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Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - Let us imitate the shepherds and the Magi and "recognize Jesus close by, in the poor, in the Eucharist, in the abandoned, in our brother, in our sister", said Pope Francis, during the Angelus prayer with the pilgrims and faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square on the Solemnity of the Epiphany.
In his commentary on the Gospel of the day, the Pope stressed that while these Wise Men from "far away come to find Jesus, those who were close by do not take one step towards the grotto in Bethlehem". "Drawn and guided by the star, the Magi face enormous expenses, make their time available, accept the many risks and uncertainties of which there was no shortage in those times. And yet they overcome every difficulty to get to see the King Messiah, because they know that something unique is happening in the history of humanity, and they do not want to miss the event", said Pope Francis.
Instead, "those who live in Jerusalem, who should be the happiest and the most prompt to rush, stay still. The priests and theologians correctly interpret the Sacred Scriptures and provide directions to the Magi about where to find the Messiah, but they do not move from their “desks”. They are satisfied with what they have, and they do not go seeking; they do not think it is worth the effort to leave Jerusalem".
After the blessing, the Bishop of Rome recalled the "World Missionary Day for Children", which is celebrated on January 6th and this year has the motto: "Go and invite everyone to the Banquet!". "I greet missionary children and young people all over the world, and I encourage them in their commitment to prayer and solidarity towards their peers in other continents", said the Pope, who then addressed his best wishes "to the ecclesial communities of the east, who celebrate Holy Christmas tomorrow. I assure in a special way my prayer for those who suffer as a result of ongoing conflicts. May Jesus, Prince of Peace, bring peace and serenity to all of them! And let us not forget to pray for peace in tormented Ukraine, Palestine, Israel, all the countries at war, and in Myanmar,” the Pope concluded.
Before the Angelus, the Pope presided over the Mass for the Solemnity of the Epiphany in St. Peter's Basilica, presided by Cardinal Luis Antonio Gokim Tagle, Pro-Prefect of the Dicastery for Evangelization - Section for First Evangelization and the New Particular Churches.
The Bishop of Rome's homily then turned to the image of the star that revealed the miracle of Christmas to the Magi, highlighting three qualities mentioned by the Evangelist Matthew: “It is bright, it is visible to all and it points the way.”
Bright. The star that guided the Magi, the Pope emphasized, "speaks to us of that unique light that can show to all people the way to salvation and happiness, namely that of love. Above all, this light is the love of God, who became man and gave himself to us by sacrificing his life. As we reflect, then, we can see that this light likewise calls us to give ourselves for one another, becoming, with his help, a mutual sign of hope, even in the darkest nights of our lives." And "just as the star led the Magi to Bethlehem by its brightness. We too, by our love, can bring to Jesus the people that we meet." And we can do this "without the need for extraordinary means or sophisticated methods, but simply by making our hearts bright with faith, our gazes generous in welcome, our gestures and words full of gentleness and kindness." The star is visible to all.
The Magi were in fact "not following the clues of a secret code, but a star that they saw shining in the sky. While they observed it, others – such as Herod and the scribes – were not even aware of its presence. Yet the star is always there, accessible to those who raise their glance to heaven in search of a sign of hope.” And this too holds “an important message”: “God does not reveal himself to exclusive groups or to a privileged few. God offers his companionship and guidance to those who seek him with a sincere heart. Indeed, he often anticipates our own questions, coming to seek us even before we ask.” For this reason, “in Nativity scenes, we portray the Magi with the features of all ages and races: a young person, an adult, an elderly person, reflecting the different peoples of the earth. We do this in order to remind ourselves that God seeks everyone, always.”
The Pope invited everyone to reflect on this, because we "live in a world in which people and nations, despite being equipped with increasingly efficient means of communication, seem to be ever less willing to understand, accept and meet each other in their diversity!" The Star reminds us "that God, who became man, comes into the world to meet every man and woman on earth, regardless of their ethnicity, language or people, and that he entrusts us with the same universal mission". He calls us "to condemn all forms of selection, exclusion and rejection of people and to promote within ourselves and in the environment in which we live a strong culture of welcome in which the barriers of fear and rejection are replaced by open spaces for encounter, integration and exchange; by safe places where everyone can find security and protection". The light invites us to "follow an interior journey which, as Saint John Paul II wrote for the Great Jubilee of the Year 2000, may free our hearts from everything that is not love, so that we may be able to fully encounter Christ, professing our faith in him and allowing ourselves to be blessed by the fullness of his mercy". Only in this way, "converted and forgiven, can we proclaim to all with missionary enthusiasm the proximity of the Kingdom of God", the Pope concluded. (F.B.) (Agenzia Fides, 6/1/2025)
