Pope Francis: Homily of Midnight Mass

Christmas Midnight Mass: Jesus is the Light who Brightens the Darkness

2013-12-25 Vatican Radio

(Vatican Radio) 

“In this night, as the spirit of darkness enfolds the world, there takes place anew the event which always amazes and surprises us: the people who walk see a great light.”

In his homily during Christmas Midnight Mass, Pope Francis reflected on “the mystery of walking and seeing.”
Walking, he said, brings to mind the whole of salvation history, beginning with Abraham, our father in faith. “From that time on, our identity as believers has been that of a people making its pilgrim way towards the promised land. This history has always been accompanied by the Lord!” And yet, the Pope said, “on the part of the people there are times of both light and darkness, fidelity and infidelity, obedience, and rebellion; times of being a pilgrim people and times of being a people adrift.”
Pope Francis said that in our own lives, too, “there are both bright and dark moments, lights and shadows. If we love God and our brothers and sisters, we walk in the light; but if our heart is closed, if we are dominated by pride, deceit, self-seeking, then darkness falls within us and around us.”
But, he continued, “On this night, like a burst of brilliant light, there rings out the proclamation of the Apostle: “God's grace has been revealed, and it has made salvation possible for the whole human race.”
“The grace which was revealed in our world is Jesus, born of the Virgin Mary, true man and true God . . . He came to free us from darkness and to grant us light.”
The Gospel of the Mass tells how the shepherds were the first to receive the news of Jesus’ birth. “They were the first because they were among the last, the outcast,” the Pope said. “And they were the first because they were awake, keeping watch in the night, guarding their flocks.” The Holy Father called on us to join the shepherds, to pause before the Child in silence, thanking God and praising His fidelity.
Pope Francis concluded his homily with the plea: “On this night let us share the joy of the Gospel: God loves us, he so loves us that he gave us his Son to be our brother, to be light in our darkness. To us the Lord repeats: “Do not be afraid!” (Lk 2:10). And I too repeat: Do not be afraid! Our Father is patient, he loves us, he gives us Jesus to guide us on the way which leads to the promised land. Jesus is the light who brightens the darkness. He is our peace. Amen.”

Below, please find the complete text of Pope Francis’ homily:

Homily of His Holiness Pope Francis

Christmas Midnight Mass
25 December 2013
1. “The people who walked in darkness have seen a great light” (Is 9:1).
This prophecy of Isaiah never ceases to touch us, especially when we hear it proclaimed in the liturgy of Christmas Night. This is not simply an emotional or sentimental matter. It moves us because it states the deep reality of what we are: a people who walk, and all around us – and within us as well – there is darkness and light. In this night, as the spirit of darkness enfolds the world, there takes place anew the event which always amazes and surprises us: the people who walk see a great light. A light which makes us reflect on this mystery: the mystery of walking andseeing.

Walking. This verb makes us reflect on the course of history, that long journey which is the history of salvation, starting with Abraham, our father in faith, whom the Lord called one day to set out, to go forth from his country towards the land which he would show him. From that time on, our identity as believers has been that of a people making its pilgrim way towards the promised land. This history has always been accompanied by the Lord! He is ever faithful to his covenant and to his promises. “God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all” (1 Jn 1:5). Yet on the part of the people there are times of both light and darkness, fidelity and infidelity, obedience, and rebellion; times of being a pilgrim people and times of being a people adrift.

In our personal history too, there are both bright and dark moments, lights and shadows. If we love God and our brothers and sisters, we walk in the light; but if our heart is closed, if we are dominated by pride, deceit, self-seeking, then darkness falls within us and around us. “Whoever hates his brother – writes the Apostle John – is in the darkness; he walks in the darkness, and does not know the way to go, because the darkness has blinded his eyes” (1 Jn2:11).

2. On this night, like a burst of brilliant light, there rings out the proclamation of the Apostle:“God's grace has been revealed, and it has made salvation possible for the whole human race”(Tit 2:11).

The grace which was revealed in our world is Jesus, born of the Virgin Mary, true man and true God. He has entered our history; he has shared our journey. He came to free us from darkness and to grant us light. In him was revealed the grace, the mercy, and the tender love of the Father: Jesus is Love incarnate. He is not simply a teacher of wisdom, he is not an ideal for which we strive while knowing that we are hopelessly distant from it. He is the meaning of life and history, who has pitched his tent in our midst.

