Pope's Address to University Students

What is this wisdom born in Bethlehem? I would like to ask myself and all of you this question during this traditional pre-Christmas meeting with the University world of Rome. Today, instead of Holy Mass, we are celebrating Vespers, and to mark the felicitous coincidence with the beginning of the Christmas novena we will soon be singing the first of the "Greater Antiphons": "O Wisdom from the mouth of the Most High, you fill the whole world. With strength and gentleness you order all things: come to teach us the way of prudence" (Liturgy of the Hours, Vespers of 17 December).

This wonderful invocation is addressed to "Wisdom", the central figure in the Books of Proverbs, Wisdom and Sirach. These are in fact called the "Sapiential" Books, and in them the Christian tradition discerns a prefiguration of Christ. This invocation becomes truly stimulating and even provocative when we find ourselves before the Nativity scene that is, before the paradox of a Wisdom that "from the mouth of the Most High" comes to lie in swaddling cloths in a manger (cf. Luke 2: 7, 12, 16).

Already we can anticipate the response to that initial question: the One born in Bethlehem is the Wisdom of God. St. Paul, in writing to the Corinthians, uses the phrase: "a hidden wisdom of God" (1 Cor 2: 7): in other words, a divine plan, which has long been kept hidden and that God himself has revealed in the history of salvation. In the fullness of time, this Wisdom took on a human Face, the Face of Jesus, who as recited in the Apostle's Creed "was conceived by the Holy Spirit, born of the Virgin Mary; suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died and was buried. He descended into hell; the third day he rose again from the dead; He ascended into heaven, is seated at the right hand of the God the Father Almighty; from hence he shall come to judge the living and the dead".

The Christian paradox consists precisely in the identification of divine Wisdom, that is the eternal Logos, with the man Jesus of Nazareth and with his story. A solution to this paradox cannot be found if not in the word "Love", which naturally in this case is written with a capital "L", in reference to a Love that infinitely exceeds human and historical dimensions. Therefore, the Wisdom that we invoke this evening is the Son of God, the second Person of the Most Holy Trinity. It is the Word who, as we read in John's prologue, "was in the beginning with God", or rather, "was God": who with the Father and the Holy Spirit created all things and who "became flesh" to reveal the God whom no one can ever see (cf. Jn 1: 2-3, 14, 18).

Dear friends, a Christian professor, or a young Christian student, carries within him a passionate love for this Wisdom! He reads everything in her light; he finds Wisdom's imprints in the elementary particles and in the verses of poets; in juridical codes and in the events of history; in works of art and in mathematic formulas. Without Wisdom not anything was made that was made (cf. Jn 1: 3) and therefore in every created reality one can see Wisdom reflected, clearly visible in different ways and degrees. Everything understood by human intelligence can be grasped because in some sense and to a certain extent it participates in creative Wisdom. Herein lies, in the last analysis, the very potential of study, of research, of scientific dialogue in every field of knowledge.

At this point I cannot omit to reflect on something a bit disquieting but nevertheless useful for us here who belong to the academic world. Let us ask ourselves: who was present on Christmas night at the grotto in Bethlehem? Who welcomed Wisdom when he was born? Who hurried to see him, to recognize him and adore him? They were not doctors of law, scribes or sages. There were Mary and Joseph, and then the shepherds. What does this mean?

Jesus was one day to say: "Yes, Father, for such was your gracious will" (Mt 11: 26); you revealed your mystery to the little ones (cf. Mt 11: 25). But then is there no use in studying? Or is it even harmful counterproductive in understanding the truth?

The two thousand-year-old history of Christianity excludes the latter hypothesis, and suggests to us the correct one: studying entails deepening one's knowledge while maintaining a spirit similar to the "little ones," an ever humble and simple spirit, like that of Mary, the "Seat of Wisdom". How often have we been afraid to draw near to the Grotto in Bethlehem for fear that doing so would be an obstacle to our critical sense and to our "modernity"!

Rather, in that Grotto, each of us can discover the truth about God and about humanity, about ourselves. In that Child, born of the Virgin, the two came together: mankind's longing for eternal life softened the heart of God, who was not ashamed to assume the human condition.

