VATICAN - The Pope at the general audience: "Let us ensure that, also in our modern societies, this exchange of good wishes does not lose itsprofound religioussignificance, and the feast does not become overshadowed by external factors"

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - "The greeting on everyone’s lips during this period is 'Merry Christmas! Happy Christmas Holidays!'. Let us ensure that, also in our modern societies, this exchange of good wishes does not lose itsprofound religioussignificance, and the feast does not become overshadowed by external factors. Certainly, the external signs are beautiful and important, provided they do not distract our attention, but rather help us to experience Christmas in its truest sense, that is to say sacred and Christian, so that our joy is not superficial but profound".
These are the recommendations that the Holy Father Benedict XVI addressed to the pilgrims present at the general audience on Wednesday, December 21, held at Paul VI Hall at the Vatican.
In his catechesis, the Pope said that Christmas "is not simply the anniversary of the birth of Jesus, it is the celebration of a Mystery which has marked and continues to mark the history of man - God came to dwell amongst us (cf. Jn 1.14), He became one of us -, a Mystery that affects our faith and our existence, a Mystery that we live concretely in the liturgical celebrations, especially in the Holy Mass". He then explained that "the events of salvation wrought by Christ is always present, affecting every man and all men. When, in the liturgical celebrations, we hear or pronounce the phrase: "Today the Savior is born for us" we are not using an empty conventional expression, what we mean is that "today", now, God is giving us the possibility to recognize andaccept Him, as did the shepherds of Bethlehem, so that He can also be born into and renew our lives, enlightens it, transforms it with his Grace, with his presence".
Then Benedict XVI turned his attention to another aspect, reflecting on the birth in Bethlehem in the light of the Paschal Mystery: "The Incarnation and the birth of Jesus invite us to already direct our gaze towards his death and resurrection: Christmas and Easter are both celebrations of redemption . Easter celebrates it as a victory over sin and death: it marks the culminating moment, when the glory of the Man-God shines like the light of day; Christmas celebrates redemption as the entry of God into history, when He became man in order to bring man to God: it marks, so to speak, the starting point when the first light of dawn begins to appear. But just as the dawn precedes and allows to foresee the light of day, this is how Christmas already announces the Cross and the glory of the Resurrection". (SL) (Agenzia Fides 22/12/2011)