3. The shepherds were the first to see this “tent”, to receive the news of Jesus’ birth. They were the first because they were among the last, the outcast. And they were the first because they were awake, keeping watch in the night, guarding their flocks. Together with them, let us pause before the Child, let us pause in silence. Together with them, let us thank the Lord for having given Jesus to us, and with them let us raise from the depths of our hearts the praises of his fidelity: We bless you, Lord God most high, who lowered yourself for our sake. You are immense, and you made yourself small; you are rich and you made yourself poor; you are all-powerful and you made yourself vulnerable.

On this night let us share the joy of the Gospel: God loves us, he so loves us that he gave us his Son to be our brother, to be light in our darkness. To us the Lord repeats: “Do not be afraid!” (Lk 2:10). And I too repeat: Do not be afraid! Our Father is patient, he loves us, he gives us Jesus to guide us on the way which leads to the promised land. Jesus is the light who brightens the darkness. He is our peace. Amen.

Miracle Approved for Paul VI

Paul VI comes one step closer to beatification as the Medical Commission of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints declares that the former Italian Pope’s healing of an unborn child is unexplainable

ANDREA TORNIELLI
VATICAN CITY

The Medical Commission of the Congregation for the Causes of Saints chaired by Dr. Patrizio Polisca, Benedict XVI and Francis’ personal doctor, has called a healing attributed to Giovanni Battista Montini, Pope Paul VI, “unexplainable”. The alleged miracle will now have to be examined by theologians and cardinals before it receives the Pope’s approval. But the toughest part is over and it is expected that Montini’s beatification will take place in the next few months.



From the list of reported cases of healing which the postulator of Paul VI’s cause, Antonio Marrazzo, received, he chose one case which early clinical tests showed as “unexplainable”. Marrazzo chose this healing case some time ago. A year ago, on 20 December 2012, Benedict XVI approved the heroic virtues of Paul VI, concluding the canonical process. Only one miracle is required for beatification.



The alleged miracle Marrazzo chose to present to the commission, was the healing of an unborn child witnessed in California in the early 90s. During a woman’s pregnancy, doctors found a serious problem in the foetus which normally results in brain damage and advised the mother to abort. The woman refused and decided to go ahead with the pregnancy, trusting in the intercession of Paul V, the Pope who wrote the “Humanae Vitae” encyclical in 1968.



The child was born without any defects but only when the child reached puberty could doctors be certain of whether the child had made a full recovery without any problem. A year ago Fr. Marrazzo told Vatican Radio that “a truly extraordinary and supernatural event had occurred thanks to the intercession of Paul VI.” This healing was perfectly in line with the magisterium of Paul VI, who wrote the “Humanae Vitae” in defence of human life, but also in defence of the family because the document talks about conjugal love, not just about unborn life. This healing fits in with Montini’s way of thinking.”



The debate over the late Pope’s cause has intensified over the past year, with doctors exchanging medical opinions until yesterday’s final verdict. Speaking at a conference on Paul VI’s visit to the Holy Land last November, the Archbishop of Milan, Cardinal Angelo Scola, said the former Pope’s beatification “should be relatively imminent.”

Happy Birthday Pope Francis!

His Holiness celebrates His 77th Birthday!  Ad Multos Annos!  

Pope Francis turned 77 today. This morning he celebrated Mass in the Santa Marta guesthouse with 4 homeless men, his closest collaborators and staff from the guesthouse, all of whom afterwards greeted him with a birthday song.

Those present at his morning Mass included Archbishop Pietro Parolin, the Secretary of State and Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the Dean of the College of Cardinals, together with staff from the Santa Marta guesthouse. The congregation also included the Almoner Monsignor Konrad Krajewski who brought with him 4 homeless men who live in the streets around the Vatican. After the mass, all those present wished the Pope a happy birthday and sang greetings to him before joining him for breakfast in the Vatican guesthouse.

Today’s reading was centered on the genealogy of Jesus and the Pope used this in his homily to reflect on God’s enduring presence in our lives throughout history. He said “God wished to live out his life alongside us” and “took his surname from each of us.”

“God,” the Pope continued, “has always walked alongside his people,” beginning with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.

He did not want to come to redeem us without coming to live among us and share our lives. The Pope said this long list of God’s people included “saints and sinners.” The latter included “high level sinners who committed serious sins and who didn’t listen” to God’s plans for them.

Pope Francis said in addition to accompanying us in our lives our God follows us and in this way, he displays His humility, His patience and His love for us. He concluded his homily with “a Christmas wish” for all of us “to allow God to write our lives for us.”