Dear friends, helping others to see the true Face of God is the first form of love, which for you takes on the role of intellectual charity. I was glad to learn that the diocesan university ministry's programme will have "The Eucharist and Intellectual Charity" as its theme this year: a demanding but appropriate choice. Indeed, in every Eucharistic Celebration God enters history in Jesus Christ in his Word and in his Body, giving himself in that love which enables us to serve humanity in its concrete existence.

The project "One culture for the city", then, offers a promising proposal of the Christian presence in the cultural sphere. As I express the hope that your itinerary may be fruitful, I cannot fail to invite all the Athenaeums to be places of formation for authentic workers of intellectual charity. The future of society depends largely on them, above all in drawing up a new humanistic synthesis and of a new vision for the future (cf. Encyclical Caritas in Veritate, n. 21).

I encourage all of the heads of academic institutions to continue to collaborate in the construction of a community in which all young people may develop into mature human beings who hold themselves responsible for the creation of a "civilization of love".
At the conclusion of this Celebration, the Australian university student delegation will consign the Icon of Mary Sedes Sapientiae to the delegation from Africa. Let us entrust to the Most Holy Virgin all university students on the African continent; following the Special Synod for Africa, the cooperative commitment has been developing in these months between the Athenaeums of Rome and those in Africa.

I renew my encouragement of this new prospect of collaboration, and I hope it may lead to the creation and growth of cultural projects capable of promoting a truly integral human development. May this Christmas, dear friends, bring joy and hope to you, your families and to the entire university environment, in Rome and throughout the whole world.

© L'Osservatore Romano

reprinted from Zenit

Latin Patriarch's homily from the Midnight Mass in Bethlehem

"While they were [in Bethlehem], the time came for her to be delivered. And she gave birth to her first-born son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths, and laid him in a manger." (Luke 2:6-7)

On behalf of the Child of Bethlehem, born in the shelter of a poor cave, and on behalf of many children, like him, born homeless and in refugee camps, I wish to welcome you with the very words the angels spoke to the shepherds: "I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord. And this is the token for you: you will find a babe wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger" (Luke 2: 10 to 12). We hope for this to happen again in the today that belongs to God, starting from this city and this cave and the manger towards which we will, in a moment, carry the divine child in procession!

"Today is born to [us] a Savior" (Lk 2:11); come, let us adore him (Psalm 95:6)"

"Born to us today"... The word "today", that Heaven spoke to Earth two thousand years ago, is our today and it is also today for all men of all times, because "Christ is the same yesterday, today and forever" (Hebrews 13: 8). Time for men is a fleeting moment while for God time is a continuous now, for the Lord is being par excellence; He is the One Who Is (Exodus 3: 14). Christ, the Word of God is "the one who was and is" (Rev. 1:8). And today once again Our Lord and Savior is born among us.

The birth of Jesus today requires a radical change in the lives of human beings: "a great light" has shone upon us, we who are "sitting in darkness and the shadow of death" (Luke 1:79). This is the light of universal love. Our hearts often prefer to limit themselves to loving those nearest to us: the love of parents towards their children and coreligionists among themselves. This particular love is called to grow wider to the very dimensions of the word, because the measure of love should be to love without measure. Peace and non-violence should replace hatred, war and violence; spirit should prevail over matter; openness to others, hospitality and availability towards them should break down the walls of separation and isolation, to proclaim "Glory to God in the highest heavens" and achieve "peace on earth to men of goodwill" (Luke 2:14).

"And the Word became flesh" (John 1: 14). This is the greatest event in human history: the word of God became man in "the fullness of time" (Gal 4:4). God took on a human face. He became man, to raise men and women to Himself! This mystery of incarnation, which is beyond our understanding, is the heart of our Christian faith. It is part of the divine plan for salvation and redemption of mankind. Amazed by this mystery, the apostles and the disciples proclaimed it forcefully with their words and the spilling of their blood.

