transform the world from within beginning from the human heart." The Virgin Mary was the "first to contemplate the incarnate Word, Divine Wisdom, made human. In the Christ Child (...) she recognized God's human face in such a way that the mysterious Wisdom of the Son was impressed on the Mother's mind and heart." "This is why," he concluded, "Mary was transformed in the "Seat of Wisdom" and is particularly venerated with this title by the Roman academic community. There is a special icon dedicated to the "Sedes Sapientiae" that, starting from Rome, has already visited various countries, making a pilgrimage through the universities. It is present here today in order to be given to the delegation from Bulgaria and Albania." AC/CHRISTMAS/ROMAN UNIVERSITIES VIS 061215 (320) OPENING OUR HEARTS AND MINDS TO CHRIST VATICAN CITY, JAN 3, 2007 (VIS) - This morning in the Vatican's Paul VI Hall, the Pope pointed out how the atmosphere of Christmas "invites us to rejoice for the birth of the Redeemer." "Those who pause in meditation before the Son of God lying defenseless in the manger cannot but marvel at this humanly incredible event; they cannot but share the wonder and the humble abandonment of the Virgin Mary, whom God chose as the Mother of the Redeemer precisely because of her humility. "In the Child of Bethlehem," the Holy Father added, "all mankind discovers itself to be gratuitously loved by God. In the light of Christmas, the infinite goodness of God is made plain to each of us. In Jesus, the heavenly Father inaugurated a new relationship with us: He made us 'sons in the Son'." "However, the joy of Christmas does not make us forget the mystery of evil (mysterium iniquitatis), the power of the dark that seeks to obscure the splendor of divine light, and unfortunately we experience this power of darkness every day. ... This is the drama of the rejection of Christ which, today as in the past, shows and expresses itself in many different ways." Indeed, "perhaps the ways of refusing God in the modern age are even more insidious and dangerous: from outright rejection to indifference, from scientistic atheism to the presentation of a modernized or post-modernized Jesus, a human Jesus, reduced in various ways to being a simple man of His time and deprived of His divinity; or perhaps a Jesus so idealized as to appear as a character of legend." Yet, Pope Benedict said, "only the Child lying in the manger possesses the real secret of life. For this reason He asks for acceptance, for space to be made for Him among us, in our hearts, in our houses, in our cities and in our societies," In this "we are helped by the simplicity of the shepherds and the quest of the Magi, who through the star scrutinized the signs of God, [and by] the docility of Mary and the prudent wisdom of Joseph." "At the beginning of this new year, let us reawaken our commitment to open our minds and hearts to Christ, sincerely demonstrating to Him our will to live as His true friends. Thus will we become collaborators in His plan of salvation and witnesses of the joy He brings, that we may spread it abundantly about us. ... Let us accompany Jesus, walk with Him, and thus the new year will be happy and good." AG/CHRISTMAS/... VIS 070103 (450) SINCE JESUS CAME NO ONE IS A STRANGER IN THIS WORLD VATICAN CITY, DEC 24, 2006 (VIS) - "The celebration of Christmas is now imminent," said the Holy Father in his opening remarks. "In the Divine Newborn Child, ... our salvation is made manifest. In God, Who for us became man, we feel loved and accepted, and we discover ourselves to be precious and unique in the eyes of the Creator. "The Nativity of Christ," the Pope added, "helps us to realize the value ... of each human life, from its first instant to its natural end. To those people who open their hearts to this 'babe wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger' He offers the chance to contemplate daily reality with new eyes. They will be able to savor the ... inner wonder of the love of God, Who can transform even pain into joy. "Le us prepare ourselves, dear friends, to meet Jesus, the Emmanuel, God-with-us. Born into poverty in Bethlehem, He wants to be our companion on all our journeys. Ever since He decided to pitch his 'tent' in this world, no one is a stranger. ... This is the amazing gift of Christmas: Jesus came for each of us, and in Himself He made brothers of us all. Consequently, our task is to overcome ... preconceptions and prejudices, break down barriers, and eliminate the contrasts that divide individuals and peoples or, worse still, set them against one another, in order to build together a world of justice and peace." ANG/CHRISTMAS/... VIS 061228 (290) GOD ASKS FOR OUR LOVE, SO HE MAKES HIMSELF A CHILD VATICAN CITY, DEC 24, 2006 (VIS) - The Pope