Vatican City, 9 December 2014 (VIS) –
The Holy Father appeared at the window of his study in the Vatican
Apostolic Palace at midday today to pray the Angelus with the
faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square. Before the Marian prayer,
Francis spoke about the second Sunday of Advent as a “wonderful
time that reawakens in us the expectation of Christ's return and the
memory of his historic coming. It is the Lord's invitation as
expressed by the prophet Isaiah: 'Comfort, O comfort my people, says
your God'”.
“The prophet invites those who listen
to him – including us, today – to spread among the people this
message of hope: that the Lord consoles us. And to allow room for the
Lord's consolation”, he continued. “But we cannot be messengers
of God's consolation if we do not first experience the joy of being
consoled and loved by Him. This happens especially when we listen to
the Word, the Gospel, which we should carry with us in our pockets …
and when we remain in silent prayer in His presence, when we
encounter Him in the Eucharist or in the sacrament of
Reconciliation”.
The Pope recalled those who are
“oppressed by suffering, injustice and abuse; those who are slaves
to money, to power, to success and worldliness. “Theirs are false
consolations, they are not the true consolation of the Lord! We are
all called to console our brethren, showing that only God can
eliminate the causes of existential and spiritual crisis”. The
Pontiff went on to encourage all those present to allow themselves to
be consoled by the Lord, and he concluded by entrusting to Mary the
hopes for salvation and peace for all men and women of our time.
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