How the Christmas Tree Evangelizes

Pope Reflects on Symbolic Significance of Decoration

VATICAN CITY, DEC. 18, 2009 (Zenit.org).- The Christmas tree -- with its journey from a dark forest to the brilliance of decorative lights -- represents every Christian, called to share the message that the Light of the world has become man.

This was a comparison made by Benedict XVI today when he addressed a delegation from Belgium, which provided the Christmas tree for St. Peter's Square this year.

"In the forest," the Holy Father said, "the trees are close together and each one of them contributes to making the forest a shadowy, sometimes dark, place."

"But here," he continued, "chosen from among this multitude, the majestic tree that you offered us is today lit up and covered with brilliant decorations that are like so many marvelous fruits."

"Leaving aside its dark garments for a brilliant explosion, it has been transfigured, becoming a beacon of light that is not its own, but rather gives testimony to the true Light that comes to this world," the Pope suggested.

He compared the tree's destiny with that of the shepherds, who "keeping watch in the darkness of the night, are illumined by the message of the angels."

"The luck of this tree is also comparable to our own, we who are called to give good fruits to manifest that the world has truly been visited and rescued by the Lord," the Pontiff continued.

Child-God

Benedict XVI said the Christmas tree, in its spot beside the Nativity scene, "shows in its own way the presence of the great mystery present in the simple and poor site of Bethlehem."

"To the inhabitants of Rome, to all the pilgrims, to all who will go to St. Peter's Square by way of the televisions of the whole world, it proclaims the coming of the Son of God."

"Through it," he told the Belgian pilgrims, "the sun of your lands and the faith of the Christian communities of your region greet the Child-God, he who has come to make new all things and to call all creatures, from the smallest to the greatest, to enter into the mystery of Redemption and be united to it."

The tree is decorated in gold and white -- the colors of the Vatican.

It is a fir from the Ardennes forest of Belgium. The 30-meter (about 100-foot) tree is 100 years old, has a 7-meter (22-foot) diameter and weighs 14 tons.

The tree was to be felled, along with others of the same forest, to allow for the growth of other nearby trees and plants.

World Mission Sunday: History of the Society for the Propagation of Faith

This weekend, the Church celebrates World Mission Sunday. We will be taking a second collection at all masses to support Catholic missions throughout the world. The works of these missions are coordinated by the Society for the Propagation of Faith. Here is a youtube video made by the Canadian branch of the Society that explains their history and mission.

Pope's Message for World Mission Sunday - October 18, 2009

" The nations will come to its light" (Rev 21, 24)

On this Sunday, dedicated to the missions, I address first of all you, my brothers in the episcopal and the priestly ministry, and then you, my brothers and sisters, the whole People of God, to encourage in each one of you deeper awareness of Christ's missionary mandate to "make disciples of all peoples" (Mt 28,19), in the footsteps of Saint Paul, the Apostle of the nations

"The nations will come to its light" " (Rev 21,24).

The goal of the Church's mission is to illuminate with the light of the Gospel all peoples journeying through history towards God, so that in Him they may be fully realised and accomplished. We must live the longing and the passion to illuminate all peoples with the light of Christ, that shines on the face of the Church, so that all may be gathered into the one human family, under God's loving fatherhood. It is in this perspective that the disciples of Christ spread throughout the world work, struggle and groan under the burden of suffering, offering their very lives. Let us once again proclaim strongly what was so frequently affirmed by my venerated Predecessors: the Church works not to extend power or affirm dominion, but to carry, to all, Christ, the salvation of the world. We ask nothing except to put ourselves at the service of all humanity, especially the suffering and the excluded, because we believe that " the effort to proclaim the Gospel to the people of today... is a service rendered to the Christian community and also to the whole of humanity" (Evangelii nuntiandi, 1), which " has experienced marvellous achievements but which seems to have lost its sense of ultimate realities and of existence itself" (Redemptoris missio, 2).

1. All Peoples are called to salvation

In truth, the whole of humanity has the radical vocation to return to its source, to return to God, since in Him alone can it find accomplishment through the restoration of all things in Christ. Dispersion, multiplicity, conflict, enmity will be calmed and reconciled through the blood of the Cross and led back to unity. This new beginning has already started with the Resurrection and the exaltation of Christ, who draws all things to himself, renewing them and enabling them to share in the eternal joy of God. The future of the new creation shines already in our world and, despite contradictions and suffering, kindles hope for new life. The Church's mission is to "infect" all peoples with hope. This is why Christ calls, sanctifies and sends his disciples to announce the Kingdom of God, so that all nations may become the people of God. It is only in this mission that the true journey of humanity is understood and attested. The universal mission should become a fundamental constant in the life of the Church. To announce the Gospel must be for us, as it was for the Apostle Paul, a primary and impelling duty.


