At that point "they resume their journey, and once more they see the star;
the evangelist says that they 'rejoiced exceedingly'. Coming to Bethlehem,
they found 'the child with Mary His mother'. After that of Jerusalem, this was
their second great temptation: to reject this smallness. But instead, 'they
fell down and worshipped Him', offering him their precious symbolic gifts.
Again, it is the grace of the Holy Spirit which assists them. That grace,
which through the star had called them and led them along the way, now lets
them enter into the mystery. The star which led them on the journey allows
them to enter into the mystery. Led by the Spirit, they come to realise that
God's criteria are quite different from those of men, that God does not
manifest himself in the power of this world, but speaks to us in the
humbleness of His love. God's love is great. God's love is powerful. But the
love of God is humble, very humble. The wise men are thus models of conversion
to the true faith, since they believed more in the goodness of God than in the
apparent splendour of power".
 "And so we can ask ourselves", continued the Holy Father, "what is the
mystery in which God is hidden? Where can I find Him? All around us we see
wars, the exploitation of children, torture, trafficking in arms, human
trafficking ... In all these realities, in these, the least of our brothers
and sisters who are enduring these difficult situations, there is Jesus. The
crib points us to a different path from the one cherished by the thinking of
this world: it is the path of God's self-abasement, that humility of God's
love by which He abases himself, He completely lowers himself, His glory
concealed in the manger of Bethlehem, on the cross upon Calvary, in each of
our suffering brothers and sisters".
 "The wise men entered into the mystery", he concluded. "They passed from
human calculations to the mystery: this was their conversion. And our own? Let
us ask the Lord to let us undergo that same journey of conversion experienced
by the wise men. Let us ask Him to protect us and to set us free from the
temptations which hide the star. To let us always be aware of the
uncomfortable question: 'Where is the star?', whenever - amid the deceptions
of this world - we lose sight of it. To let us know ever anew God's mystery,
and not to be scandalised by the 'sign', that sign spoken of by the angels,
which points to 'a babe wrapped in swaddling cloths, lying in a manger', and
to have the humility to ask the Mother, our Mother, to show Him to us. To find
the courage to be liberated from our illusions, our presumptions, our
'lights', and to seek this courage in the humility of faith and in this way to
encounter the Light, Lumen, like the holy wise men. May we enter into the
mystery. May it be so".

___________________________________________________________

 Angelus: the path of the Magi is a journey of the soul towards Christ
 Vatican City, 6 January 2014 (VIS) - At the end of the Eucharistic
celebration in St. Peter's Square, Pope Francis appeared at the window of his
study to pray the Angelus with the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square.
 The Holy Father, returning to the theme of the journey of the wise men,
remarked that "with their act of adoration, the Magi testify that Jesus came
to earth to save not just one people, but all peoples" and, therefore on the
Epiphany "our gaze extends to the horizon of the whole world to celebrate the
manifestation of the Lord to all people, that is, the manifestation of God's
love and universal salvation".
 "As the Creator and Father of all, he wishes to be the Saviour of all", he
continued. "This is why we are always required to nurture great trust and hope
in every person and in his salvation: even those who appear to be far from the
Lord are followed - or rather "pursued" - by His impassioned -and faithful
love".
 The Gospel account of the Magi describes their journey from the East as "a
journey of the soul, a journey towards the encounter with Christ. They are
attentive to the signs that point to His presence; they are tireless in facing
the difficulties of their search; they are courageous in coping with the
consequences of their encounter with the Lord. ... The experience of the Magi
evokes every man's journey to Christ. ... The star that is able to guide every
person to Jesus is the Word of God, which is the light that directs our
journey, nourishes our faith and regenerates it". Therefore, Pope Francis
emphasised, "We must not forget to read it and to meditate on it every day, so
that it may be a flame we carry within us to illuminate our steps and the
steps of those who walk beside us, who perhaps struggle to find their way to
Christ".
 The Holy Father went on to mention "our brothers and sisters in the Christian
East, Catholics and Orthodox, many of whom celebrate the Nativity of Our Lord
tomorrow", and sent them a warm greeting.
 Finally, he remarked that today we celebrate the World Day of Missionary
Childhood, "dedicated to children who joyfully live the gift of faith and pray
that the light of Jesus might reach all the children of the world. I encourage
teachers to nurture the missionary spirit in the young so that witnesses of
God's tenderness and heralds of His love might be born among them".

