Christmas Vigil the silent and holy night, Christ the Emmanual is born

For unto us a child is born,

Unto us a son is given.

Joy to the world, the Lord is come!

Let earth receive her King.

Happy Birthday, JESUS

our Saviour, our Redeemer,

our Armour, Our Healer

and our Provider.

The angels proclaims the joy of God’s glory and their song radiates the joy that fills them. In their words, it is as if we were hearing the sounds of heaven. There is no question of attempting to understand the meaning of it all, but simply the overflowing happiness of seeing the pure splendour of God’s truth and love. We want to let this joy reach out and touch us: truth exists, pure goodness exists, pure light exists. God is good, and he is the supreme power above all powers. All this should simply make us joyful this holy night, together with the angels and the shepherds.

At this Vigil hour, let us ask God to touch our hearts with the holy curiosity and the holy joy of the shepherds, and thus let us go over joyfully to Bethlehem, to welcome and rejoice to our Lord Jesus Christ who today comes to meet us. Amen.

It came upon the midnight clear, 

for lo! the days are hastening on, 

by prophets seen of old,

when with the ever-circling years

shall come the time foretold,

when the new heaven and earth shall own

the Prince of Peace, their King.

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We reflect back on a question posted by Pope Benedict XVI during his homily at Christmas Vigil mass, 24 December, 2012 to believers and non-believers alike || Will people find room in their hectic, technology-driven lives for children, the poor and God? Will we or can we make the room for these?

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"A child is born for us, a son is given to us" (Isaiah 9:5). What Isaiah prophesied as he gazed into the future from afar, consoling Israel amid its trials and its darkness, is now proclaimed to the shepherds as a present reality by the Angel, from whom a cloud of light streams forth: "To you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, who is Christ the Lord" (Luke 2:11). The Lord is here. From this moment, God is truly "God with us". No longer is he the distant God who can in some way be perceived from afar, in creation and in our own consciousness. He has entered the world. He is close to us. The words of the risen Christ to his followers are addressed also to us: "Lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age" (Matthew 28:20). For you the Saviour is born: through the Gospel and those who proclaim it, God now reminds us of the message that the Angel announced to the shepherds. It is a message that cannot leave us indifferent. If it is true, it changes everything. If it is true, it also affects me. Like the shepherds, then, I too must say: Come on, I want to go to Bethlehem to see the Word that has occurred there. The story of the shepherds is included in the Gospel for a reason. They show us the right way to respond to the message that we too have received.....

We live our lives by philosophies, amid worldly affairs and occupations that totally absorb us and are a great distance from the manger. In all kinds of ways, God has to prod us and reach out to us again and again, so that we can manage to escape from the muddle of our thoughts and activities and discover the way that leads to him. But a path exists for all of us. The Lord provides everyone with tailor-made signals. He calls each one of us, so that we too can say: "Come on, ‘let us go over’ to Bethlehem -- to the God who has come to meet us. Yes indeed, God has set out towards us. Left to ourselves we could not reach him. The path is too much for our strength. But God has come down. He comes towards us. He has travelled the longer part of the journey. Now he invites us: come and see how much I love you. Come and see that I am here. Transeamus usque Bethlehem, the Latin Bible says. Let us go there! Let us surpass ourselves! Let us journey towards God in all sorts of ways: along our interior path towards him, but also along very concrete paths – the Liturgy of the Church, the service of our neighbour, in whom Christ awaits us......

For most people, the things of God are not given priority, they do not impose themselves on us directly, and so the great majority of us tend to postpone them. First we do what seems urgent here and now. In the list of priorities God is often more or less at the end. We can always deal with that later, we tend to think. The Gospel tells us: God is the highest priority. If anything in our life deserves haste without delay, then, it is God's work alone.....

we should pray for on this Holy Night. Lord Jesus Christ, born in Bethlehem, come to us! Enter within me, within my soul. Transform me. Renew me. Change me, change us all from stone and wood into living people, in whom your love is made present and the world is transformed. Amen.

