PHILIPPINE ASIAN NEWS TODAY December 16 - 31, 2018
Pope Francis on Christmas wish urges people of
all faiths to put more on sharing and giving
Dear Brothers and Sisters, Happy
Christmas!
Jesus, the Son of God, the Savior
of the world, is born for us, born in
Bethlehem of a Virgin, fulfilling the
ancient prophecies. The Virgin’s name
is Mary, the wife of Joseph.
Humble people, full of hope in
the goodness of God, are those who
welcome Jesus and recognize him.
And so the Holy Spirit enlightened
the shepherds of Bethlehem, who
hastened to the grotto and adored the
Child. Then the Spirit led the elderly
and humble couple Simeon and Anna
into the temple of Jerusalem, and
they recognized in Jesus the Messiah.
“My eyes have seen your salvation”,
Simeon exclaimed, “the salvation
prepared by God in the sight of all
peoples” (Lk 2:30).
Yes, brothers and sisters, Jesus
is the salvation for every person and
for every people! Today I ask him, the
Savior of the world, to look upon our
brothers and sisters in Iraq and Syria,
who for too long now have suffered
the effects of ongoing conflict, and
who, together with those belonging to
other ethnic and religious groups, are
suffering a brutal persecution. May
Christmas bring them hope, as indeed
also to the many displaced persons,
exiles and refugees, children, adults
and elderly, from this region and from
the whole world. May indifference be
changed into closeness and rejection
into hospitality, so that all who now are
suffering may receive the necessary
humanitarian help to overcome the rigours of winter, return to their
countries and live with dignity.
May the Lord open hearts to trust,
and may he bestow his peace upon
the whole Middle East, beginning
with the land blessed by his birth,
thereby sustaining the efforts of those
committed effectively to dialogue
between Israelis and Palestinians.
May Jesus, Savior of the world,
protect all who suffer in Ukraine,
and grant that their beloved land
may overcome tensions, conquer
hatred and violence, and set out
on a new journey of fraternity and
reconciliation.
May Christ the Savior give peace
to Nigeria, where (even in these hours)
more blood is being shed and too
many people are unjustly deprived of
their possessions, held as hostages
or killed. I invoke peace also on the
other parts of the African continent,
thinking especially of Libya, South
Sudan, the Central African Republic,
and various regions of the Democratic
Republic of the Congo. I beseech
all who have political responsibility
to commit themselves through
dialogue to overcoming differences
and to building a lasting, fraternal
coexistence.
May Jesus save the vast numbers
of children who are victims of
violence, made objects of trade and
trafficking, or forced to become
soldiers; children, so many abused
children. May he give comfort to
the families of the children killed in
Pakistan last week. May he be close to
“Merry Christmas, Canada!
“Today, our family joins Christians
across the country and around the
world to celebrate the birth of Christ.
“It’s a time to spread joy and cheer,
appreciate our blessings, and honour
traditions – whether that’s opening
presents, decorating the Christmas
tree, sharing a meal together, or
setting aside a couple of cookies for
Santa.
“We’re also well into winter, from
coast to coast to coast – and here in
Canada, we’ve always known how to
smile through the cold days and long
nights. This time of year, that Canadian
spirit shines through most – because
this season is about bringing light to
the people around us.
“We also know this is a difficult
time for some families. For Canadian
Armed Forces members who are far
from home, it’s just one example of
the many sacrifices you and your
families make. We’re thinking of you,
and we’re grateful for everything you
do for Canadians.
“And we’re thinking too of
hardworking Canadian families who might be struggling to make ends
meet this Christmas. Our government
is working hard to make things a little
easier for you – whether by putting the
first ever National Housing Strategy
into action, supporting seniors, or
putting more money in the pockets
of nine out of ten families with the
Canada Child Benefit.
“We will always stand with you,
because that’s what Canadians do.
We pull together – with our families,
our neighbours, and folks in need
anywhere. We find strength in our
differences, and celebrate everything
we have in common. And we do our
part to take care of each other, and
make life better for the people around
us. That’s what Christmas – and
Canada – is all about.
“This season and on into the new
year, let’s stand together, celebrate
each other, and keep building a
brighter future for all of us. From our
family to yours, Sophie, Xavier, Ella-
Grace, Hadrien, and I wish you joy,
health, love, and peace this holiday
season. Merry Christmas
all who suffer from illness, especially
the victims of the Ebola epidemic,
above all in Liberia, in Sierra Leone
and in Guinea. As I thank all who are
courageously dedicated to assisting
the sick and their family members,
I once more make an urgent appeal
that the necessary assistance and
treatment be provided.
The Child Jesus. My thoughts
turn to all those children today who
are killed and ill-treated, be they
infants killed in the womb, deprived
of that generous love of their parents
and then buried in the egoism of
a culture that does not love life; be
they children displaced due to war
and persecution, abused and taken
advantage of before our very eyes and
our complicit silence.
I think also of those infants
massacred in bomb attacks, also those
where the Son of God was born. Even
today, their impotent silence cries out
under the sword of so many Herods.
On their blood stands the shadow of
contemporary Herods.
Truly there are so many tears this
Christmas, together with the tears of
the Infant Jesus.
Dear brothers and sisters, may
the Holy Spirit today enlighten our
hearts, that we may recognize in the
Infant Jesus, born in Bethlehem of
the Virgin Mary, the salvation given by
God to each one of us, to each man
and woman and to all the peoples of
the earth.
May the power of Christ, which
brings freedom and service, be felt
Pope Francis delivers his Christmas “Urbi et
Orbi” message from St. Peter’s Basilica in the
Vatican on Tuesday.(CNA)
in so many hearts afflicted by war,
persecution and slavery. May this
divine power, by its meekness, take
away the hardness of heart of so
many men and women immersed
in worldliness and indifference, the
globalization of indifference. May
his redeeming strength transform
arms into ploughshares, destruction
into creativity, hatred into love and
tenderness.
Then we will be able to cry out
with joy: “Our eyes have seen your
salvation”.
With these thoughts I wish you all
a Happy Christmas!
Reprinted message from CNA
The Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau’s
statement on Christmas:
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