pope benedict xvi on christmas

8/12/2019 Pope Benedict XVI on Christmas

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BENEDICT XVI

GENERAL AUDIENCE

Paul VI Audience Hall

Wednesday, 20 December 2006

The meaning of Christmas

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

"he !ord is close come, let us adore him" . With this invocation, the liturgy invites us in these lastdays of Advent to aroach as it !ere on ti"toe the Bethlehe# $rotto !here the e%traordinary event

that changed the course of history too& lace' the (irth of the )edee#er.

*n Christ#as Night !e !ill ause, once again, (efore the cri( and conte#late !ith !onder the +Word

#ade flesh+. enti#ents of -oy and gratitude !ill (e rene!ed in our hearts, as they are every year,!hile !e listen to the Christ#as #elodies that sing of the e%traordinary event in so #any languages.

It !as out of love that the Creator of the universe ca#e to d!ell a#ong us. In his etter to the

/hiliians, t /aul says that Christ, +though he !as in the for# of $od, did not count e0uality !ith$od a thing to (e grased, (ut e#tied hi#self, ta&ing the for# of a servant, (eing (orn in the li&enessof #en+ 12' 34. 5e aeared in hu#an for#, adds the Aostle, hu#(ling hi#self. At holy Christ#as !e

!ill relive the fulfil#ent of this su(li#e #ystery of grace and #ercy.

t /aul says further, +When the ti#e had fully co#e, $od sent forth his on, (orn of !o#an, (orn

under the la!, to redee# those !ho !ere under the la!, so that !e #ight receive adotion as sons+1$al 6' 6"74. In truth, the Chosen /eole had (een !aiting for the 8essiah for #any centuries (ut they

i#agined hi# as a o!erful and victorious ar#y leader !ho !ould free his follo!ers fro# foreign

oression.

The aviour, on the contrary, !as (orn in silence and in a(solute overty. 5e ca#e as +the light that

enlightens every #an+, t 9ohn notes, yet +his o!n eole received hi# not+ 19n :' ;, ::4. +But+, theAostle added, +to all !ho received hi#, !ho (elieved in his na#e, he gave o!er to (eco#e children

of $od+ 1ibid#, :' :24. The light ro#ised !as to illu#ine the hearts of those !ho had ersevered invigilant and active e%ectation.

The Advent liturgy also e%horts us to (e so(er and !atchful in order not to let ourselves (e (urdened (y

sin and e%cessively !orldly concerns. Indeed, it is (y !atching and raying that !e !ill (e a(le to

recogni<e and accet the slendour of Christ=s (irth. t 8a%i#us of Turin, a Bisho of the fourth andfifth centuries, said in one of his ho#ilies' +The ti#e !arns us that the Birth of Christ the ord is at

hand. The !orld !ith its o!n arehensions sea&s of so#ething i##inent that !ill rene! it, and

desires !ith i#atient e%ectation that the slendour of a (righter sun #ay illu#ine its dar&ness.... Thise%ectation of creation also ersuades us to !ait for Christ, the ne! un, to rise+ 1c$# Hom# 3:a, :">4.

Creation itself, therefore, leads us to discover and recogni<e the *ne !ho #ust co#e.

But the 0uestion is' is the hu#anity of our ti#e still !aiting for a aviour? *ne has the feeling that

#any consider $od as foreign to their o!n interests. Aarently, they do not need hi#. They live asthough he did not e%ist and, !orse still, as though he !ere an +o(stacle+ to re#ove in order to fulfil

the#selves. Even a#ong (elievers " !e are sure of it " so#e let the#selves (e attracted (y enticing

drea#s and distracted (y #isleading doctrines that suggest decetive shortcuts to hainess.

@et, desite its contradictions, !orries and tragedies, and erhas recisely (ecause of the#, hu#anitytoday see&s a ath of rene!al, of salvation, it see&s a aviour and a!aits, so#eti#es unconsciously, the

http://www.vatican.va/liturgical_year/advent/2006/avvento_2006_en.htm

http://www.vatican.va/liturgical_year/advent/2006/avvento_2006_en.htm



co#ing of the aviour !ho rene!s the !orld and our life, the co#ing of Christ, the one true )edee#er

of #an and of the !hole of #an.

*f course, false rohets continue to roose a salvation +at a chea rice+, that al!ays ends (y

roducing searing disaoint#ents.

The history of the ast 7 years itself de#onstrates this search for a aviour +at a chea rice+ andhighlights all the disaoint#ents that have derived fro# it. It is the tas& of us Christians, !ith the

!itness of our life, to sread the truth of Christ#as !hich Christ (rings to every #an and !o#an of

good !ill.