___________________________________________________________

 The Holy See intensifies its fight against the Ebola virus
 Vatican City, 7 January 2014 (VIS) - The Pontifical Council "Justice and
Peace" today publishes its document "Expanding the Catholic Church's
commitment to the Ebola emergency response", in which it describes for the
first time its pastoral response to a relatively new disease which has
devastated communities above all in the countries of Western Africa,
especially Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.
 According to the document, "The Holy See wishes to express its appreciation
to the local Catholic Church in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone for its
timely response to the Ebola crisis. In order to strengthen these efforts, and
as a practical response to the emergency, the Holy See is making a financial
contribution. The funds will support Church-sponsored structures with a view
to increasing the assistance they offer via healthcare institutions, community
initiatives and pastoral care of patients and healthcare professionals. The
Holy See encourages other donors, whether private or public, to add to these
funds as a sign of solidarity with our brothers and sisters who are suffering
gravely in the areas affected by the disease.
 "The monies contributed by the Holy See will be used to purchase much-needed
protective supplies, to assist with the transport of patients, and to pay for
the renovation of buildings, among other things. A portion of the Holy See's
contribution will be directed towards residents in targeted communities so as
to develop and enhance strategies needed to stop the spread of Ebola. Funds
are also earmarked for the support of afflicted families and orphaned
children. As part of a pastoral response, the Holy See will contribute to the
care of people in affected areas by training and supporting clergy, men and
women religious as well as lay pastoral workers, ensuring that they are better
equipped to attend to the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of the sick
and the suffering. The Holy See will focus on parishes,because so much of the
Church's work takes place at the level of the parish, and it is an important
grass-roots institution in fighting the Ebola-related stigma now emerging as a
serious problem, particularly for survivors".

___________________________________________________________

 Other Pontifical Acts
 Vatican City, 7 January 2014 (VIS) - The Holy Father has appointed:
 - Bishop Jose Antonio Peruzzo of Palmas - Francisco Beltrao, Brazil, as
archbishop of Curitiba (area 5,751, population 2,444,000, Catholics 1,821,000,
priests 405, permanent deacons 64, religious 1,549), Brazil.
 - appointed Fr. Leomar Antonio Brustolin as auxiliary of the archdiocese of
Porto Alegre (area 13,530, population 3,395,000, Catholics 2,527,000, priests
362, permanent deacons 58, religious 1,487), Brazil. The bishop-elect was born
in Caxias do Sul, Brazil in 1967 and was ordained a priest in 1992. He studied
philosophy at the University of Caxias do Sul and theology at the Pontifical
University of Rio Grande do Sul, and holds a licentiate in systematic theology
from the Jesuit faculty (FAJE) at Belo Horizonte and a doctorate in theology
from the Pontifical University of St. Thomas Aquinas (Angelicum), Rome. He has
served in a number of pastoral and academic roles, including parish vicar of
the Cathedral of Caxias do Sul, professor of theology at the Pontifical
University of Rio Grande do Sul at Porto Alegre, coordinator of the licentiate
course in theology at the same university, director of the course in theology
for laypersons and director of the Centre for Theology of Caxias do Sul. He is
currently parish priest of the St. Teresa of Avila Cathedral in Caxias do Sul.

___________________________________________________________

For more information and to search for documents refer to the site:
www.visnews.org and www.vatican.va

Copyright (VIS):  the news contained in the services of the Vatican
Information Service may be reproduced wholly or partially by quoting
the source:  V. I. S. - Vatican Information Service.
http://www.vatican.va/news_services/press/vis/vis_en.html

--- MPost/386 v1.21
 * Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS=Huntsville AL=bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)