VATICAN CITY, JAN 1, 2006 (VIS) - At 10:00 am today in the Vatican Basilica, the Pope presided the Eucharistic celebration on the Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God, for the XXXIX World Peace Day.
In the homily, the Holy Father said that, on the theme of "In truth, Peace" for the World Peace Day of this year, he wished to express "the conviction that wherever and whenever men and women are enlightened by the splendour of truth, they naturally set out on the path of peace".
Peace is "the great heart-felt aspiration of every man and every woman and is created every day with the contribution from everybody". The Pope stated that "faced with situations of injustice and violence that continue to oppress the different areas of the earth, faced with the challenge of the newest and most insidious menaces to peace - terrorism, nihilism and fanatic fundamentalism - it is evermore necessary to work together for peace!".
"A 'jump' in courage and faith in God and in man in choosing the path of peace is necessary. Necessary from everyone: each individual and peoples, international organizations and world powers". On this line, he recalled that in the message for today, he invited the United Nations Organization to "renew the consciousness of their responsibilities in promoting the values of justice, solidarity and peace, in a world evermore marked by the vast phenomenon of globalization".
Benedict XVI pointed out that "if peace is the aspiration of all men of good will, for the disciples of Christ this is a permanent mandate that commits everyone; it is a demanding mission that urges them to proclaim and witness "the Gospel of Peace", proclaiming that recognition of God's complete truth is a prior and necessary condition for the consolidation of the truth of peace. May this acknowledgement grow more and more, so that each Christian community may become the "leaven" of a humanity renewed in love".
The Pope concluded, turning to Mary, to learn from Her "how to become attentive and docile disciples of the Lord. With her maternal help, we wish to commit ourselves to quickly work in the "task" for peace, following Christ, the Prince of Peace".
HML/WORLD PEACE DAY/... VIS 20060102 (370)
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