Clearing from our consciousness and our life all that is contrary to the coming of God who became a child, to do good, to contribute and realise peace and justice for every man in this world and in this way journey towards the Lord. The Nativity scene a "genuine witness to Christian faith."

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - In the frenetic activity of today, Advent, the time of waiting for Christmas, "gifts us a little clam and joy" for the "surprise" of God who became a child "to save us and give new courage and new light to our journey." His arrival "will not find us unprepared. The care we put into brightening our streets and our homes", we should also take in purifying our consciousness and our lives of all that is contrary to this coming: thoughts, words, attitudes and actions, urging ourselves to do good and to contribute and realise peace and justice for every man in our world and in this way walk towards the Lord".  This was the invitation and the wish that Benedict XVI expressed today to Christians during his last general audience before Christmas.

To five thousand people gathered in the Paul VI at the Vatican, the Pope spoke of Advent, when we prepare ourselves to "accept openly and with gratitude the great event of the coming of the Lord and contemplate the descent of God in the world." "All human life is animated by this feeling, that what is most true, beautiful and great can come to us and in front of our eyes become concrete."

The Pope then recalled that in the coming of Jesus, St. Irenaeus sees " God who calls man forth into His own likeness. We must imitate him, God has given Himself into our hands, we must imitate God. " "Man - said Benedict XVI - can not see God, but he can see Jesus and thus sees God, in this way he begins to see the truth and thus to live”.  In this way he "can see God in the face of Christ" , who "after the disobedience of Adam and Eve embraces us." Irenaeus said the Pope, says that God "became son of man to accustom man to perceive God and dares to say that even God must become accustomed to us, to our poverty and weakness."

The coming of Jesus "can have no other purpose than to teach us to see and love events, the world and everything around us, with the same eyes of God.  The Word made child helps us to understand God’s actions, so that we are able to allow ourselves be increasingly transformed by his goodness and his infinite mercy".

The Pope finally spoke of the Nativity Scene, which "represents the beauty of God who became man" and is "an expression of our waiting," but also our "thanks to He who has decided to share our human condition, in poverty and simplicity. I am delighted - he concluded – that it is still alive and, indeed, that we have rediscovered the tradition of preparing Nativity scenes in our homes, workplaces, places of meeting. This authentic witness of Christian faith can offer all men of good will today a striking image of the infinite love of the Father for us all. It can still provoke wonder in the hearts of children and adults”.

 

 

Photo: Credit CPP

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