Pope: Christmas, feast of wonder for God among us and of hope that does not disappoint

In this pandemic, "After the initial reaction phase in which we felt in solidarity in the same boat, the “every man for himself” temptation spread. But thank God we reacted again with a sense of responsibility". "Thanks be to God, because the choice of responsibility in solidarity does not come from the world: it comes from God; indeed, it comes from Jesus Christ, who has once and for all impressed on our history the 'course' of His original vocation: to be all sisters and brothers, children of the one Father".

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - The truth of Christmas is that it cannot be celebrated without wonder, because it marks the coming of the Saviour and is therefore the source of the "hope that never disappoints" as well as of that brotherhood that must push us to be "neighbours" to those who have problems. On the last day of the calendar year, the "Te Deum" of thanksgiving is celebrated at the end of first vespers of the Solemnity of Mary Most Holy Mother of God. Presiding over the rite in St Peter's Basilica is Card. Giovanni Battista Re, Dean of the College of Cardinals.

Pope Francis gave the homily.

The feast of Christmas, Francis observed, "is, perhaps, the liturgy that evokes this interior movement to a greater degree: amazement, wonder, contemplation". Like the shepherds and like Mary and Joseph themselves. "IThis is the way it is: Christmas cannot be celebrated without being amazed – but an amazement that is not limited to superficial sentiment, connected with the externals of the feast, or worse yet, with the frenzy of consumerism. If Christmas is reduced to this, nothing changes: tomorrow will be just like yesterday, next year will be like last year, and so on. That is like warming ourselves for a few seconds by a straw fire rather than exposing our entire beings to the power of Event, not grasping the heart of the mystery of Christ’s birth. This is the heart: “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (Jn 1:14)".

A phrase often repeated in the liturgy of Vespers marking the beginning of the Solemnity of Mary Most Holy Mother of God. "She is the first witness, the first and the greatest, and at the same time, the humblest – the greatest because she is the humblest. Her heart is filled with amazement without the shadow of romanticism, of sweeteners, of spiritualization. No. The Mother brings us back to reality, to the truth of Christmas contained in the few words Saint Paul uses: “born of a woman” (Gal 4:4)".

Francis stressed - Christian amazement is not the result of special effects, of fantasy worlds, but from the mystery of reality: there is nothing more amazing and stupefying than reality! A flower, a clod of earth, a life story, an encounter, the wrinkled face of an elderly person or the blooming face of a newborn baby, a mamma who nurses a baby in her arms. The mystery shines there. Brothers and sisters, Mary’s amazement, the Church’s amazement, is filled with gratitude. The gratitude of the Mother who, contemplating the Son, feels God’s nearness, feels that God has not abandoned his people, that he has come, is near, is God-with-us. Problems do not vanish, difficulties and worries are not lacking, but we are not alone: the Father “sent forth his Son” (Gal 4:4) to redeem us from the slavery of sin and to restore our dignity as children. He, the Only-Begotten, became the firstborn among many brothers and sisters, to lead us all, lost and scattered, back to the Father's house".

This pandemic," he said, "A sense of being lost has grown in the world during this time of the pandemic. After the initial reaction phase in which we felt in solidarity in the same boat, the “every man for himself” temptation spread. But thank God we reacted again with a sense of responsibility. We truly can and must say “thank You, God”, because the choice to be responsible in solidarity does not come from the world: it comes from God – rather, it comes from Jesus Christ who has once and for all impressed on our history the “route” of our original calling: to be brothers and sisters all, children of the same Father. Rome, carries this calling written in its heart. Everyone feels like a part of the family in Rome; in a certain sense, everyone feels at home because this city preserves a universal openness within it. It comes from its history, from its culture. It comes primarily from the Gospel of Christ that laid down deep roots here, made fruitful by the blood of the martyrs. Starting with Peter and Paul.

But even in this city there are situations of hardship, of "waste". "The hope, then, is that everyone who lives and works here, or are pilgrims or tourists, that everyone might appreciate Rome more and more for its welcoming care for the dignity of life, for our common home, for the weakest and most vulnerable. May everyone be amazed, discovering a beauty in this city that is, I would say, “consistent”, and that evokes gratitude.".

Pope Francis' concluded: "Sisters and brothers, today, the Mother – Mother Mary and Mother Church – shows us the Baby. She smiles at us and says: “He is the Way. Follow him, trust”. Let us follow him on our daily journey: he brings time to its fullness, He gives meaning to what we do and to the days we live. Let us trust in joyful times and in sorrowful times: the hope He gives us is a hope that never disappoints".

At the end of the rite, after the blessing with the Blessed Sacrament, the Pope did not go, as usual, to visit the crib set up in St Peter's Square. The Press Office explained that this decision was "to avoid drawing crowds".

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