The humility of the Word of God become flesh is for us a constant exhortation and a cure for pride. The eternal Word humbled himself, abandoned his divine prerogatives and grandeur (Philipians 2:6-7) and chose to be born a poor child in a manger. If he had appeared in the glory of his divinity, he would have blinded us, and we would not have considered him one of us, a member of our human family. His modest birth is an example for us. If God became as the poorest of the poor and needy among the needy, can there then be any other way forward in our journey toward eternal happiness, than overcoming our pride and practicing the humility and simplicity encouraged by the example of one who, "though he was rich, yet... became poor, so that by his poverty [we] might become rich" (2 Corinthians 8:9)? He thus founded the principles of sharing and solidarity. The financial problems affecting the world today stem from the fact that the world has forgotten the poor. Christmas has always been a cry that has disturbed the conscience of the materialistic world, which rests on its first principles of competitiveness and an unbridled race to enrichment at the expense of the poor. When men refuse to share worldly goods in a spirit of solidarity, money becomes and idol; and then they must pay for their separation from God. Following the recent downturn in the global economy and the crisis of unemployment, it is time that the world accept the primacy of the values of moderation and sharing. These values alone are able to revive the global economy. Indeed, "what will it profit a man, if he gains the whole world and forfeits his life?" (Matthew 16: 26).

Jesus Christ in his homeland

On behalf of all the faithful of the parishes of Jordan, Palestine, Israel and Cyprus, and on behalf of the faithful of Bethlehem, the fellow citizens of Jesus, I address myself to all believers throughout the world, and I urge them to pray for this Holy Land. It is a land that suffers and that hopes. Its inhabitants are brothers who see each other as enemies. When will we realize that a land deserves the adjective "holy" only when the man who lives there becomes holy? This land will deserve to be called "holy" when she breathes freedom, justice, love, reconciliation, peace and security.

Besides, how can we experience the joy of Christmas, while we continue to see the drama that accompanied the historic Birth of Christ? Christ had no home in Bethlehem and many of our fellow citizens are homeless because of the unrighteousness of men; hundreds of thousands of people have emigrated to seek a better quality of life because of the difficulty of living in this country and the insecurity; others are attempting to leave the land of their forefathers, the land sanctified by the mystery of the Incarnation of God.

How are we to feel the joy and celebration as we commemorate the first anniversary of the war and the tragedy of Gaza? The siege of the city is stifling the freedom of movement and transport is hindered. Many families are separated.

However, nothing keeps us from singing and invoking the Lord: "O that thou wouldst rend the heavens and come down!" (Isaiah 63:19) "Rorate coeli desuper and Nuber pluant justum" ("Shower, O heavens, from above, and let the skies rain down righteousness!" Catholic Advent Liturgy). Lord, you are Emmanuel, "God with us" (Matthew 1:23). We too want to be with you. May you, by the star of your grace, lead towards your "manger" men in conflict and government leaders who have the power to decide and who hold the destiny of mankind in their hands. May they know the whole Christmas message, a message that teaches humility, and at the same time restores to man his dignity as son of God!

On Christmas night, with all men of good will, we pray for peace. We beg for a peace different from what world promises or gives us. The world's peace is based on force and violence. We seek God's peace based on justice and human dignity. Our spirits moved by the evils that exist in the world, the conflicts of interest, the duplicity, the silence of right reason, the arms race and the possession of destructive weapons, we ask the Child of Bethlehem, thinking of all homeless children left to themselves in the alleys of refugee camps, for the sun of justice, love and life to rise over our land and put to flight the specter of death and destruction. (Malachi 3:20) May our children and the children of Gaza experience celebration and the joy of decorating and lighting the Christmas tree, symbol of life and the hope to live.

Oh Child of Bethlehem, we are tired of our situation, tired of waiting and tired of speeches and promises, conferences, deadlines and negotiations!

Oh Child of Bethlehem, give us your patience, your love and your kindness! We ask you that during this new year hands might clasp each other in concord, intentions might be purified, that hearts love one another, divisions disappear, and walls be demolished. And that in their place be built bridges of understanding and reconciliation!

Dear brothers and beloved children,

May the grace and love of God for people of all faiths and nationalities aid us in the pursuit of peace. Let each person in his own domain labor for the coming of the kingdom of God, "the kingdom of love and justice" (Preface to the Feast of Christ the King).

May we see in every man, woman or child, the very face of that son of this land, our fellow citizen who said: "Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth. Blessed are the merciful for they shall obtain mercy. Blessed are the peacemakers for they shall be called children of God" (Mathew 5:5, 5:7, 5:9).

Merry Christmas!

† Fouad Twal, Patriarch

reprinted from Zenit