| On Wednesday morning, 13 May 2009, the Holy Father celebrated Mass
on Manger Square in Bethlehem. In his homily, the Pope said, "Do not be
afraid," to the Christians of the Holy Land, echoing the words of the
Christmas Angels, and of his predecessor John Paul II. They should count
on the prayers and solidarity of their brothers and sisters throughout
the universal Church.
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
I thank Almighty God for giving me the grace to come to Bethlehem, not
only to venerate the place of Christ’s birth, but also to stand beside
you, my brothers and sisters in the faith, in these Palestinian
Territories. I am grateful to Patriarch Fouad Twal for the sentiments
which he has expressed on your behalf, and I greet with affection my
brother Bishops and all the priests, religious and lay faithful who
labor daily to confirm this local Church in faith, hope and love. In a
special way my heart goes out to the pilgrims from war-torn Gaza: I ask
you to bring back to your families and your communities my warm embrace,
and my sorrow for the loss, the hardship and the suffering you have had
to endure. Please be assured of my solidarity with you in the immense
work of rebuilding which now lies ahead, and my prayers that the embargo
will soon be lifted.
"Do not be afraid; for behold I proclaim to you good news of great joy …
today in the city of David a Savior is born for you" (Lk 2:10-11). The
message of Christ’s coming, brought from heaven by the voice of angels,
continues to echo in this town, just as it echoes in families, homes and
communities throughout the world. It is "good news", the angels say "for
all the people". It proclaims that the Messiah, the Son of God and the
Son of David, has been born "for you": for you and me, and for men and
women in every time and place. In God’s plan, Bethlehem, "least among
the clans of Judah" (Mic 5:2), has become a place of undying glory: the
place where, in the fullness of time, God chose to become man, to end
the long reign of sin and death, and to bring new and abundant life to a
world which had grown old, weary and oppressed by hopelessness.
For men and women everywhere, Bethlehem is associated with this joyful
message of rebirth, renewal, light and freedom. Yet here, in our midst,
how far this magnificent promise seems from being realized! How distant
seems that Kingdom of wide dominion and peace, security, justice and
integrity which the Prophet Isaiah heralded in the first reading (cf. Is
9:7), and which we proclaim as definitively established in the coming of
Jesus Christ, Messiah and King!
From the day of his birth, Jesus was "a sign of contradiction" (Lk
2:34), and he continues to be so, even today. The Lord of hosts, "whose
origin is from old, from ancient days" (Mic 5:2), wished to inaugurate
his Kingdom by being born in this little town, entering our world in the
silence and humility of a cave, and lying, a helpless babe, in a manger.
Here, in Bethlehem, amid every kind of contradiction, the stones
continue to cry out this "good news", the message of redemption which
this city, above all others, is called to proclaim to the world. For
here, in a way which surpassed every human hope and expectation, God
proved faithful to his promises. In the birth of his Son, he revealed
the coming of a Kingdom of love: a divine love which stoops down in
order to bring healing and lift us up; a love which is revealed in the
humiliation and weakness of the Cross, yet triumphs in a glorious
resurrection to new life. Christ brought a Kingdom which is not of this
world, yet a Kingdom which is capable of changing this world, for it has
the power to change hearts, to enlighten minds and to strengthen wills.
By taking on our flesh, with all its weaknesses, and transfiguring it by
the power of his Spirit, Jesus has called us to be witnesses of his
victory over sin and death. And this is what the message of Bethlehem
calls us to be: witnesses of the triumph of God’s love over the hatred,
selfishness, fear and resentment which cripple human relationships and
create division where brothers should dwell in unity, destruction where
men should be building, despair where hope should flourish!
"In hope we were saved", the Apostle Paul says (Rom 8:24). Yet he
affirms with utter realism that creation continues to groan in travail,
even as we, who have received the first-fruits of the Spirit, patiently
await the fulfilment of our redemption (cf. Rom 8:22-24). In today’s
second reading, Paul draws a lesson from the Incarnation which is
particularly applicable to the travail which you, God’s chosen ones in
Bethlehem, are experiencing: "God’s grace has appeared", he tells us,
"training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires, and to live,
temperately, justly and devoutly in this age", as we await the coming of
our blessed hope, the Savior Jesus Christ (Tit 2:11-13).
Are these not the virtues required of men and women who live in hope?
First, the constant conversion to Christ which is reflected not only in
our actions but also in our reasoning: the courage to abandon fruitless
and sterile ways of thinking, acting and reacting. Then, the cultivation
of a mindset of peace based on justice, on respect for the rights and
duties of all, and commitment to cooperation for the common good. And
also perseverance, perseverance in good and in the rejection of evil.
Here in Bethlehem, a special perseverance is asked of Christ’s
disciples: perseverance in faithful witness to God’s glory revealed
here, in the birth of his Son, to the good news of his peace which came
down from heaven to dwell upon the earth.
"Do not be afraid!" This is the message which the Successor of Saint
Peter wishes to leave with you today, echoing the message of the angels
and the charge which our beloved Pope John Paul II left with you in the
year of the Great Jubilee of Christ’s birth. Count on the prayers and
solidarity of your brothers and sisters in the universal Church, and
work, with concrete initiatives, to consolidate your presence and to
offer new possibilities to those tempted to leave. Be a bridge of
dialogue and constructive cooperation in the building of a culture of
peace to replace the present stalemate of fear, aggression and
frustration. Build up your local Churches, making them workshops of
dialogue, tolerance and hope, as well as solidarity and practical
charity.
Above all, be witnesses to the power of life, the new life brought by
the Risen Christ, the life that can illumine and transform even the
darkest and most hopeless of human situations. Your homeland needs not
only new economic and community structures, but most importantly, we
might say, a new "spiritual" infrastructure, capable of galvanizing the
energies of all men and women of good will in the service of education,
development and the promotion of the common good. You have the human
resources to build the culture of peace and mutual respect which will
guarantee a better future for your children. This noble enterprise
awaits you. Do not be afraid!
The ancient Basilica of the Nativity, buffeted by the winds of history
and the burden of the ages, stands before us as a witness to the faith
which endures and triumphs over the world (cf. 1 Jn 5:4). No visitor to
Bethlehem can fail to notice that in the course of the centuries the
great door leading into the house of God has become progressively
smaller. Today let us pray that, by God’s grace and our commitment, the
door leading into the mystery of God’s dwelling among men, the temple of
our communion in his love, and the foretaste of a world of eternal peace
and joy, will open ever more fully to welcome, renew and transform every
human heart. In this way, Bethlehem will continue to echo the message
entrusted to the shepherds, to us, and to all mankind: "Glory to God in
the highest, and on earth, peace to those whom he loves"! Amen.
Distributed by:
The Holy See Press Office
13 May 2009
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