Pope Francis celebrates his birthday with some homeless people in Santa Marta

Our Lady of Guadalupe Feast-Message from Pope

Mary's embrace showed what America-North & South-is called to be: a land where different peoples come together; a land prepared to accept human life at every stage, from the mother's womb to old age; a land which welcomes immigrants, and the poor

VATICAN CITY, December 11, 2013 (Zenit.org) - Pope Francis has sent a Message to the Americas to mark the Dec. 12th Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, who is venerated as Patroness of the American continent. The Holy Father delivered the Message during the course of his weekly General Audience on Wednesday, the eve of the feast. Below, please find the official English translation of the full text of the Message.

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MESSAGE TO THE AMERICAS for the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe

Tomorrow is the feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the Patroness of the Americas. I would like to greet all my brothers and sisters on that continent, and I do so thinking of the Virgin of Tepeyac.

When Our Lady appeared to Saint Juan Diego, her face was that of a woman of mixed blood, a mestiza, and her garments bore many symbols of the native culture. Like Jesus, Mary is close to all her sons and daughters; as a concerned mother, she accompanies them on their way through life. She shares all the joys and hopes, the sorrows and troubles of God’s People, which is made up of men and women of every race and nation.

When the image of the Virgin appeared on the tilma of Juan Diego, it was the prophecy of an embrace: Mary’s embrace of all the peoples of the vast expanses of America – the peoples who already lived there, and those who were yet to come. Mary’s embrace showed what America – North and South – is called to be: a land where different peoples come together; a land prepared to accept human life at every stage, from the mother’s womb to old age; a land which welcomes immigrants, and the poor and the marginalized, in every age. A land of generosity.

That is the message of Our Lady of Guadalupe, and it is also my message, the message of the Church. I ask all the people of the Americas to open wide their arms, like the Virgin, with love and tenderness.

His Holiness,

Pope Francis 

Pondering All Things

By Bishop James Conley

December 6, 2013

No one awaits a new baby like its mother. While new babies bring joy to whole families, and whole communities, there is no comparison to the way a new child impacts a mother. From the moment a woman discovers she is pregnant, I am told, she’s conscious of the baby growing inside of her—she’s protective, and hopeful, and prayerful.

A mother knows, like no one else, how much a new baby will transform her life, and the lives of those around her.

Last Sunday, we began the liturgical season of Advent: a season in which we wait, with hopeful expectation, for the arrival of the Christ Child. Christ has already come into the world, and he’s present with us now in the Holy Eucharist, in the Church, and in our families. But we continue to celebrate Advent because there are always new ways for Christ to enter our lives, and always new possibilities for him to transform us.

No one knows how much Jesus Christ can transform our lives like the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Mother of God.

From the moment she discovered that she would be the mother of the Son of God, Mary pondered the meaning of her vocation in her heart. She pondered what Christ would do in the world, and what her role would be. She realized with grace, and beauty that her role would be to "proclaim the greatness of the Lord."

When Mary discovered that Jesus was coming, she prepared herself to become his disciple. This week, Pope Francis said that she is the perfect example of Advent preparations. Mary’s prayer, he said, is the canticle of the People of God on the journey, and of all men and women who hope in God, in the power of his mercy."

Mary understood, at the moment she discovered that the Lord was coming, the power of God’s mercy. And, as we prepare for Christ to enter our hearts more deeply, we should pray for the grace to know that mercy as well.

As Advent begins, says the Holy Father, we can invite Mary into our homes. We can "be guided by her, she who is mother, she is a ‘mama’ and knows how to lead us. Let us be guided by her in this time of waiting and active vigilance."

I pray that this year, each of us will imitate the Blessed Mother as we await Jesus Christ. I pray that as you set up the Christmas crèche, you will read the story of the Nativity. I pray that your family will sing the hymns of Advent and of Marian joy. And I pray, most especially, that this Christmas your family will regularly pray the Rosary together.

When the Gospel was revealed to Mary, she "pondered all things in her heart." When we pray the Rosary, we can do the same. In the Rosary, we invite Mary to pray for us as the Lord reveals the mystery of his incarnation. If we spend time this Advent praying the Rosary, when Christ is revealed at Christmas we will know him more intimately, and cherish him more deeply. And, like Mary, we will trust in the incredible power of God’s mercy.

Like all mothers, Mary knew that her child would transform her life. She also knew that he can transform each of our lives—that he can draw us into the eternal love of the Father. The Christ child will come, and he will invite us to new life. As we await his arrival, may we ponder all these things in our hearts.

Gospel Joy in Advent

Written by Archbishop José H. Gomez 

I hope you all had a wonderful Thanksgiving with your families and friends. It was a beautiful time for me also. There is so much I am grateful for in this past year!

I also had the blessing of celebrating the conclusion of the Year of Faith with a Mass at our historic San Buenaventura Mission.