tonight celebrated Midnight Mass in the Vatican Basilica for the Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord. Thirty-six cardinals concelebrated with the Holy Father. On this holy night, said the Holy Father in his homily, God "makes Himself small for us. This is how He reigns. He does not come with power and outward splendor. He comes as a baby - defenseless and in need of our help. He does not want to overwhelm us with His strength. He takes away our fear of His greatness. He asks for our love: so He makes Himself a child." "God made Himself small so that we could understand Him, welcome Him, and love Him," Benedict XVI went on. "He became a child, so that the Word could be grasped by us. In this way God teaches us to love the little ones. In this way He teaches us to love the weak. In this way He teaches us respect for children. The Child of Bethlehem directs our gaze towards all children who suffer and are abused in the world, the born and the unborn. Towards children who are placed as soldiers in a violent world; towards children who have to beg; towards children who suffer deprivation and hunger; towards children who are unloved. In all of these it is the Child of Bethlehem Who is crying out to us; it is the God Who has become small Who appeals to us." "He Who is the Eternal One, above time, He has assumed our time and raised it to Himself on high. Christmas has become the feast of gifts in imitation of God Who has given Himself to us. Let us allow our heart, our soul and our mind to be touched by this fact! Among the many gifts that we buy and receive, let us not forget the true gift: to give each other something of ourselves, to give each other something of our time, to open our time to God." "Man, in order to live, needs bread, the fruit of the earth and of his labor. But he does not live by bread alone. He needs nourishment for his soul: he needs meaning that can fill his life. Thus, for the Fathers of the Church, the manger of the animals became the symbol of the altar, on which lies the Bread which is Christ himself: the true food for our hearts. Once again we see how He became small: in the humble appearance of the host, in a small piece of bread, He gives us Himself." HML/CHRISTMAS/... VIS 061228 (450) CHRISTMAS MESSAGE: THE SAVIOR KNOWS THAT WE NEED HIM VATICAN CITY, DEC 25, 2006 (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: "'Our Savior is born to the world!' During the night, in our churches, we again heard this message that, notwithstanding the passage of the centuries, remains ever new. ... But does a 'Savior' still have any value and meaning for the men and women of the third millennium? Is a 'Savior' still needed by a humanity which has reached the moon and Mars and is prepared to conquer the universe; for a humanity which knows no limits in its pursuit of nature's secrets and which has succeeded even in deciphering the marvelous codes of the human genome? "Is a Savior needed by a humanity which has invented interactive communication, which navigates in the virtual ocean of the internet and, thanks to the most advanced modern communications technologies, has now made the earth, our great common home, a global village? This humanity of the twenty-first century appears as a sure and self-sufficient master of its own destiny, the avid proponent of uncontested triumphs. "So it would seem, yet this is not the case. People continue to die of hunger and thirst, disease and poverty, in this age of plenty and of unbridled consumerism. Some people remain enslaved, exploited and stripped of their dignity; others are victims of racial and religious hatred, hampered by intolerance and discrimination, and by political interference and physical or moral coercion with regard to the free profession of their faith. Others see their own bodies and those of their dear ones, particularly their children, maimed by weaponry, by terrorism and by all sorts of violence, at a time when everyone invokes and acclaims progress, solidarity and peace for all. "And what of those who, bereft of hope, are forced to leave their homes and countries in order to find humane living conditions elsewhere? How can we help those who are misled by facile prophets of happiness, those who struggle with relationships and are incapable of accepting responsibility for their present and future, those who are trapped in the tunnel of loneliness and who often end up enslaved to alcohol or drugs? What are we to think of those who choose death in the belief that they are celebrating life? "How can we not hear, from the very depths of this humanity, at once joyful and anguished, a heart-rending cry for help? It is Christmas: today 'the true light that enlightens every man' came into the world. 