~ Benedict XVI's Christmas Vigil Homily ~

Vatican @ 24 December, 2009

Pope Benedict's Christmas 2012 Message

URBI ET ORBI MESSAGE OF HIS HOLINESS POPE BENEDICT XVI CHRISTMAS 2012     “Veritas de terra orta est!” – “Truth has sprung out of the earth” (Ps 85:12). Dear brothers and sisters in Rome and throughout the world, a happy Christmas to you and your families! In this Year of Faith, I express my Christmas greetings and good wishes in these words taken from one of the Psalms: “Truth has sprung out of the earth”. Actually, in the text of the Psalm, these words are in the future: “Kindness and truth shall meet; / justice and peace shall kiss. / Truth shall spring out of the earth, /and justice shall look down from heaven. / The Lord himself will give his benefits; / our land shall yield its increase. / Justice shall walk before him, / and salvation, along the way of his steps” (Ps 85:11-14). Today these prophetic words have been fulfilled! In Jesus, born in Bethlehem of the Virgin Mary, kindness and truth do indeed meet; justice and peace have kissed; truth has sprung out of the earth and justice has looked down from heaven. Saint Augustine explains with admirable brevity: “What is truth? The Son of God. What is the earth? The flesh. Ask whence Christ has been born, and you will see that truth has sprung out of the earth … truth has been born of the Virgin Mary” (En. in Ps. 84:13). And in a Christmas sermon he says that “in this yearly feast we celebrate that day when the prophecy was fulfilled: ‘truth shall spring out of the earth, and justice shall look down from heaven’. The Truth, which is in the bosom of the Father has sprung out of the earth, to be in the womb of a mother too. The Truth which rules the whole world has sprung out of the earth, to be held in the arms of a woman ... The Truth which heaven cannot contain has sprung out of the earth, to be laid in a manger. For whose benefit did so lofty a God become so lowly? Certainly not for his own, but for our great benefit, if we believe” (Sermones, 185, 1). “If we believe”. Here we see the power of faith! God has done everything; he has done the impossible: he was made flesh. His all-powerful love has accomplished something which surpasses all human understanding: the Infinite has become a child, has entered the human family. And yet, this same God cannot enter my heart unless I open the door to him. Porta fidei! The door of faith! We could be frightened by this, our inverse omnipotence. This human ability to be closed to God can make us fearful. But see the reality which chases away this gloomy thought, the hope that conquers fear: truth has sprung up! God is born! “The earth has yielded its fruits” (Ps 67:7). Yes, there is a good earth, a healthy earth, an earth freed of all selfishness and all lack of openness. In this world there is a good soil which God has prepared, that he might come to dwell among us. A dwelling place for his presence in the world. This good earth exists, and today too, in 2012, from this earth truth has sprung up! Consequently, there is hope in the world, a hope in which we can trust, even at the most difficult times and in the most difficult situations. Truth has sprung up, bringing kindness, justice and peace. Yes, may peace spring up for the people of Syria, deeply wounded and divided by a conflict which does not spare even the defenceless and reaps innocent victims. Once again I appeal for an end to the bloodshed, easier access for the relief of refugees and the displaced, and dialogue in the pursuit of a political solution to the conflict. May peace spring up in the Land where the Redeemer was born, and may he grant Israelis and Palestinians courage to end to long years of conflict and division, and to embark resolutely on the path of negotiation. In the countries of North Africa, which are experiencing a major transition in pursuit of a new future – and especially the beloved land of Egypt, blessed by the childhood of Jesus – may citizens work together to build societies founded on justice and respect for the freedom and dignity of every person. May peace spring up on the vast continent of Asia. May the Child Jesus look graciously on the many peoples who dwell in those lands and, in a special way, upon all those who believe in him. May the King of Peace turn his gaze to the new leaders of the People’s Republic of China for the high task which awaits them. I express my hope that, in fulfilling this task, they will esteem the contribution of the religions, in respect for each, in such a way that they can help to build a fraternal society for the benefit of that noble People and of the whole world. May the Birth of Christ favour the return of peace in Mali and that of concord in Nigeria, where savage acts of terrorism continue to reap victims, particularly among Christians. May the Redeemer bring help and comfort to the refugees from the east of the Democratic Republic of Congo, and grant peace to Kenya, where brutal attacks have struck the civilian population and places of worship. May the Child Jesus bless the great numbers of the faithful who celebrate him in Latin America. May he increase their human and Christian virtues, sustain all those forced to leave behind their families and their land, and confirm government leaders in their commitment to development and fighting crime. Dear brothers and sisters! Kindness and truth, justice and peace have met; they have become incarnate in the child born of Mary in Bethlehem. That child is the Son of God; he is God appearing in history. His birth is a flowering of new life for all humanity. May every land become a good earth which receives and brings forth kindness and truth, justice and peace. Happy Christmas to all of you!   http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/messages/urbi/documents/hf_ben-xvi_mes_20121225_urbi_en.html