Born in the overty of the #anger, 9esus co#es to offer to all that -oy and that eace !hich alone canfulfil the e%ectations of the hu#an soul.

But ho! should !e reare ourselves to oen our hearts to the ord !ho co#es? The siritual attitude

of !atchful and rayerful e%ectation re#ains the funda#ental characteristic of the Christian in this

Advent eason. It is this attitude that distinguishes the rotagonists of that ti#e' echariah andEli<a(eth, the sheherds, the 8agi, the hu#(le, si#le eole, a(ove all 8ary and 9oseh=s

e%ectation The latter, #ore than any of the others, felt in the first erson the an%iety and treidation

for the Child !ho !ould (e (orn.

It is not difficult to i#agine ho! they sent the last days, !aiting to hold the ne!(orn Infant in theirar#s. 8ay their attitude (e our o!n, dear (rothers and sisters In this regard, let us listen to the

e%hortation of t 8a%i#us, Bisho of Turin, cited a(ove' +While !e are !aiting to !elco#e the

Nativity of the ord, let us clothe ourselves in clean gar#ents, !ithout a stain. I a# sea&ing ofclothing the soul, not the (ody. et us not (e clad in sil& rai#ents (ut in holy !or&s u#tuous

clothing #ay cover the li#(s (ut does not adorn the conscience+ 1ibid#4.

In (eing (orn a#ong us, #ay the Child 9esus not find us distracted or #erely (usy, (eautifying our

houses !ith decorative lights. )ather, let us dec& our soul and #a&e our fa#ilies a !orthy d!elling lace !here he feels !elco#ed !ith faith and love. 8ay the Blessed Virgin and t 9oseh hel us to

live the 8ystery of Christ#as !ith rene!ed !onder and eaceful serenity.

With these senti#ents, I !ould li&e to offer #y #ost fervent good !ishes for a holy and hay

Christ#as to all of you resent here and to your relatives, !ith a secial re#e#(rance for those !ho#ay (e in difficulty or !ho are suffering in (ody and sirit. 5ay Christ#as to you all

Wednesday, 2% December 2006

Why did God do it?


Today=s #eeting ta&es lace in the Christ#as at#oshere ervaded !ith an inti#ate -oy for the (irth of

the aviour. We have -ust cele(rated, the day (efore yesterday, this #ystery, !hose echo e%ands in theliturgy of all these days.

It is a #ystery of light that #en and !o#en of every age can relive in faith.

The !ords of 9ohn the Evangelist, !hose feast !e cele(rate today, resound in our hearts' + &t Verbum

caro $actum est ' the Word (eca#e flesh and d!elt a#ong us+ 19n :' :64.



At Christ#as, therefore, $od co#es to d!ell a#ong us he co#es for us, to re#ain !ith us. A 0uestion

asses through these 2, years of Christian history' +But !hy did he do it, !hy did $od (eco#e

#an?+.

The song that the angels intone over the grotto of Bethlehe# hels us to resond to this 0uestion'+$lory to $od in the highest, and on earth eace a#ong #en !ith !ho# he is leased+ 1& 2' :64.

The canticle of Christ#as night, found in the (loria, is already art of the liturgy li&e the other three

canticles of the Ne! Testa#ent !hich refer to the (irth and the infancy of 9esus' the Benedictus, the

)a*ni$icat and the +unc dimittis#

While these latter are inserted resectively in the #orning auds, in the evening rayer of Vesers andin the night rayer of Co#line, the (loria has found its o!n lace in the 5oly 8ass.

ro# the second century so#e accla#ations !ere added to the angels !ords' +We raise you, !e (less

you, !e adore you, !e glorify you, !e give you than&s for your i##ense glory+ and later, other

invocations' +ord $od, a#( of $od, on of the ather, !ho ta&es a!ay the sin of the !orld...+, tofor#ulate an arioso hy#n of raise that is sung for the first ti#e in the 8ass of Christ#as and

thereafter, on all feast days.

Inserted at the (eginning of the Eucharistic cele(ration, the (loria e#hasi<es the continuity that e%ists (et!een the (irth and the death of Christ, (et!een Christ#as and Easter, inseara(le asects of the oneand the sa#e #ystery of salvation.

The $osel narrates that the angelic #ultitude sang' +$lory to $od in the highest of heavens and eace

on earth to those !ho# he loves+. The angels announce to the sheherds that the (irth of 9esus +is+

glory for $od in the highest of heavens and +is+ eace on earth to those !ho# he loves. It is thusoortune to lace these angelic !ords over the grotto to e%lain the #ystery of the (irth that ta&es

lace in the cri(.

