(Vatican Radio) Speaking to pilgrims gathered in a freezing St Peter’s Square on Sunday, Pope Francis asked for prayers for all those living and dying on the streets at this time of year.
Listen to Philippa Hitchen’s report:
The Pope’s words came during his Angelus address at the end of Mass marking the feast of Jesus’ baptism in the River Jordan. As Jesus came to be baptised, the Pope said, John the Baptist tries to stop him, saying he is the one who should be baptised by Jesus. But, the Pope continued, Jesus came down to earth to close the gap between God and man, to fulfill God’s will and to show that God remains close to us, his children.
Christians must be humble servants
As Jesus was baptized, the voice of God was heard saying “This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased” and a dove was seen as a symbol of the Holy Spirit. The Pope said that was the moment when Jesus began his public mission, in the style of a humble servant. All disciples of Christ, he said, must use that same missionary style, not shouting or scolding people, not with arrogance or imposition, but firmly and gently with the example of their own lives.
After praying the Angelus prayer, the Pope remembered the homeless and especially those who’ve died during the extreme cold weather. May the Lord warm our hearts to be able to help those who live on the streets, he said.
Practical support for homeless
The Pope’s almoner, Archbishop Konrad Krajewski, told Vatican Radio yesterday that the three hostels run by the Vatican, close to St Peter’s and to Termini train station, will remain open 24 hours a day while the cold weather continues. He said a number of cars have also been made available as a place to sleep for those who wish to remain on the streets, while special thermal sleeping bags and gloves are being provided to try and protect the homeless from the freezing temperatures.
(from Vatican Radio)…
(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Sunday baptised 28 babies during Mass in the Sistine chapel, telling their families that Jesus’ first sermon was the sound of his crying in the stable at Bethlehem.
Surrounded by the sounds of baby noises, the Pope gave a short, off-the-cuff homily on the faith which is given to children in Baptism. Faith, he said, does not just mean reciting the Creed on Sundays, but rather it means believing in the truth, trusting in God and teaching others with the example of our lives.
Faith, the Pope continued, is also the light which grows in our hearts – that’s why a lighted candle is given to every person being baptized. In the early years of the Church, he noted, baptism was called ‘illumination’ to show the way in which faith helps us see things in a different light. To the parents who had brought their children to be baptized, he said “you have the task of making that faith grow, of nurturing it, so that it may bear witness to others”.
As the sounds of crying grew louder, the Pope joked that the concert had begun. The babies are crying, he said, because they are in an unfamiliar place, or because they had to get up early, or sometimes simply because they hear another child crying. Jesus did just the same, Pope Francis said, adding that he liked to think of Our Lord’s first sermon as his crying in the stable. And if your children are crying because they are hungry, the Pope told the mothers present, then go ahead and feed them, just as Mary breastfed Jesus.
(from Vatican Radio)…