Pope Francis's Christmas message: only God's mercy can free humanity

[Austen Ivereigh]Against a backdrop of growing terrorist violence, war and persecution across the world, Pope Francis yesterday used his traditional Christmas address "to the city and to the world" to appeal for a new openness to God's grace of mercy and peace."Only God's mercy can free humanity from the many forms of evil, at times monstrous evil, which selfishness spawns in our midst," he said in his Urbi et Orbi  address from the loggia of St Peter's.The Pope, who has been awarded the prestigious Charlemagne prize in recognition of his work for European unity and conflict resolution, ticked off a long list of protracted conflicts across the world in the Middle East, Africa, Ukraine and Colombia.He prayed that the United Nations agreement over Syria lead to a cessation of hostilities and the urgent relief of its suffering people, and called for the international community to end the atrocities in Iraq, Libya, Yemen and sub-Saharan Africa which "reap numerous victims, cause immense suffering and do not even spare the historical and cultural patrimony of entire peoples."In a further reference to jihadist atrocities, Francis said he was thinking at this time of victims of terrorist massacres in Egyptian airspace, as well as in Beirut,  Paris, Bamako and Tunis."To our brothers and sisters who in many parts of the world are being persecuted for their faith, may the Child Jesus grant consolation and strength," he prayed.He also spoke in emphatic terms about the need to welcome refugees from  extreme poverty or war, "travelling all too often in inhumane conditions and not  infrequently at the risk of their lives."He asked for God to "repay all those,  both  individuals  and  states,  who generously  work  to provide  assistance  and welcome  to  the  numerous  migrants  and  refugees,  helping them  to build  a  dignified  future  for themselves  and  for  their  dear  ones,  and to be  integrated in the societies which  receive  them.""It is Christmas of the Holy Year of Mercy," Francis concluded, "so I wish that everyone be able to welcome into their lives the mercy of God that Jesus Christ has given us -- to be merciful with our brothers (and sisters). Then we will allow peace to grow!"In his Midnight Mass homily on Friday night, Francis warned against the addictive and distracting nature of compulsive spending and a culture of self-gratification, and said the world was often "merciless to the sinner and lenient to the sin".In a society so often intoxicated by consumerism and hedonism, wealth and extravagance, appearances and narcissism, this Child calls us to act soberly, in other words, in a way that is simple, balanced, consistent, capable of seeing and doing what is essential. In a world which all too often is merciless to the sinner and lenient to the sin, we need to cultivate a strong sense of justice, to discern and to do God's will. Amid a culture of indifference which not infrequently turns ruthless, our style of life should instead be devout, filled with empathy, compassion and mercy, drawn daily from the wellspring of prayer.The two texts follow.Pope Francis Urbi et Orbi message, 25 December 2015

Dear brothers and sisters, Happy Christmas!Christ is born for us, let us rejoice in the day of our salvation!Let us open our hearts to receive the grace of this day, which is Christ himself.  Jesus is the radiant “day” which has dawned on the horizon of humanity.  A day of mercy, in which God our Father has revealed his great tenderness to the entire world.  A day of light, which dispels the darkness of fear and anxiety.  A day of peace, which makes for encounter, dialogue and reconciliation.  A day of joy: a “great joy” for the poor, the lowly and for all the people (cf. Lk 2:10).On this day, Jesus, the Saviour is born of the Virgin Mary.  The Crib makes us see the “sign” which God has given us: “a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger” (Lk 2:12).  Like the shepherds of Bethlehem, may we too set out to see this sign, this event which is renewed yearly in the Church.  Christmas is an event which is renewed in every family, parish and community which receives the love of God made incarnate in Jesus Christ.  Like Mary, the Church shows to everyone the “sign” of God: the Child whom she bore in her womb and to whom she gave birth, yet who is the Son of the Most High, since he “is of the Holy Spirit” (Mt 1:20).  He is truly the Saviour, for he is the Lamb of God who takes upon himself the sin of the world (cf. Jn 1:29).  With the shepherds, let us bow down before the Lamb, let us worship God’s goodness made flesh, and let us allow tears of repentance to fill our eyes and cleanse our hearts.He alone, he alone can save us.  Only God’s mercy can free humanity from the many forms of evil, at times monstrous evil, which selfishness spawns in our midst.  The grace of God can convert hearts and offer mankind a way out of humanly insoluble situations.Where God is born, hope is born.  Where God is born, peace is born.  And where peace is born, there is no longer room for hatred and for war.  Yet precisely where the incarnate Son of God came into the world, tensions and violence persist, and peace remains a gift to be implored and built.  May Israelis and Palestinians resume direct dialogue and reach an agreement which will enable the two peoples to live together in harmony, ending a conflict which has long set them at odds, with grave repercussions for the entire region.We pray to the Lord that the agreement reached in the United Nations may succeed in halting as quickly as possible the clash of arms in Syria and in remedying the extremely grave humanitarian situation of its suffering people.  It is likewise urgent that the agreement on Libya be supported by all, so as to overcome the grave divisions and violence afflicting the country.  May the attention of the international community be unanimously directed to ending the atrocities which in those countries, as well as in Iraq, Libya, Yemen and sub-Saharan Africa, even now reap numerous victims, cause immense suffering and do not even spare the historical and cultural patrimony of entire peoples.  My thoughts also turn to those affected by brutal acts of terrorism, particularly the recent massacres which took place in Egyptian airspace, in Beirut, Paris, Bamako and Tunis.To our brothers and sisters who in many parts of the world are being persecuted for their faith, may the Child Jesus grant consolation and strength.We also pray for peace and concord among the peoples of the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi and South Sudan, that dialogue may lead to a strengthened common commitment to the building of civil societies animated by a sincere spirit of reconciliation and of mutual understanding.May Christmas also bring true peace to Ukraine, offer comfort to those suffering from the effects of the conflict, and inspire willingess to carry out the agreements made to restore concord in the entire country.May the joy of this day illumine the efforts of the Colombian people so that, inspired by hope, they  may continue their commitment to working for the desired peace.Where God is born, hope is born; and where hope is born, persons regain their dignity.  Yet even today great numbers of men and woman are deprived of their human dignity and, like the child Jesus, suffer cold, poverty, and rejection.  May our closeness today be felt by those who are most vulnerable, especially child soldiers, women who suffer violence, and the victims of human trafficking and the drug trade.Nor may our encouragement be lacking to all those fleeing extreme poverty or war, travelling all too often in inhumane conditions and not infrequently at the risk of their lives.  May God repay all those, both individuals and states, who generously work to provide assistance and welcome to the numerous migrants and refugees, helping them to build a dignified future for themselves and for their dear ones, and to be integrated in the societies which receive them.On this festal day may the Lord grant renewed hope to all those who lack employment; may he sustain the commitment of those with public responsibilities in political and economic life, that they may work to pursue the common good and to protect the dignity of every human life.Where God is born, mercy flourishes.  Mercy is the most precious gift which God gives us, especially during this Jubilee year in which we are called to discover that tender love of our heavenly Father for each of us.  May the Lord enable prisoners in particular to experience his merciful love, which heals wounds and triumphs over evil.Today, then, let us together rejoice in the day of our salvation.   As we contemplate the Crib, let us gaze on the open arms of Jesus, which show us the merciful embrace of God, as we hear the cries of the Child who whispers to us: “for my brethren and companions’ sake, I will say: Peace be within you” (Ps 121[122]:8).