The ter# +glory+ 1doa4 indicates the slendour of $od that sar&s the than&ful raise of creatures. t

/aul !ill say' it is +the &no!ledge of the glory of $od in the face of Christ+ 1II Cor 6' 34.

+/eace+ 1eirene4 su##ari<es the fullness of the #essianic gifts, the salvation that, as the Aostle notes,identifies !ith Christ hi#self' +or he is our eace+ 1Eh 2' :64.

astly, there is the reference to #en +of good !ill+. +$ood !ill+ 1eudo-ia4, in co##on language,

#a&es one thin& of the +good !ill+ of #en (ut here, it #eans the +good !ill+ of $od to!ard #en,

!hich &no!s no li#its. And here then is the Christ#as #essage' !ith the (irth of 9esus, $od has#anifested his good !ill to!ard all.

et us return to the 0uestion' +Why did $od #a&e hi#self #an?+. t Irenaeus !rites' +The Word #ade

hi#self disenser of the ather=s glory for the (enefit of #en.... The glory of $od is the living #an "

.i.ens homo " and the life of #an consists in the vision of $od+ 1 Ad.# Haer# 2' 7, F4.

The glory of $od is #anifest, therefore, in the salvation of #an, !ho# $od so loved as +to give+, as

the Evangelist 9ohn affir#s, +his only on, that !hoever (elieves in hi# should not erish (ut haveeternal life+ 19n >' :34.

5ence, love is the ulti#ate reason for the Incarnation of Christ.

In this regard the reflection of the theologian 5.G. von Balthasar is elo0uent, in !hich he !rote' $od+is not, in the first lace, a(solute o!er, (ut a(solute love, !hose sovereignty is not #anifest in

&eeing for hi#self !hat (elongs to hi#, (ut in his a(andon#ent+ 1 )ysterium Paschale I, 64. The $od

!e conte#late in the cri( is $od"ove.

At this oint the #essage of the angels resounds for us as an invitation' glory +(e+ to $od in the highest



of heavens, eace +(e+ on earth to those !ho# he loves. The only !ay to glorify $od and to (uild

eace in the !orld consists in the hu#(le and trusting !elco#ing of the gift of Christ#as' love.

The song of the angles can then (eco#e a rayer to reeat often, not only in this Christ#as season. It is

a hy#n of raise to $od in the highest of heavens and a fervent invocation of eace on earth, !hichtranslates into a concrete co##it#ent to (uild it !ith our life. This is the duty that Christ#as entrusts

to us.

Wednesday, / anuary 200%

The joyful eent of Christ!s "irth


Than& you for your affection. I !ish you all a hay Ne! @ear This first $eneral Audience of the ne!year still ta&es lace in the at#oshere of Christ#as, !hich invites us to re-oice in the )edee#er=s

(irth. *n co#ing into the !orld, 9esus lavished his gifts of goodness, #ercy and love uon #en and!o#en. As if interreting the senti#ents of the eole of every eoch, the Aostle 9ohn o(serves' +ee!hat love the ather has given us, that !e should (e called children of $od+ 1I n >' :4.

Anyone !ho stos to #editate (efore the on of $od lying helless in the cri( can only feel surrised

at this hu#anly incredi(le event one cannot (ut share the !onder and hu#(le a(andon#ent of the

Virgin 8ary, !ho# $od chose to (e 8other of the )edee#er recisely (ecause of her hu#ility.

In the Child of Bethlehe#, every erson discovers he is freely loved (y $od in the light of Christ#as$od=s infinite goodness is revealed to each one of us. In 9esus, the 5eavenly ather inaugurated a ne!

relationshi !ith us he #ade us +sons in the on hi#self+. During these days, it is recisely on this

reality that t 9ohn invites us to #editate !ith the richness and deth of his !ords, of !hich !e have

heard a assage.The (eloved Aostle of the ord stresses that !e are really sons' +and so !e are+ 1I n >' :4. We are not

only creatures, (ut !e are sons in this !ay $od is close to us in this !ay he dra!s us to hi#self at the

#o#ent of his Incarnation, in his (eco#ing one of us. Therefore, !e truly (elong to the fa#ily !hoseather is $od, (ecause 9esus, the *nly"Begotten on, ca#e to itch his tent a#ong us, the tent of his

flesh, to gather all the nations together into a single fa#ily, the fa#ily of $od, (elonging to the divine

Being united in one eole, one fa#ily.

