"In imitation of the shepherds, we too move spiritually towards Bethlehem,
where Mary gave birth to the Child in a stable, “because there was no place for
them in the inn” (Luke 2:7). Christmas has become a universal feast, and even those
who do not believe perceive the appeal of this occasion. The Christian,
however, knows that Christmas is a decisive event, an eternal fire that God has
kindled in the world, and must not be confused with ephemeral things. It is
important that it should not be reduced to a merely sentimental or consumerist
festival... Therefore, it is necessary to curb a certain worldly mentality, incapable of grasping the incandescent core
of our faith, which is this: “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,
full of grace and truth; we have beheld his glory, glory as of the only Son
from the Father” (John 1:14). And this is the kernel of Christmas;
rather, it is the truth of Christmas; there is no other.
"God did not look down on us from afar, He did not pass us by, He was not repulsed by our misery, He did not
clothe Himself only superficially in a body, but rather He fully assumed our
nature and our human condition. He left nothing out except sin: the only thing
He does not have. All humanity is in Him. He took all that we are, just as we
are. This is essential for understanding the Christian faith. Saint Augustine,
reflecting on his journey of conversion, writes in his Confessions: “For I did
not hold to my Lord Jesus Christ, I, humbled, to the Humble; nor knew I yet
whereto His infirmity would guide us” (VII, 8). And what is Jesus’
“infirmity”? The “infirmity” of Jesus is a “teaching”! Because it reveals to us
the love of God. Christmas is the feast of Love incarnate, of love born for us
in Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the light of mankind shining in the darkness,
giving meaning to human existence and to the whole of history."
--Pope Francis, General Audience, December 23, 2020
"The Word of God who unites us is Christ the Lord, the desired of
the nations. It is He who rises from the East as the rising sun, He whom America met and
embraced five hundred years ago, thanks to the maternal tenderness of Mary who deigned
to manifest herself to Juan Diego with the Indian features of Our Lady of
Guadalupe. Touched to the heart by the divine mercy revealed in these features,
from that moment on, America marches forward in the hope of the God who comes in Christ, in the midst of the
hopes and challenges of the present time."
--Cardinal Marc Ouellet, Homily, December 10, 2012
"Let us ask ourselves:
is my heart weighed down by fear, worries and anxieties about the
future? Do I know how to look at daily events and the vicissitudes of
history with God’s eyes, in prayer, with a broader horizon? Or do I let
myself be overcome by despondency? May this Advent season be a precious
opportunity to lift our gaze to Him, who lightens our hearts and
sustains us on our way."
--Pope Francis, Angelus, December 1, 2024