In God’s Providence, the Year of Faith ended on the 300th anniversary of the birth of Blessed Junípero Serra, the great apostle of California and one of the spiritual heroes of the first evangelization of the New World.

As many of you know, I have long had a devotion to Blessed Junípero. So it was a moving experience for me to celebrate the Eucharist near the spot where he offered the Eucharist to consecrate San Buenaventura — the last of the nine missions he established in California.

This Year of Faith has been a season of grace me and for our Church. And to mark the year’s end, Pope Francis issued Evangelii Gaudium (“The Joy of the Gospel”).

I’ve been slowly reading and praying over our Holy Father’s words. This is truly a remarkable document — a powerful reflection on our identity and mission as Christians, written in deeply personal language.

The Pope offers a strong analysis of the cultural challenges the Church faces. He urges us to overcome our selfishness and greed and to work for a world that is more just and more compassionate.

He also offers us detailed practical guidance on areas that he calls “programmatic” for the Church’s mission — areas such as preaching; parish life; religious education; and youth ministry and social outreach.

But Evangelii Gaudium is really aimed at our hearts. The Pope is challenging us — personally as Catholics and institutionally as the Church. Who are we and what are we living for? Is our faith changing us and making us different? Or instead are we trying to reshape and “downsize” the Gospel to make us feel more comfortable with our weaknesses? These are the tough questions the Pope is asking us.

“Every Christian is challenged — here and now — to be actively engaged in evangelization,” our Holy Father writes. “Indeed, anyone who has truly experienced God’s saving love does not need much time or lengthy training to go out and proclaim that love.”

In other words, the Pope is saying, we have no excuses. If we love Jesus, we need to proclaim him. Even if we don’t have special training and none of us is a saint, we still have a duty to proclaim Christ.

“In your heart you know that it is not the same to live without him,” the Pope writes. “What you have come to realize, what has helped you to live and given you hope is what you also need to communicate to others.”

“Our falling short of perfection should be no excuse,” he adds. “On the contrary, mission is a constant stimulus — not to remain mired in mediocrity but to continue growing.”

The Pope reminds us that listening is the first step in evangelizing. Listening “when the other person speaks and shares his or her joys, hopes and concerns for loved ones or so many other heartfelt needs.”

Only after listening — and always listening in ways that are “respectful and gentle” — should we speak to others of God. And always we need to keep in mind the Gospel’s “fundamental message” — God’s “personal love” for every person and his desire to save us and be our friend.

Evangelii Gaudium is not only a document “about” the new evangelization. It’s a beautiful example of what the new evangelization looks like in practice.

So as we begin this new Church year in this season of Advent, let’s ask God to open our hearts to really hear what our Holy Father is calling us to. Let’s get rid of the noise and chatter that tries to “spin” our new Pope’s message one way or the other. Let’s just listen personally to what he is saying to us.

“The primary reason for evangelizing is the love of Jesus which we have received, the experience of salvation which urges us to ever greater love of him. … If we do not feel an intense desire to share this love, we need to pray insistently that he will once more touch our hearts.”

And with Pope Francis, let’s make this prayer to our Blessed Mother: “Mother of the living Gospel, wellspring of happiness for God’s little ones, pray for us.”

The Season of Advent

Waiting

We light a advent candle today, a small dim light against a world that often seems forbidding and dark. But we light it because we are a people of hope, a people whose faith is marked by an expectation that we should always be ready for the coming of the Master. The joy and anticipation of this season is captured beautifully in the antiphons of hope from the monastic liturgies:

See! The ruler of the earth shall come, the Lord who will take from us the heavy burden of our exile
The Lord will come soon, will not delay.
The Lord will make the darkest places bright.
We must capture that urgency today in the small flame of our candle. We light the candle because we know that the coming of Christ is tied to our building of the kingdom. Lighting the flame, feeding the hungry, comforting the sick, reconciling the divided, praying for the repentant, greeting the lonely and forgotten – doing all these works hastens His coming.

THE LORD IS COMING: BE PREPARED!

Happy New Year!  On January 1^st we wish everybody a happy New Year. What about the 1^st Sunday of Advent?  This initiates the church New Year. Should we not wish our friends and relatives a spiritual happy New Year?

Advent focuses on JESUS. He will come!  Emmanuel means “God is with us!” There are three comings of Jesus: in history He was Incarnate and born of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Bethlehem about 2000 years ago. He will come at the end of time to judge the living and the dead. Finally, He comes every day and every moment through grace. Most especially Jesus comes at every celebration of the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass.

