God is born to share our human condition, recalls Pope John Paul II

Rome, 23 (NE - eclesiales.org) During yesterday's general audience, celebrated in the Paul VI Hall, the Holy Father spoke about the mystery of Christmas. The Holy Father said that "during these days of preparation for Christmas we pray continually in the liturgy 'Come Lord Jesus'."

"On Christmas," he continued, "we contemplate the great mystery of God becoming man in the Virgin's womb. He is born in Bethlehem to share our fragile human condition! He comes among us and brings salvation to the whole world. His mission will be to reunite all human beings and peoples in the one family of the children of God. We can say that in the mystery of Christmas, we contemplate the 'leap forward' in the history of salvation."

The Pope emphasized that "in Christ we are offered the gift of a new and fuller communion with Him. Hope springs up in our hearts, and the gates of heaven are opened for us."

The Holy Father concluded by expressing his desire that "the celebration of Christmas may be a propitious occasion to truly live the value and meaning of the great event of Jesus' birth."

Holy Father highlights symbolism of Christmas tree

Rome, 23 (NE - eclesiales.org) Pope John Paul, addressing the faithful in St. Peter's Square who came to pray the Angelus with him last Sunday, said that "Christmas, the celebration that is perhaps dearest to popular tradition, is rich in symbols linked to different cultures. The most important is certainly the nativity scene, as I underscored last week."

"Next to the nativity scene, such as we find here in St. Peter's Square," the Pope continued, "we find the traditional Christmas tree. This is also an ancient custom that exalts the value of life because during winter, the evergreen fir becomes a sign of life that does not die. Christmas gifts are usually placed under the Christmas tree. The symbol thus becomes eloquent even in a typically Christian sense: it reminds us of the 'tree of life', a figure of Christ, God's supreme gift to all of mankind."

The Pope pointed out that "the message of the Christmas tree is thus that life is 'evergreen' if one makes a gift, not of material things, but of oneself: in friendship and sincere affection, in fraternal help and in pardon, in time shared and in reciprocal listening."

Pope calls to “know Jesus better” during Christmas

Rome, 23 (NE - eclesiales.org) Last Saturday, Pope John Paul II received 50 boys and girls from Italian Catholic Action, along with the general assistant, Msgr. Francesco Lambiasi, and the national president, Paola Bignardi, who come every to wish the Pope a Merry Christmas.

"I was happy to learn," said the Pope, "of your annual initiative to develop a plan of formation centered on the theme of 'company' or fellowship. Carry out this project with joy and generosity! It is important that each one of you grow in conscience and friendship with Jesus. You can do it fully in that 'company' which is the Church, so loved by Christ as house and school of communion and solidarity."

The Holy Father told the young people of Catholic Action that he hoped that Christmas, "with its spiritual allure, might arouse in you the desire to get to know Jesus Who came to the world to save us."

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