On Christmas Eve, Pope Francis reminded people that Jesus was born poor as well and asked those who are ‘hungry’ for riches and power to feed the underprivileged . The Pope was speaking to pilgrims gathering at St. Peter’s Basilica and all across the world. Jesus experienced poverty from birth till his death. ‘ This Christmas, too, as in the case of Jesus, a world voracious for money, power, and pleasure does not have place for the tiny ones, for the so many unborn, destitute, and forgotten children,’ stated Pope before continuing, ‘He did not so much preach about poverty as live it, until the very end, for our sake’.
In an effort to increase their power, men and women, the Pope said, ‘consumed even their neighbours, brothers and sisters. It is difficult to leave the cosy warmth of worldliness and embrace the stark beauty of the grotto in Bethlehem, but let us keep in mind that Christmas would not be the same without the underprivileged’.
The Pope also discussed how the world’s conflicts had impacted people and how they had tainted their right to personal freedom. ‘ How many conflicts have we witnessed? And how frequently do we still see disregard for human dignity and freedom? The weak and the helpless are always the main targets of human avarice’.
The Pope could have been alluding to the current conflict between Russia and Ukraine, in which numerous lives have been lost. Pope sobbed inconsolably earlier this month when discussing the deteriorating situation in Ukraine.
Pope wept and stated, ‘Immaculate Virgin, today I would have wished to send you the thanks of the Ukrainian people (for peace)’. Instead, he said, ‘I must once more draw to your attention the cries of children, of the old, of fathers and mothers, of the young people of that murdered nation, which is suffering so terribly’.
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