'The word became flesh and dwelt among us,' proclaims the Evangelist John. "Today, this very day, Christ comes once more 'unto His own,' and to those who receive Him He gives 'the power to become children of God;' in a word, he offers them the opportunity to see God's glory and to share the joy of that Love which became incarnate for us in Bethlehem. Today 'our Savior is born to the world,' for He knows that even today we need Him. Despite humanity's many advances, man has always been the same: a freedom poised between good and evil, between life and death. It is there, in the very depths of his being, in what the Bible calls his 'heart,' that man always needs to be 'saved.' And, in this post-modern age, perhaps he needs a Savior all the more, since the society in which he lives has become more complex and the threats to his personal and moral integrity have become more insidious. Who can defend him, if not the One who loves him to the point of sacrificing on the Cross His only-begotten Son as the Savior of the world?" "With deep apprehension I think, on this festive day, of the Middle East, marked by so many grave crises and conflicts, and I express my hope that the way will be opened to a just and lasting peace, with respect for the inalienable rights of the peoples living there. I place in the hands of the divine Child of Bethlehem the indications of a resumption of dialogue between the Israelis and Palestinians, which we have witnessed in recent days, and the hope of further encouraging developments. "I am confident that, after so many victims, destruction and uncertainty, a democratic Lebanon, open to others and in dialogue with different cultures and religions, will survive and progress. I appeal to all those who hold in their hands the fate of Iraq, that there will be an end to the brutal violence that has brought so much bloodshed to the country, and that every one of its inhabitants will be safe to lead a normal life. I pray to God that in Sri Lanka the parties in conflict will heed the desire of the people for a future of brotherhood and solidarity; that in Darfur and throughout Africa there will be an end to fratricidal conflicts, that the open wounds in that continent will quickly heal and that the steps being made towards reconciliation, democracy and development will be consolidated. May the Divine Child, the Prince of Peace, grant an end to the outbreaks of tension that make uncertain the future of other parts of the world, in Europe and in Latin America. "Our Savior is born for all. We must proclaim this not only in words, but by our entire life, giving the world a witness of united, open communities where fraternity and forgiveness reign, along with acceptance and mutual service, truth, justice and love." "Only by rediscovering the gift she has received can the Church bear witness to Christ the Savior before all people. She does this with passionate enthusiasm, with full respect for all cultural and religious traditions; she does so joyfully, knowing that the One she proclaims takes away nothing that is authentically human, but instead brings it to fulfillment. In truth, Christ comes to destroy only evil, only sin; everything else, all the rest, He elevates and perfects." Following his Message, the Pope extended Christmas greetings in 62 languages and imparted the "Urbi et Orbi" (to the city and the world) blessing. MESS/URBI ET ORBI/... VIS 061228 (1060) POPE CALLS UPON CHILDREN TO BEAR WITNESS TO JESUS VATICAN CITY, DEC 21, 2006 (VIS) - In a traditional meeting for this time of year, the Pope today received a group of children from Italian Catholic Action, who came to the Vatican to wish him a happy Christmas. Addressing the young people, the Holy Father made reference to the slogan - "Beautiful. True" - they had chosen for their formative journey this year. "Christmas," he said, "is the great mystery of the Truth and Beauty of God Who came among us for everyone's salvation. The birth of Jesus is not a fable, it is a story that really happened, in Bethlehem two thousand years ago. Faith brings us to recognize in that little Child born of the Virgin Mary, the true Son of God Who, out of love, chose to become man." "In the face of the little Jesus," the Holy Father proceeded, "we contemplate the face of God, which is not revealed through force or power, but in weakness and the fragile constitution of a child. This 'Divine Child' ... demonstrates the faithfulness and tenderness of the boundless love with which God surrounds each of us. For this reason we rejoice at Christmas, reliving the same experience as the shepherds of Bethlehem." "The wonder we feel before the enchantment of Christmas" is, said Benedict XVI, in some way reflected in the birth of all children, "and it invites us to recognize the Infant Jesus in all babies, who are the joy of