Jesus was born of the Blessed Virgin Mary. However, Jesus is constantly being born in the hands of the priest in the moment of consecration. Still more Jesus is born in the hearts of all who receive Him with great faith, devotion and love in receiving Holy Communion.

Given that Advent is already close to knocking at our doors, let us offer ten short suggestions on how we might live out the most fruitful of Advent’s in our lives. We can never tell if this could be our last Advent. Let us be prepared!

1.    PRAY! Make a firm commitment this Advent to pray more than you normally do as well as with greater fervor! Jesus came to cast fire; may your hearts burn within you as you pray like the disciples on the road to Emmaus!

2.    SACRIFICE!   All of us can give up something that we like to show our love and apreciation for Jesus who loves us so much and suffered so much for us to open up the gates of heaven and to save our immortal souls. St. Ignatius of Loyola specifies that Jesus was born in Bethlehem so as to die for us on the cross on Calvary. The crib and the cross are interconnected! Jesus does not look at the “bigness” of the action but the purity of intention. Remember the widow’s mite.(Lk.21:1-4)      

3.    CONFESS.  Clean out the dirty barn of your soul so that on the day Jesus is born He will have a clean and a warm welcome!

4.    BIBLE.  The Church highly recommends the reading of the Bible, the Word of God.  St. Jerome warns us: “Ignorance of Sacred Scripture is ignorance of Christ. However in the “Strong” Liturgical Seasons of Lent and Advent the Church even more urgently exhorts us to read and meditate on the Word of God.

5.    BIBLE VERSE MOTIVATION!  Why not choose some Bible verse or passage, or some scene that really seems to captivate you to motivate you to live out to the fullest possible extent this Advent. Live out this Advent as if it were to be the last Advent in your life!

6.     MASS AND HOLY COMMUNION!  By far the best action we could possibly carry out in living out Advent, Lent, or any time is to attend the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass, participate fully, actively, and consciously and especially receive Holy Communion with burning love.  An interesting linguistic note---- “Christmas” means the “Mass of Christ!” Indeed every day can be Christmas for us!

7.     FORGIVE AND HEAL THE WOUNDS!   We all are hurt and have been hurt; we all hurt others; and we have all hurt God due to our sins!  If it is such that we are still clinging on to old hurts, allowing resentments to fester, and nursing old grudges, Advent is a prime-time and propitious opportunity to forgive and allow God to heal your wounded heart! Jesus is the Prince of Peace and wants to restore peace to your wounded heart! Remember the words of Jesus:  “Be merciful as your heavenly Father is merciful.”

8.    CONFESSION--- bring the whole family to cleanse their souls!    One of the primary tricks of the devil is to keep us away from the Sacrament of Confession.  What does the devil say?  The following: “Do it tomorrow; the priest is too busy and why waste his time; the priest will yell at you. My sin is too big and I am afraid and ashamed!”  All of these lies of the devil we can easily swallow hook, line and sinker! Offer the Confession to Jesus as a Birthday Gift.  He relishes clean and pure hearts.  He Himself said: “Blessed are the pure of heart, they will see God.” (Mt. 5:8)

9.    LOVE ONE ANOTHER AS I HAVE LOVED YOU.   In this Advent Season be on the lookout as to what poor, sick, elderly, hungry or thirsty, lonely or depressed individual you can visit and bring the love of Jesus to! Read Mt. 25: 31-46. Jesus gives us an outline of our final test on the Day of Judgment. Did we show love by giving--- food, drink, clothes, time and a warm welcome. You might even view the “Christmas Carol” of Charles Dickens to motivate you! Which Tiny Tim has God placed in your path! Do not be afraid to pick him up on your healthy shoulders and carry him. “He ain’t heavy; he is my brother!”

10. MARY AND MERRY CHRISTMAS.  To live out a fruitful Advent which culminates in the joy of Christmas—the birth of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ—invite Mary to be with you the whole time! Nobody on earth lived out this season better than the Blessed Virgin Mary. She will teach us the “Reason for the Season”. Mary will teach us that Advent is indeed a special Liturgical time of Preparation for the birth of her Son, Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. In the American society so immured with money, materialism, leading to consumerism it is all too easy to become oblivious to the real meaning of Christmas.  Christmas is not simply about buying  and toys and things and possessions! No!  The real GIFT of Christmas is not a material commodity, but a PERSON. That “Person” is Our Lord and Savior Jesus, born in the poor, damp and cold stable of Bethlehem of the Blessed Virgin Mary. May Our Lady teach us the true meaning of Christmas by living out fervently and faithfully this Advent Season.