2. The pilgrim Church

The universal Church which knows neither borders nor frontiers, feels responsible for announcing the Gospel to whole peoples (cfr Evangelii nuntiandi, 53). It is the duty of the Church, seed of hope by vocation, to continue Christ's service in the world. The measure of her mission and her service is not material or even spiritual needs restricted to temporal existence, instead, it is transcendent salvation, fulfilled in the Kingdom of God (cfr Evangelii nuntiandi, 27). This Kingdom, although eschatological in its completeness and not of this world (cfr Gv 18,36), is, in this world and in its history, a force for justice and peace, for true freedom and respect for the dignity of every human person. The Church wishes to transform the world with the proclamation of the Gospel of love, " that can always illuminates a world grown dim and give us the courage needed to keep living and working… and in this way to cause the light of God to enter into the world " (Deus caritas est, 39). It is to this mission and to this service, that I call, also with this Message, all the members and institutions of the Church to participate.


3. Missio ad gentes

The mission of the Church, therefore, is to call all peoples to the salvation accomplished by God through his incarnate Son. It is therefore necessary to renew our commitment to proclaiming the Gospel which is leaven of freedom and progress, brotherhood, unity and peace (cfr Ad gentes, 8). I would " confirm once more that the task of evangelizing all people constitutes the essential mission of the Church " (Evangelii nuntiandi, 14), a duty and a mission which the widespread and profound changes in present day society render ever more urgent. At stake is the eternal salvation of all people, the goal and the accomplishment of human history and the universe. Animated and inspired by the Apostle of the nations, we must realise that God has a numerous people in all the cities visited by the apostles of today (cfr Acts 18, 10). In fact "The promise that was made is for you and your children, and for all those who are far away, for all those whom the Lord our God is calling to himself" (Acts 2,39). The whole Church must be committed to missio ad gentes, until the salvific sovereignty of Christ is fully accomplished: "At present, it is true, we are not able to see that all things are under him" (Heb 2,8).


4. Called to evangelise also through martyrdom

On this day dedicated to the missions, I recall in prayer those who made their lives exclusive consecration to the work of evangelisation. I mention especially those local Churches and those missionaries who bear witness to and spread the Kingdom of God in situations of persecution, with various forms of oppression ranging from social discrimination to prison, torture and death. No small number of them are put to death for the sake of his "Name". Still tremendously relevant today are the words of my venerated Predecessor, Pope John Paul II: " The Jubilee remembrance has presented us with a surprising vista, showing us that our own time is particularly prolific in witnesses, who in different ways were able to live the Gospel in the midst of hostility and persecution, often to the point of the supreme test of shedding their blood. " (Novo millennio ineunte, apostolic letter 41). Participation in the mission of Christ, in fact, affects also the life of those who announce the Gospel, for whom is reserved the same destiny as their Master. "Remember the words I said to you: A servant is not greater than his master. If they persecuted me, they will persecute you too" (Jn 15,20). The Church walks the same path and suffers the same destiny as Christ, since she acts not on the basis of any human logic or relying on her own strength, but instead she follows the way of the Cross, becoming, in filial obedience to the Father, a witness and a travelling companion for all humanity. I remind old Churches and those more recently founded that they have been placed by the Lord to be the salt of the earth and the light of the world, and called to spread Christ, the Light of the nations, to the far corners of the earth. Missio ad gentes must be a priority in pastoral programmes. To the Pontifical Mission Societies goes my gratitude and my encouragement for their indispensable service of promoting missionary animation and formation and material help for young Churches. Through the Pontifical Institutions communion among the Churches is admirably achieved with exchange of gifts, reciprocal concern and common missionary programming.


5. Conclusion

Missionary impulse has always been a sign of the vitality of our Churches (cfr Redemptoris missio 2) . Nevertheless it is necessary to reaffirm that evangelisation is primarily the work of the Spirit and that before being action it is witness and irradiation of the light of Christ (cfr Redemptoris missio 26 ) on the part of the local Church, which sends her own missionary men and women beyond her frontiers. I therefore ask all Catholics to pray that the Holy Spirit will intensify the Church's passion for the mission to spread the Kingdom of God and to support missionaries and Christian communities involved in mission, in front line, often in situations of hostility and persecution. At the same time I ask everyone to offer as a credible sign of communion among the Churches, financial assistance, especially in these times of crisis affecting all humanity, to help the young Churches be in the condition to illuminate the nations with the Gospel of charity. May we be guided in our missionary activity by the Blessed Virgin Mary, star of New Evangelisation, who brought Christ into the world to be the light of the nations and to carry salvation "to the ends of the earth" (Acts 13,47).
Upon all I impart my Blessing.

From the Vatican, 29 June, 2009

The Family is Protagonist of Evangelisation

Priest Warns Against "Liquid Love"

ROME, SEPT. 16, 2009 (Zenit.org).- The Church is emphasizing the Christian family's role as the subject, not just the object, of evangelization, with a unique mission to reach out to people in their own circles.