5e ca#e to reveal to us the true ace of the ather and if !e no! use the !ord +$od+, it is no longer areality &no!n only fro# afar. We &no! the ace of $od' it is that of the on, !ho ca#e to (ring the

heavenly realities closer to us and to the earth.

t 9ohn notes' +In this is love, not that !e loved $od (ut that he loved us+ 1I n 6' :4. At Christ#as,the si#le and over!hel#ing announce#ent resounds throughout the !orld' +$od loves us+. +Welove+, t 9ohn says, +(ecause he first loved us+ 1I n 6' :;4. This #ystery is henceforth entrusted to our

hands so that through our e%erience of divine love !e #ay live asiring to the realities of 5eaven.

And this, let us say, is also our ractice in these days' to live truly reaching for $od, see&ing first of allthe Hingdo# and its righteousness, certain that the rest, all the rest, !ill (e given to us as !ell 1cf. )t

3' >>4. The siritual at#oshere of the Christ#as eason hels us to gro! in our &no!ledge of this.

The -oy of Christ#as, ho!ever, does not #a&e us forget the #ystery of evil 1mysterium ini1uitatis4, the

o!er of dar&ness that atte#ts to di# the slendour of the divine light. And unfortunately, !e



e%erience this o!er of dar&ness everyday.

In the /rologue to his $osel, roclai#ed several ti#es in the ast fe! days, 9ohn the Evangelist

!rites' +The light shines in the dar&ness, (ut the dar&ness did not receive it+ 1cf. :' 74.

As in the ast, the tragedy of the re-ection of Christ unfortunately #anifests and e%resses itself also

today in so #any different !ays. /erhas even the #ost su(tle and dangerous are the for#s of there-ection of $od in the conte#orary era' fro# a clear refusal to indifference, fro# scientific atheis# to

the resentation of a so"called #oderni<ed or (etter, ost"#oderni<ed 9esus. A #an 9esus, reduced in a

different !ay to a #ere #an of his ti#e, derived of his divinity or a 9esus so highly ideali<ed that hesee#s at ti#es li&e the character of a fa(le.

@et 9esus, the true 9esus of history, is true $od and true #an and never tires of roosing his $osel to

all, a!are that he is a +sign of contradiction that thoughts out of #any hearts #ay (e revealed+, as the

elderly i#eon !ould rohesy 1cf. !- 2' >2">74.

Actually, it is only the Child lying in the #anger !ho ossesses the true secret of life. or this reasonhe as&s us to !elco#e hi#, to #a&e roo# for hi# !ithin us, in our hearts, in our ho#es, in our cities

and in our societies. The !ords of 9ohn=s /rologue echo in our #inds and hearts' +To all !ho received

hi#... he gave o!er to (eco#e children of $od+ 1:' :24. et us endeavour to (e a#ong those !ho

!elco#e hi#. Before hi# one cannot re#ain indifferent. We too, dear friends, #ust continuously ta&esides. What !ill our resonse (e? With !hat attitude !ill !e !elco#e hi#? The si#licity of the

sheherds and the see&ing of the 8agi !ho scrutini<ed the signs of $od (y #eans of the star co#e to

our hel. The docility of 8ary and the !ise rudence of 9oseh serve as an e%a#le to us.

The #ore than 2, years of Christian history are filled !ith e%a#les of #en and !o#en, youth and

adults, children and elderly eole !ho (elieved in the #ystery of Christ#as, !ho oened their ar#s to

the E##anuel and !ith their lives (eca#e (eacons of light and hoe.

The love that 9esus, (orn in Bethlehe#, (rought into the !orld (inds to hi#self in a lasting relationshiof friendshi and (rotherhood all !ho !elco#e hi#. t 9ohn of the Cross says' +In giving us all, that is,

his on, in hi# $od has no! said all. i% your eyes on hi# alone... and you !ill find in addition #ore

than you as& and desire+ 1 Ascent o$ )ount armel, Boo& I, &3# 22, 6"74.

Dear (rothers and sisters, at the (eginning of this ne! year let us revive !ithin us the co##it#ent tooen our #inds and hearts to Christ, sincerely sho!ing hi# our desire to live as his true friends.

Thus, !e !ill (eco#e colla(orators of his lan of salvation and !itnesses of that -oy !hich he gives to

us so that !e #ay sread it around us in a(undance.

8ay 8ary hel us oen our hearts to the E##anuel !ho too& on our oor, !ea& flesh in order to share

!ith us the arduous -ourney of earthly life. In the co#any of 9esus, ho!ever, this tiring -ourney (eco#es a -oyful -ourney. et us roceed together !ith 9esus, let us !al& !ith hi# and thus the ne!

year !ill (e a hay and good year.

pope benedict xvi on christmas

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