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Pope: 'Christmas is empty without Christ'


In a meditation during the final days of Advent, Pope Benedict said that celebrating Christmas without mentioning of the birth of Christ is like having an "empty holiday". Addressing pilgrims on Wednesday, he said it did not make sense not to acknowledge that God became man. The Holy Father, who began his address by speaking on justice, said that every person awaits justice, but as Christians, it means to live "under the eyes of the Judge, according to the criteria of the Judge." "Being vigilant during Advent, means to live under the eyes of the Judge and to prepare ourselves and the world for justice," the Pope said. "By living under the eyes of the God-Judge, we can open the world to the arrival of his Son, preparing our heart to welcome 'the Lord who comes.'" The Pope added that the baby adored 2000 years ago in "a cave of Bethlehem, never stops visiting us in our daily life". "The wait is marked by assiduous prayer so that the arrival of the Son of God comes more quickly. It is very important that we are true believers, and as believers, that we reaffirm forcefully, with our lives, the mystery of salvation that comes with the celebration of Christ's birth." "May the wishes of kindness and love that we exchange in these days reach all sectors of our daily lives. May peace be in our hearts, so that we can be open to the action of God's mercy. May peace live in all families and may they spend Christmas united before the crib and the tree decorated with lights. "May the Christmas message of solidarity and welcome contribute to create a deeper sensibility toward old and new types of poverty, and toward the common good that we are all called to share." "May all family members," he added, "especially the children and the elderly -- the weakest ones -- feel the warmth of this feast, and may that warmth spread out through every day of the year. May Christmas be a celebration of peace and joy: joy for the birth of the Savior, Prince of peace." "Like the shepherds," said the Holy Father, "we hasten our steps toward Bethlehem. In the heart of the Holy Night we will be able to contemplate the 'infant wrapped in swaddling clothes and lying in a manger,' together with Mary and Joseph." Source: VIS

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