“The mystery that never ceases to amaze and move us was renewed this night: the Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus, the Son of God, wrapped him in swaddling clothes and laid him in a manger. That is how the shepherds of Bethlehem, filled with joy, found him, as the angels sang: ‘Glory to God and peace to men’”
“Brothers and sisters, do not be afraid! The Door is open, it is wide open! Come! Let us be reconciled with God, and then we will be reconciled with ourselves and able to be reconciled with one another, even our enemies. God’s mercy can do all things. It unties every knot; it tears down every wall of division; it dispels hatred and the spirit of revenge. Come! Jesus is the Door of Peace.”
Pope Francis waving to the crowds in Saint Peter’s Square. Image Credit – Vatican
“This Christmas, at the beginning of the Jubilee Year, I invite every individual, and all peoples and nations, to find the courage needed to walk through that Door, to become pilgrims of hope, to silence the sound of arms and overcome divisions!”
“May there be a ceasefire, may the hostages be released and aid be given to the people worn out by hunger and by war.”
“Jesus, the eternal Word of God made incarnate, is the wide-open Door that we are invited to enter, in order to rediscover the meaning of our existence and the sacredness of all life, and to recover the foundational values of the human family.”
Pope Francis giving his “Urbi et Orbi” Christmas blessing. Image Credit – Vatican
Banner Image: Pope presents Christmas Eve mass. All Images Credit – Vatican News Service
Staten Islander News Service Staff Writer
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