the Church and the hope of the world." The Pope assured the children of his trust in them and called upon them "to be friends and witnesses of Jesus, Who came among us in Bethlehem. Is it not a beautiful thing to make Him better known among your friends, in cities, in parishes and in your families? The Church needs you in order to be close to all the children and young people who live in Italy. Bear witness to the fact that Jesus takes away nothing of your joy, but makes you more human, more true, more beautiful." AC/CHRISTMAS/CATHOLIC ACTION VIS 061221 (360) HUMANITY AWAITS THE RENEWAL THAT CHRIST BRINGS VATICAN CITY, DEC 20, 2006 (VIS) - Christmas was the central theme of the Pope's catechesis during his general audience, held this morning in the Paul VI Hall. "In these final days of Advent," said the Holy Father, "the liturgy invites us to approach ... the stable in Bethlehem where the extraordinary event that changed the course of history took place: the birth of the Redeemer. On Christmas Eve, we will stand once again before the manger, and contemplate in wonder the 'Word made Flesh.' ... The chosen people awaited the Messiah but imagined him to be a powerful and victorious leader who would free his people from foreign oppression. Yet the Savior was born in silence and in absolute poverty." "Does mankind in our own time still await the Savior?" the Pope asked. "It appears that many people consider God as foreign to their interests. They have no apparent need of Him, and live as if He did not exist or, worse still, as if He were an 'obstacle' to be removed in order to achieve self-fulfillment. Even among believers ... are those who let themselves be attracted by alluring mirages and distracted by misleading doctrines that propose illusory shortcuts to happiness. "And yet," he added, "with all their contradictions, their anguish and their dramas - or perhaps precisely because of them - men and women today seek a road of renewal, of salvation, they seek a Savior and await, sometimes without knowing it, ... the coming of Christ, man's only true Redeemer." "Of course, false prophets continue to propose 'low cost' salvation, which always ends up delivering resounding disillusionment. Indeed, the history of the last 50 years provides an example of this search for a 'low cost' Savior and highlights all the consequent disillusionment." For this reason, the Pope concluded, Christians must, "with the testimony of their lives, propagate the truth of Christmas, which Christ brings to all men and women of good will. Born into poverty in the manger, Jesus came to offer everyone the joy and peace which alone can satisfy the needs of the human soul." In his Italian-language greetings at the end of the audience, Benedict XVI said: "In a few days it will be Christmas, and I imagine that, in your homes, you are putting the final touches to your nativity scenes, which are such an evocative depiction of Christmas. I hope that this important element, not only of our spirituality but also of our culture and art, may endure as a simple and eloquent way to remember the One Who came 'to dwell among us'." After the audience, the Pope was awarded the "Prize for Charity" by the "Banca Alimentare," an Italian foundation that organizes, among other initiatives, the National Day of Food Collection. The reason for granting the prize, says a communique released by the foundation, is that since the start of his pontificate, the Holy Father "has sought to present charity - the sincere giving of oneself to others - as a natural dimension of Christian life." Cardinal Secretary of State Tarcisio Bertone S.D.B., speaking during a meeting between the Vatican Publishing House and other international publishers, highlighted the fact that the award coincides with Benedict XVI's decision to donate part of his copyright earnings to a study center founded by his former theology students. AG/CHRISTMAS/... VIS 061220 (570) JOY, A PROPHETIC ANNOUNCEMENT ADDRESSED TO ALL HUMANITY VATICAN CITY, DEC 17, 2006 (VIS) - At midday today, Benedict XVI appeared at the window of his study overlooking St. Peter's Square, in order to pray the Angelus with the thousands of pilgrims gathered below. "On this third Sunday of Advent," said the Pope, "the liturgy invites us to the joy of the spirit. ... The joy that the liturgy reawakens in the hearts of Christians is not reserved just for them, it is a prophetic announcement addressed to all humanity, especially to the poor, in this case to those poorest in joy!" Our thoughts go, the Holy Father continued, "to our brothers and sisters who, especially in the Middle East, in some parts of Africa and in other parts of the world, experience the drama of war. What joy can they have? How will their Christmas be? We think of the many sick and