Pope Benedict XVI tweets on Twitter

Pope Benedict XVI joined Twitter, under his DJ name of  @Pontifex. On the 12 December 2012, Pope Benedict XVI successfully posted his first tweet message (message a seen below) from his iPad, a promising start with a little help from his aides. Pope Benedict XVI being the 265th, chose the special date 12/12/12 to post his first tweet on his Twitter account.

Following his predecessors, Pope Benedict XVI, 85 is using the latest in communications technology social media tools, Twitter to spread the faith. About 80 yearsPope Pius XI also had a similar situation when he started Vatican Radio which trasmitted the pope's message via radio waves around the world. The Vatican also has its own newspaper, television service and maintains dedicated YouTube channels and an Internet news portal.

The papal Twitter account followers has surpassed two million since it was opened somewhere early December, 2012.

Welcome to the official Twitter page of His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI, Vatican City.

The Papal's Twitter page is designed in yellow and white which is the official colours of the Vatican.

Prayer for the Year of Faith (Oct. 11, 2012 - Nov. 24, 2013)

"…They called the church together and reported what God had done with them and how he had opened the door of faith..."

(Acts 14:27)

 

THE LOGO

 The Boat, which is the Church;

The Mast of the Boat is a Cross;

The Trigram of Christ (IHS) is the Sails;

and The circle in the back is the Sun.

The Eucharist is represented by the association of Trigram of Christ and the Sun.

 

O God our Father,
in Jesus Christ You call us Christians
to be signs of living faith.
By the light of the Holy Spirit,
lead us to be thankful for the gift of faith,
and by that gift
may we grow in our relationship with Jesus, Your Son, and be courageous witnesses of Christian hope and joy in today’s world.

In this Year of Faith,
help us to grow
to be united but not closed;
humble but not fearful;
simple but not naïve;
thoughtful but not domineering;
contemporary but not superficial,
respectful of others, but boldly your disciples.
In Jesus’ name we pray.
AMEN.

 

 

 

"The 'door of faith' (Acts14:27) is always open for us, ushering us into the life of communion with God and offering entry into his Church."

Pope Benedict XVI

Apostolic Letter Porta Fidei

for the Indiction of the Year of Faith.

Visiting Jesus at the Most Blessed Sacrament

"Jesus waits for us in this Sacrament of Love."

Pope John Paul II

Letter Dominicae Cenae

 http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/john_paul_ii/letters/documents/hf_jp-ii_let_24021980_dominicae-cenae_en.html
 

We should every effort to visit the Blessed Sacrament (Jesus) more often and best if we can do it daily. Christ is present wherever the Blessed Sacrament is. If Jesus were actually visible in church, everyone would run to welcome him, but his presence remains in the Sacred Host under the appearance of bread and he is calling us to faith, that we may go him in humility. He waits for our little Acts of faith, adoration, love, thanksgiving, repentance, reparation and charity that we can offer Him as we contemplate, His Divine Majesty. We grow spiritually with each moment spent with Jesus. He invites us to become His friend and disciple. Jesus calls and wants us to keep Him in Divine Intimacy and to observe in His love by keeping His Commandments. (John 15:4, "Remain in me, and I will remain in you. For a branch cannot produce fruit if it is severed from the vine, and you cannot be fruitful unless you remain in me."; 1 John 3:23, And this is his commandment: We must believe in the name of his Son, Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as he commanded us.)

