While Christmas has become a universal holiday, even for many nonbelievers, its celebration always should focus on the reality that God sent his son into the world to save humanity, Pope Francis said.
Christmas must not be confused with “ephemeral things” that reduce the celebration of Christ’s birth “to a merely sentimental or consumerist festival,” the pope said Dec. 23 during his weekly general audience.
“Last Sunday, I called attention to this problem, underlining that consumerism has hijacked Christmas,” he said, departing from his prepared remarks. “No! Christmas must not be reduced to just a sentimental or consumerist feast (that is) full of gifts and good wishes but poor in Christian faith and poor in humanity as well.“
Interrupting his series of talks on prayer, the pope reflected on the celebration of Christmas and the need to curb its observance from a “certain worldly mentality, incapable of grasping the incandescent core of our faith.”
St. John’s assertion that “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us,” he said, “is the nucleus of Christmas. Actually, it is the truth of Christmas; there is no other.“
“Christmas invites us to reflect, on the one hand, on the drama of history in which men and women, wounded by sin, ceaselessly search for truth, mercy, redemption; and, on the other hand, on the goodness of God, who has come toward us to communicate to us the truth that saves us and to make us sharers in his friendship and his life,” the pope said. “This gift of grace is pure grace, without merit on our part.“
The grace that comes with the Christmas season, he said, also can remove “from our hearts and minds the pessimism that has spread today as a result of the pandemic.“
“We can overcome that sense of disquieting bewilderment, not letting ourselves be overwhelmed by defeats and failures, in the rediscovered awareness that that humble and poor child, hidden away and helpless, is God himself made man for us.“
Pope Francis invited Christians to prepare to celebrate Christmas by contemplating the Nativity scene and “letting the wonder of the ‘marvelous’ way in which God wanted to come into the world be reborn in us.“
“Let us ask for the grace of wonder,” the pope said. “Before this mystery, before this reality, so tender, so beautiful, so close to our hearts, may the Lord grant us the grace of wonder to encounter him, to be close to him, to be close to each other.“
“While the pandemic has forced us to be more distant” from one another, he said, “Jesus, in the manger, shows us the way of tenderness to be close to each other, to be human. Let us follow this path.“
Consumerism has indeed hijacked Christmas! Merry Christmas to all my friends around the world! More holy words on NCR Online, Strange Sounds and Steve Quayle.
and the vatican is hoarding billions plus all the main ancient texts and artifacts from all of the black civilizations that existed prior to the other races being created. the hypocrisy is astounding.
it’s always been this way. america itself is nothing but consumerism. we should all blame ourselves because we are the ones addicting to buying things because it gives us false self-esteem.
empty words, empty people, an empty holiday in honor of an empty, fictional character.People celebrating this racist and misanthropic holiday are worthy of contempt and annihilation.
Off topic:
https://youtu.be/vEcIvgHLOq0
Remember these? That’s what was playing on the record player. Smell of pine needles, kids sneakin sips of the eggnog, and those chocolate mini bottles with liqueur and brandy in them. Fireplace roaring, and turkey or goose cooking in the oven.
Everything is hijacked, Happiness, Love, Fellowship,Election, and Religion.
Here is my gift to you all for Christmas , hell with Islam that can not see we still say merry Christmas to all.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJE5ulj6Bks
Experience 17 Sound Healing Triggers | Soothing Sound Bath No Talking ASMR Role play | Sleepy Tingles
More video on that you can find different ones. ASMR?
Mohsen Int BC Journalist
Mohsen,
https://youtu.be/HchoJcYNYlU
10 hours of waterfall sounds.
Been testing sound files.
If anybody has trouble sleeping, then this file is for you. If you have noisy neighbors like me, and you are sick of it, this soothing sounds file may be the trick.
I get a solid 7-8 hours sleep now. I tested out a fan sound file, and it was also able to block or buffer external sounds. It isn’t as pleasant sounding as waterfall file. Rain drop files, winter snow storm, and thunderstorm files are good too.
*Works on Doperclowns, barking dogs, bass noise, airplane noise, car noises.
There’s a war going on inside the church. I think many of our beloved institutions have been highjacked by communism.
I’d rather read Scripture, and pray at home these days. I’m not a fanatic, but do pray daily. Especially, when we live in times like these.
Merry Christmas.
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/12/msnbc-doom-gloom-doc-dont-get-overly-optimistic-covid-19-vaccine-decades-long-battle-video/
These fear peddlers deserve a lump of coal for Christmas.
The war began in heaven (Rev.12:7) and very soon the heavenly Priest (Hebrews 3:1) will take off His priestly garments put on His kingly robe and destroy the system (Rev.19:20) who casted truth to the ground (Daniel 8:12).
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year
Supporting info:
https://www.thegatewaypundit.com/2020/12/red-francis-joins-cdc-pushing-covid-vaccinations/
https://humansarefree.com/2020/12/christmas-day-address-pope-francis-vaccines-aborted-baby-parts.html
Oooops, big mistake.