lonely people, who suffer spiritual as well as physical torment because they often feel abandoned. How can we share our joy with them without showing a lack of respect for their suffering? "But we also think," he added, "of those people, especially the young, who have lost all feeling of real joy, and seek it in vain where it cannot be found: in the constant pursuit of self-affirmation and success, ... in consumerism, in moments of inebriation, in the artificial paradise of drugs and all forms of alienation. We cannot but compare today's liturgy, and its invitation to be joyful, with these dramatic truths." "Yet the Word of the Lord," the Pope concluded, "is addressed precisely to those undergoing moments of trial, to those 'wounded by life and orphaned of joy.' The invitation to joy is not an alienating message, or a sterile palliative, rather it is the prophecy of salvation, an appeal to redemption that begins with inner renewal." ANG/JOY/... VIS 061218 (320) THE POPE REMEMBERS THOSE WHO SUFFER PERSECUTION VATICAN CITY, DEC 26, 2006 (VIS) - At midday, before praying the Angelus with thousands of people gathered in St. Peter's Square, the Pope recalled how today is the feast of St. Stephen, deacon and protomartyr. At first sight, the fact that the feast of the protomartyr falls the day after Christmas "may leave some people surprised," said the Holy Father, "because of the striking contrast between the peace and joy of Bethlehem and the drama of Stephen, stoned to death in Jerusalem during the first persecution against the nascent Church." However, he went on, it must be remembered that "the Baby Jesus lying in the manger ... will save humanity by dying on the cross." "In the first four centuries of Christianity, all the saints venerated by the Church were martyrs," said Benedict XVI. "For believers, the day of death - and even more so the day of martyrdom - is not the end of everything but the 'transit' towards eternal life, the day of definitive birth, in Latin 'dies natalis.' ... If Jesus had not been born on earth, mankind would not have been able to be born in heaven. It is precisely because Jesus was born, that we can be 'reborn'." The Pope entrusted "those who undergo persecution and suffering in witnessing and serving the Gospel" to the Virgin Mary "who held the Redeemer in her arms in Bethlehem" and after He was removed from the cross. "With particular spiritual closeness," he concluded, "I think also of those Catholics who maintain their faithfulness to the See of Peter without giving way to compromise, at times even at the cost of great suffering. All the Church admires their example and prays that they may find the strength to persevere, in the knowledge that their tribulations are a source of victory, even when they may appear as failures." ANG/ST. STEPHEN:MARTYRS/... VIS 061228 (320) GLORY OF GOD IS THE SALVATION OF MAN VATICAN CITY, DEC 27, 2006 (VIS) - Christmas was once again the theme of the Pope's catechesis during today's general audience, celebrated in the Paul VI Hall. "Today's audience is taking place in a Christmas atmosphere pervaded with joy for the birth of the Savior," he began. "The words of John the Evangelist resound in our hearts, ... 'the Word became flesh.' ... God came to dwell among us, He came for us, to stay with us." But "a question traverses these two thousand years of Christian history: Why did He do it? Why did God become man? "The song of the angels over the manger in Bethlehem," the Pope proceeded, "helps us to answer this question: 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among men with whom He is pleased.' ... The term 'glory' indicates the splendor of God which inspires the grateful praise of His creatures. ... 'Peace' summarizes the fullness of the messianic gifts: salvation, ... identified with Christ Himself ... Who is our peace." The reference to the men and women loved by the Lord makes the Christmas message even more explicit, "with the birth of Jesus, God has manifested His love towards everyone." "God's glory is expressed, then, in the salvation of man, whom God so loved 'that He gave His only Son.' ... Hence, love is the ultimate reason for the incarnation of Christ." In this context, the Holy Father recalled the words of the theologian H. U. von Balthasar: "God is not primarily absolute power, but absolute love, the sovereignty of which is not expressed in keeping what it has for itself, but in letting it go." "The God we contemplate in the manger is God-Love," Pope Benedict concluded. "The announcement of the angels is, for us, also an invitation: 'let there be' Glory to God in the highest, 'let there be' peace on earth among men with whom He is pleased. The only way to glorify God and to build peace in the world consists in the humble and trusting