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Pope Benedict XVI- Angelus |
Angelus
Message
Joy of the Third Sunday of Advent
"A Prophetic Proclamation Destined for the Whole of Humanity
H.H. Benedict XVI
December 17, 2006
www.zenit.org
Dear Brothers and Sisters:
On this Third Sunday of Advent, the liturgy invites us to joy of the
spirit, with the famous antiphon which takes up the exhortation of
the Apostle Paul: "Rejoice in the Lord.... The Lord is at hand" (cf.
Philippians 4:4,5). The first biblical reading of the Mass is also
an invitation to joy. At the end of the seventh century B.C., the
prophet Zephaniah addressed the city of Jerusalem and its people
with these words: "Sing aloud, O daughter of Zion; shout, O Israel!
Rejoice and exult with all your heart, O daughter of Jerusalem! ...
The Lord your God is in your midst, a warrior who gives victory"
(3:14,17).
God himself is represented with similar sentiments: "He will rejoice
over you with gladness, he will renew you in his love; he will exult
over you with loud singing as on a day of festival" (Zephaniah
3:17,18a). This promise was fully realized in the mystery of
Christmas, which we will celebrate within a week, and which it is
necessary to renew in the "today" of our lives and in history.
The joy awakened by the liturgy in the hearts of Christians is not
reserved to them alone: It is a prophetic proclamation destined for
the whole of humanity, in particular, the poorest, in this case,
those who are poor in joy!
Let us think of our brothers and sisters who, especially in the
Middle East, in some areas of Africa and in other parts of the
world, live the tragedy of war: What joy can they experience? What
will their Christmas be like? Let us think of all the sick and
lonely people who, in addition to having physical suffering, suffer
in the spirit, as often they feel abandoned. How can one share joy
with them without lacking respect for their suffering?
But let us also think of those, especially young people, who have
lost the sense of authentic joy, and who seek it in vain where it is
impossible to find: in the exasperated race for self-affirmation and
success, in false amusements, in consumerism, in moments of
drunkenness, in the artificial paradise of drugs and of other forms
of alienation. We cannot fail to confront today's liturgy and its
invitation -- "Rejoice!" -- with these tragic realities.
As at the time of the prophet Zephaniah, the Word of the Lord is
addressed precisely to those who are being tested, "to life's
wounded and orphans of joy." The invitation to joy is not an
alienating message, or a sterile palliative, but rather a prophecy
of salvation, an appeal for rescue that starts with inner renewal.
To transform the world, God chose a humble maiden from a town of
Galilee, Mary of Nazareth, and called her with this greeting: "Hail,
full of grace, the Lord is with you." In these words is found the
secret of the authentic Christmas. God repeats them to the Church
and to each one of us. Rejoice, the Lord is at hand! With Mary's
help, let us give ourselves with humility and courage so that the
world will welcome Christ, who is the source of authentic joy.
[Translation by ZENIT]
[At the end of the Angelus, the Pope greeted pilgrims in several
languages. In Italian, he said:]
My thoughts go today to the hundreds of thousands of Iraqi refugees
in Syria, obliged to leave their country because of the dramatic
situation that is being lived there. Caritas-Syria is going all-out
to assist them.
However, I am launching an appeal to the sensitivity of private
individuals, international organizations and governments so that
they will make further efforts to address their most urgent needs. I
raise my prayer to the Lord that he may give consolation to these
brothers and sisters and move the hearts of many people to
generosity.
[In English, he said:]
I am happy to greet all the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors
present for today's Angelus. As we celebrate the Third Sunday of
Advent, we are called to purify our hearts and to open them with joy
to Christ our Lord and Savior. He comes to us in our humanity,
offering us a share in his divinity. May your stay in Rome renew
your faith in the Lord, and may he grant you all a blessed Sunday!
[Benedict XVI then added in Italian:]
I address a special greeting to the children and youngsters of Rome,
who have come with their families and teachers for the blessing of
the figurines of the Child Jesus, which they will place in the Cribs
of their homes, schools and parishes. I thank the Center of Parishes
of Rome which has organized this significant pilgrimage and from my
heart I bless the figurines of the Child Jesus. Dear children, at
the Crib pray also to Jesus for the Pope's intentions! I thank you
and I wish you a happy Christmas!
[Translation of Italian original by ZENIT]
© Copyright 2006 -- Libreria Editrice Vaticana
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