At his morning Mass at the Casa Santa Marta on Tuesday, Pope Francis
spoke about how Christians can prepare for Christmas by building peace in one's
soul, in the family and in the world through humility.
By Robin Gomes
Pope Francis is urging Christians to prepare themselves for Christmas
this Advent season by being humble and trying to build peace in their soul, in
their family and in the world.
Delivering a homily at Mass, Friday morning at the Casa Santa Marta in
the Vatican, the Pope said that peacemaking consists in not talking evil of and
harming others, a bit like imitating God, who humbled Himself.
Pointing to the pastoral scene evoked by Isaiah in the first reading,
where the wolf and the lamb, and the leopard and the kid live side by side
harmlessly, the Pope said the prophet speaks about the peace of Jesus that
transforms life and history, which is why He is called the "Prince of
Peace".
The soul
Advent, therefore, is the time to prepare ourselves for this Prince of
Peace by being at peace with ourselves, our soul, that is often in anxiety,
anguish and without hope. For this, one needs to start
with oneself.
The Pope said that today the Lord asks us whether our soul is at peace?
If not, then we should ask the Prince of Peace to pacify our souls, so we
can meet Him. The Pope said we are so used looking at the souls of
others rather than our own.
Family
After being at peace with our soul, it is time to be at peace at home,
in the family, the Pope said. He noted much sadness in families with much
struggle, “small wars” and at times disunity.
He urged Christians to examine themselves whether they are at peace or
at war in their families or against others, whether there are bridges
or walls that separate.
World
The Pope then spoke about making peace in the world where there is much
war, disunity, hatred and exploitation. Christians should ask
themselves what they are doing about creating peace in the world by working for
peace in the neighbourhood, in the school and in the workplace.
The Pope urged Christians to ask themselves whether they find excuses
to make war, to hate, to talk ill about others and condemn or are they
meek and try to build bridges.
Children too
can ask themselves whether at school they bully a companion
they dislike because he is a little hateful or weak, or they make peace and
forgive everything.
Peacemaking like God
Peace, the Pope said, is never still but always moves forward. It
starts with the soul, and after making its journey of peace, returns to the
soul. Making peace is a bit like imitating God. When He wanted to make
peace with us and forgave us, He sent His Son to make peace, to be the Prince
of peace.
The Pope said to be a peacemaker one does not have to be wise and
learned and study peace. Peace is an attitude that Jesus speaks about in
the Gospel. Jesus glorifies God because he has hidden these things from
the wise and learned and has revealed them to the little ones.
Pope Francis urged Christians to make themselves small, humble
and be the servant of others. “The Lord will give you the ability to
understand how to make peace and will provide you the strength to
make it,” the Pope assured.
Stop short of "small wars"
The Pope said that whenever there is the possibility of a “small war” at
home, in the heart, at school or at work, we should stop short and try and make
peace. “Never, never wound the other. Never,” he said, exhorting Christians to
start by not speaking ill of others or firing the first cannon. This way, he
said, we become men and women of peace, carrying peace forward.
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