acceptance of the gift of Christmas: love." AG/CHRISTMAS:LOVE/... VIS 061228 (360) IN EACH NEWBORN WE RECOGNIZE THAT LIFE IS A GIFT OF GOD VATICAN CITY, JAN 7, 2007 (VIS) - In the Sistine Chapel today, the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord which concludes the liturgical time of Christmas, the Pope baptized 13 newborn babies from various countries. "Each child born," said the Holy Father in his homily, "brings to us the smile of God and invites us to recognize that life is His gift, a gift that must be accepted with love and protected with care, always and at all times." "Each child born is entrusted by God to its parents. How important, then, is the family founded upon marriage! The cradle of life and of love." After highlighting the fact that "Baptism is adoption and assumption into the family of God, in communion with the Holy Trinity," the Pope affirmed that newborns, "from being children of human parents, become also children of God in the living Son of God." "In Baptism we are adopted by the heavenly Father," said Pope Benedict, "but in His family there is also a mother, the Mother Church." "Christianity is not just a spiritual reality, an individual reality, a simple subjective decision that I take, but something real, something concrete, perhaps even something material. The family of God is built within the concrete reality of the Church." The Holy Father called upon the parents and godparents of the children just baptized to teach them "to pray and to feel themselves to be active members of the real family of God, of the ecclesial community." "The Catechism of the Catholic Church and the Compendium of that Catechism, ... could prove an extremely useful and exact tool to help you to grow in your own knowledge of Catholic faith, and to transmit it fully and faithfully to your offspring. Above all, do not forget that it is your testimony, your example, that has the greatest influence on the human and spiritual growth of ... your children." HML/BAPTISMS/... VIS 070108 (340) BAPTISM MEANS WE MUST LISTEN TO AND FOLLOW JESUS VATICAN CITY, JAN 7, 2007 (VIS) - After having presided at Mass in the Sistine Chapel, during which he administered the Sacrament of Baptism to 13 newborn infants, the Holy Father appeared at the window of his study to pray the Angelus with thousands of faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square below. "Today we celebrate the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord, which closes the period of Christmas," he said, pointing out that the Baptism is mentioned, in different ways, in all the Gospels. "It was, in fact, part of the Apostles' preaching, because it constituted the starting point of the entire arc of deeds and words to which they were called to bear witness." Jesus' Baptism was extremely important for the apostolic community, "not only because then, and for the first time in history, the mystery of the Trinity was made manifest clearly and completely, but also because with that event Jesus' public ministry began. ... The Baptism of Jesus in the Jordan anticipates His Baptism of blood on the Cross and symbolizes the entire sacramental activity with which the Redeemer would achieve the salvation of humanity." The Holy Father recalled that "this Feast is, after Easter, the oldest," and indicated how "there is a close correlation between the Baptism of Christ and our own Baptism. In the Jordan, heaven opened to show that the Savior has opened the way of salvation, and we can follow it thanks to the new birth 'of water and the Spirit' that comes about in Baptism. In Baptism we are inserted into mystical Body of Christ, which is the Church, we die and are born again in Him, we cloth ourselves in Him. ... The duty that arises from Baptism is, then, that of 'listening' to Jesus, believing in Him and following Him obediently, doing His will." ANG/BAPTISM CHRIST/... VIS 070108 MAY FAMILIES BE THE LIVING IMAGE OF GOD'S LOVE VATICAN CITY, DEC 31, 2006 (VIS) - Today, the Feast of the Holy Family of Nazareth, before praying the Angelus with thousands of faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square, the Pope sent his greetings to all the families of the world, expressing the hope that they may enjoy "the peace and love that Christ gave us, coming among us at Christmas." "God," he said, "wished to be born and to grow in a human family. Thus he consecrated [the family] as the basic and ordinary way of His meeting with humanity. In the life spent in Nazareth, Jesus honored the Virgin Mary and the good Joseph, remaining under their authority for the entire period of His infancy and adolescence. In this way, He highlighted the fundamental value of the family in the education of the person."

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