"What wonderful majesty! What stupendous condescension! O sublime humility! That the Lord of the whole universe, God and the Son of God, should humble Himself like this under the form of a little bread, for our salvation."

St.Francis of Assisi

 

The Blessed Sacrament is the ever living Fountain of Life where  that quenches our thirst for the love of Christ, who alone have loved us,  loves us and will love us for eternity. Therefore make greater effort in becoming closer in wonderful union with  Lord Jesus Christ by devoting your time, attention and love towards Him. If we have visited and face Jesus often in the Blessed Sacrament, it will much easier for us to face Him on Judgement day . Each visit to the Blessed Sacrament is an act of faith, of love, and of self-purification. Come to Jesus often and He will shower more of His gifts upon our soul. Jesus is interested in our thoughts, desires, needs, hopes, ambitions, efforts, and labors of our daily life. Each of our visit gives Jesus a new reason to grant us more blessings as He is glad to see come to Him.

“The hidden treasure… is Jesus himself, the Kingdom in person. In the Sacred Host, he is present, the true treasure, always waiting for us. Only by adoring this presence do we learn how to receive him properly-we learn the reality of communion”.
Pope Benedict XVI,
address to Religious and seminarians,
Altotting, Germany, 11 September, 2006

Psalm 63: 1-5

¹ O God, you are my God;
I earnestly search for you.
My soul thirsts for you;
my whole body longs for you
in this parched and weary land
where there is no water.
² I have seen you in your sanctuary
and gazed upon your power and glory.
³ Your unfailing love is better than life itself;
how I praise you!
⁴ I will praise you as long as I live,
lifting up my hands to you in prayer.
⁵ You satisfy me more than the richest feast.
I will praise you with songs of joy.

 "The Blessed Sacrament is the ‘Living Heart’ of each of our churches and it is our very sweet duty to honor and adore the Blessed Host, which our eyes see, the Incarnate Word, whom they cannot see."

Pope Paul VI

Credo of the People of God

http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/paul_vi/motu_proprio/documents/hf_p-vi_motu-proprio_19680630_credo_en.html

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

John 3:16

¹⁵ Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full acceptance: Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners—of whom I am the worst. ¹⁶ But for that very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst of sinners, Christ Jesus might display his immense patience as an example for those who would believe in him and receive eternal life. ¹⁷ Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory for ever and ever. Amen.

1 Timothy 1:15-17 

 
²⁷ My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand. 
John 10:27-28

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Prayer to Jesus in the Blessed Sacrament
St. Alphonsus Liguori
 

My Lord Jesus Christ, Who, through the love which You bear toward men, does remain with them day and night in this Sacrament, full of mercy and love, awaiting, inviting and receiving all who come to visit You, I believe that You are present in the Sacrament of the Altar. From the abyss of my nothingness, I adore You. I thank You for all the graces which You have bestowed upon me, particularly for having given me Yourself in this Sacrament, for having given my Your most holy Mother Mary for my advocate, and for having called me to visit You in this church. I pay my homage to Your most loving Heart for these three ends:
1) in thanksgiving for this great Gift;
2) to make amends to You for all the outrages which You do receive in this Sacrament from all Your enemies;
3) I intend by this visit to adore You in all the places on earth in which You are present in this Sacrament and in which You are the least honored and the most abandoned.
 

My Jesus, I love You with my whole heart. I am sorry for having offended Your infinite goodness so many times. I purpose, with the help of Your grace, never more to offend You; and, at this moment, mniserable as I am, I consecrate my whole being to You. I give You my entire will, all my affections and desires and all that I have. From this day forward, do what You will with me and with everything that belongs to me. I ask and desire only Your holy love, the gift of final perseverance and the perfect fulfillment of Your will. I commend to You the souls in Purgatory, particularly those who were most devoted to the Most Blessed Sacrament and to the Blessed Virgin Mary; and I also commend to You all poor sinners. Finally, my dear Saviour, I unite all my affections with the affections of Your most loving Heart; and thus united, I offer them to Your Eternal Father, and I entreat Him, in Your Name and for Your sake, to accept and answer them.
AMEN.