At the Angelus, Pope Francis wishes that the Christmas celebration "will be a source of new spiritual vigor and communion among all of us Christians". The Youth Mission Sunday. "Follow the example of the Magi: be ready to meet Jesus in our lives".
Vatican City (AsiaNews) - At the Angelus prayer with pilgrims in St Peter's Square, Pope Francis sent greetings to those Eastern Churches which - following the Julian calendar and not the Gregorian calendar - celebrate Christmas these days. "To them - the Pope said - I address my most cordial wish: That this joyful celebration be a source of new spiritual vigor and communion among all of us Christians, who recognize Him as Lord and Savior".
For the Catholics, January 6 the solemnity of the Epiphany celebrates and recalls the adoration of the Child Jesus by the Magi, who came from the East, symbol of the peoples who are called to the Christian faith. This is why, on this day, the Holy Childhood MIssion Day is celebrated. The pontiff cited it after the Marian prayer, recalling that it "invites the missionary children to take on Jesus' own gaze, so that it may become the precious guide of their commitment to prayer, fraternity and sharing with the neediest of their peers" .
This morning the Pope had celebrated Mass in the basilica. Before the Angelus, still referring to today's Gospel (Matthew 2: 1-12), Francis highlighted "the three attitudes" with which "the coming of Jesus and his manifestation to the world was welcomed: Careful research, indifference, fear ".
The "care" is that of the Magi, who "try to identify where the newborn King can be found"; "Indifference" is that of "the high priests and scribes. They know the Scriptures and are able to give the right answer on the place of birth ... but do not bother to go and visit the Messiah"; "Fear" is experienced by Herod: "he is afraid that the Child will take away his power".
"We too - he added - we have to choose which of the three to take on. Selfishness can lead one to consider the coming of Jesus into our life as a threat. Then we try to suppress or silence the message of Jesus. When we follow human ambitions, the most comfortable perspectives, the inclinations of evil, Jesus is perceived as an obstacle.On the other hand, the temptation of indifference is always present. Even if we know that Jesus is the Savior, we prefer to live as if it were not: instead of behaving in coherence with our own Christian faith, we follow the principles of the world, which lead us to satisfy the inclinations of arrogance, the thirst for power and wealth. Instead, we are called to follow the example of the Magi: to carefully search, be ready to to meet Jesus in our lives. Search for Him to worship Him, to recognize that He is our Lord, the One who indicates the true way to follow. If we have this attitude, Jesus really saves us, and we can live a beautiful life, we can grow in faith, in hope, in charity towards God and towards our brothers".