Israel

"We who are proud, full of vanity and think we are great, we are nothing! He, the Great One, is humble and becomes a child. This is a real mystery! God is humble". "Let us make the Child Jesus smile to show him our love and our joy because He is in our midst. His smile is a sign of love that gives us the certainty of being loved. "

The project focuses mainly in the area E1, near Maale Adumim and would separate the West Bank from East Jerusalem. Grave threat to chances of peace with two-state solution.

On the feast of the Holy Family Pope, Francis celebrates the Jubilee of Families in St. Peter. The invitation to all families to be a place of education to live life as a common pilgrimage, educating to prayer, thanksgiving, sharing, communication, and mutual forgiveness.

At the Angelus Pope Francis proposes a series of "evangelical virtues" that strengthen families, "meditation and prayer, mutual understanding and respect, self-sacrifice, work and solidarity." Families weakened by "misunderstandings and difficulties”. The need to communicate the joy of faith. Appeal for Cuban migrants. Thanks to a children's choir.

The martyr, the witness, "is like Jesus", he prays, loves, gives, forgives. The forgiveness of Stephen and the conversion of St. Paul. "Through forgiveness we overcome evil with good, we turn hatred into love and so we make the world cleaner". May our contemplating the Nativity Scene " inspire an attitude of mercy and love for one another in families, parish and religious communities, movements and associations, in all the faithful and people of good will."

In his Christmas message, Francis mentioned the tragedies of Israel, Palestine, Iraq, Yemen and Sub-Saharan Africa, Ukraine and Colombia. He also talked about the hope for peace generated by agreements for Syria and Libya, and “those who endeavour generously to assist and accommodate the many migrants and refugees”.

The 3500 refugee families who had stayed in the diocese of Amadiya need food, medicine, warm clothes, beds, houses, work. The appeal of their pastor, along with his heartfelt gratitude for the help received through AsiaNews thanks to the "Adopt a Christian from Mosul" campaign. The signs of Providence.

Violence in Paris, Bamako, Dinajpur, Damascus, and Baghdad is met with the war on terror and closed borders. However, in doing so we forget that attackers include French and Belgians who grew up in a vacuum of ideals. To avoid “offending” Muslim sensitivities, Christian signs are stifled, eliminating every religious reference in society, like in China. In a world indifferent of God, Christmas celebrates God who is not indifferent to man.

"I have had a slight touch of the flu over the past few days”. "The reform will go ahead with determination, clarity and decisiveness." A recognition to "efficiency ", "effort", "responsibility", "commitment and dedication" of most, but also of some "illnesses that occurred during this year, causing more than a little pain among the whole body and injuring many souls. Even with the scandal”. A list of virtues in acrostic of "mercy".

Islam needs a revision. The Arab world is sending to Europe a form of Islam that is emotional, self-pitying and confrontational, one that wants to dominate the world on the basis of outdated historical interpretations. The Muslim world must assimilates elements of European culture (reason, progress, human rights, etc.) in order to engage the West in dialogue; otherwise, the choice is between disappearing and war.

The ‘other’ is one such place, Francis said, “our fellow human beings” who since Jesus’ birth, bear “the likeness of the Son of God.” This is followed by History in which God “messes up the cards.” Then comes the Church, “a mother who, despite spots and wrinkles, [. . .] reveals the features of the Bride loved and purified by Christ the Lord.” The pontiff calls for peace in Syria and Nicaragua, and a prayer for Indians affected by flooding. He also performs the traditional blessing of the figures of the Baby Jesus.

Relations between the two countries plummeted in 2010, following the Israeli attack on the Mavi Marmara, in which 10 Turkish activists were killed. Israel promises to compensate the families of the victims. Ankara will drop the charges and claims against Israel. Agreement on a gas pipeline also signed.