Pope Francis's homily at Midnight Mass, 24 December 2015

Tonight “a great light” shines forth (Is 9:1); the light of Jesus’ birth shines all about us. How true and timely are the words of the prophet Isaiah which we have just heard: “You have brought abundant joy and great rejoicing” (9:2)! Our heart was already joyful in awaiting this moment; now that joy abounds and overflows, for the promise has been at last fulfilled. Joy and gladness are a sure sign that the message contained in the mystery of this night is truly from God. There is no room for doubt; let us leave that to the sceptics who, by looking to reason alone, never find the truth. There is no room for the indifference which reigns in the hearts of those unable to love for fear of losing something. All sadness has been banished, for the Child Jesus brings true comfort to every heart.Today, the Son of God is born, and everything changes. The Saviour of the world comes to partake of our human nature; no longer are we alone and forsaken. The Virgin offers us her Son as the beginning of a new life. The true light has come to illumine our lives so often beset by the darkness of sin. Today we once more discover who we are! Tonight we have been shown the way to reach the journey’s end. Now must we put away all fear and dread, for the light shows us the path to Bethlehem. We must not be laggards; we are not permitted to stand idle. We must set out to see our Saviour lying in a manger. This is the reason for our joy and gladness: this Child has been “born to us”; he was “given to us”, as Isaiah proclaims (cf. 9:5). The people who for two thousand years has traversed all the pathways of the world in order to allow every man and woman to share in this joy is now given the mission of making known “the Prince of peace” and becoming his effective servant in the midst of the nations.So when we hear tell of the birth of Christ, let us be silent and let the Child speak. Let us take his words to heart in rapt contemplation of his face. If we take him in our arms and let ourselves be embraced by him, he will bring us unending peace of heart. This Child teaches us what is truly essential in our lives. He was born into the poverty of this world; there was no room in the inn for him and his family. He found shelter and support in a stable and was laid in a manger for animals. And yet, from this nothingness, the light of God’s glory shines forth. From now on, the way of authentic liberation and perennial redemption is open to every man and woman who is simple of heart. This Child, whose face radiates the goodness, mercy and love of God the Father, trains us, his disciples, as Saint Paul says, “to reject godless ways” and the richness of the world, in order to live “temperately, justly and devoutly” (Tit 2:12).In a society so often intoxicated by consumerism and hedonism, wealth and extravagance, appearances and narcissism, this Child calls us to act soberly, in other words, in a way that is simple, balanced, consistent, capable of seeing and doing what is essential. In a world which all too often is merciless to the sinner and lenient to the sin, we need to cultivate a strong sense of justice, to discern and to do God’s will. Amid a culture of indifference which not infrequently turns ruthless, our style of life should instead be devout, filled with empathy, compassion and mercy, drawn daily from the wellspring of prayer.Like the shepherds of Bethlehem, may we too, with eyes full of amazement and wonder, gaze upon the Child Jesus, the Son of God. And in his presence may our hearts burst forth in prayer: “Show us, Lord, your mercy, and grant us your salvation” (Ps 85:8).