VATICAN - Like the Blessed Virgin Mother the Church, shows Jesus the Saviour to all men and women. The Pope’s Angelus on January 1 2007, solemnity of the Mother of God.

Tuesday, 2 January 2007

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - At midday on January 1st before leading the recitation of the midday Angelus prayer, the Pope addressed thousands of visitors in St Peter’s Square.
After mentioning the celebration of the 2007 World Day of Peace, the Pope said Christmas is also a time for silence and contemplation: “Like Mary, the Church is silent in order to perceive and preserve the inward resonance of the Word made flesh and not lose the divine-human warmth which pours from His presence. He is God’s Blessing!”.
At the centre of the life of the Church and humanity is placed once again the Lord Jesus, the eternal Word of the Father, made Man by the working of the Holy Spirit. His Face, splendour of goodness and truth, is reflected through the Church on all men and women.
Truly moving the description of the “divine-human warmth which pours from His presence”: only those who experience it can properly grasp its beauty and how it transforms human life.
On the World Day for Peace the Holy Father recalled: “Today we contemplate Jesus born of the Virgin Mary, in he prerogative as true "Prince of Peace" (Is 9,5). He "is our peace", come to pull down the "wall of separation" which divides nations and peoples "enmity" (Eph 2,14)”. Therefore Jesus of Nazareth, is Lord and Christ “the great peacemaker of humanity”.
Therefore Christ is the foundation of peace and with him recognition of the value of every human person and religious freedom: “Today there is much talk of human rights, but it is often forgotten that rights need a foundation that is firm, not relative or subjective. This foundation can only be the dignity of the person. And respect for this dignity begins with the recognition and protection of people's right to live and profess their religion freely”
The Angelus concluded with a prayer to the Blessed Virgin Mary that people “The Pope concluded with a prayer : "To the Holy Mother of God we trustingly address our prayer that sacred respect for all human beings and the firm refusal of war and violence may develop in people's consciences. The centrality of the human person and human rights, religious freedom first of all is once again the central concern of the Holy Father. (S.V.) (Agenzia Fides 1/272007 Righe: 28 Parole: 385)


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