This was one of the conclusions of a two-day international conference that ended Friday, and was organized in Rome by the Pontifical Council for the Family.

It focused on the family as a "subject of evangelization," and gathered married couples from around the world as well as priests involved in family pastoral care.

Monsignor Carlos Simon Vazquez, an under-secretary of the Pontifical Council for the Family, explained to ZENIT that the seminar concentrated in particular on the teaching of the Second Vatican Council, the constitution "Gaudium et Spes," and the apostolic exhortation "Familiaris Consortio," signed by John Paul II after the 1980 Synod on the Family.

This document, he said, "presents us with a theology, a pastoral program on the family, which is rooted in the mystery of God and is called to be the presence of that love of God, of that God who wants to communicate his good news to the whole world."

The priest stated that the family "is called to make that God present in history," as "Gadium et Spes" explains, presenting it as a "subject that must make a reality the assumptions it poses in the first part of the document: for example, it must be present in the international service, in the service to society, to culture, and in the other services in which the Church has a word to express."

Monsignor Vazquez said that the family is reduced to an evangelizing "object" and is not seen as an evangelizing subject "when we see in it an object that does things, that resolves problems."

He added: "The family does all that but above all it is a being loved by God; therefore, its action is its being. It isn't a sort of solution of problems but fulfills this mission because it lives a vocation that God has given it in love."

The family "is the place of gratitude, of generosity, where all find a reason to hope and to be secure, not because of what they have but because of what they are and this is the translation of the dynamics of love," noted the priest.

Society and family

Father Leopold Vives, former secretary of the Family and Life Commission of the Lay Apostolate of the Spanish episcopal conference, pointed out the leading role of the family in the light of Benedict XVI's new encyclical "Caritas in Veritate."

In an interview with ZENIT, he said, "Society's progress passes through the family's progress."

The priest explained two aspects of this progress: "The first is the relationship of truth and love: human progress must be integral and this can only happen in interpersonal relationship -- hence, a relationship of love.

"If this relationship of love is not lived according to the true person, development is fictitious; there can be great economic development, with the means at our disposal, but not in the person."

The second aspect, he said, "is openness to man's transcendence which goes beyond an earthly horizon."

"Without the latter," Father Vives said, "we are outside of the integral truth of man and, therefore, outside of his true good and we are then again in a fictitious development."

The priest stressed in particular the passage of the Pope's encyclical in which he shows the relationship between the family and the Trinity. It describes how the family lives from its communion of love with the Triune God.

He affirmed, "Surely man's fullness is there not only on earth but in the full communion with God in heaven."

Father Vives pointed out that one example that shows how the family becomes an object and not a subject is the "gender ideology."

He explained: "The institution of the family is rooted in the person's very nature. In the case of the gender ideology we have a denial of the truth of man, because we have fragmented him, regarding our body as something material, independent of the person which I, from my liberty, can mold to my taste, completely separated from what the person is, who expresses himself from his freedom, also understood badly, that is: 'I am a person because I am free and as I am free I can choose.' This is not so."

The priest continued: "A person is one in his unity of body and soul and, therefore, my own identity cannot be true if it does not take into account the original and essential acts of who I am. In the first place, I am man or woman.

"The family based on marriage, the union between one man and one woman, is the truth of man. Without it, we are destroying the most fundamental relationship of the person, which is the conjugal relationship, and in this way the relationship between parents and children is destroyed.

"Here one's own identity is wounded, knowing who I am in a personal relationship: 'I am me because you are; you are, and I am different from you.' However, if we cancel that difference, which is what the gender ideology intends, we take away the foundation of personal identity. If I try to construct my personal identity apart from my masculine being, I am in constant contradiction of my own being."

No foundation

Father Vives stated that one of the great challenges for young couples who want to get married in the Church is "liquid love," namely, "something that isn't consistent, that has no foundation, something on which one cannot build because it is reduced to various feelings."

"Of course there are feelings in love and this forms an important and very striking part for young people, but it cannot be reduced to a feeling," he stressed.

The priest stated: "Love is a communion that springs from the gift of oneself. And that gift is a total self-giving. This is what gives the foundation to a relationship.

"It's what does not happen in a relationship of 'liquid love,' of individuals who don't have the capacity for sacrifice, self-giving and fidelity, who are not capable of promising because they regard the future as something uncertain."

To overcome "liquid love," Father Vives suggested deepening in the understanding what it means to be Christian.

He said: "When one understands that one has a vocation, that this vocation is a gift of God which is sanctified by a sacrament, then individuals are that much more disposed to be able to keep the promise to live love, to build strong and stable relationships.

"To do so, the bond with the Church is fundamental. To be married in the Lord is at the same time an adherence to the Church because it is the body of Christ. In God they can find that love that spouses dream about and that makes them able to stay united."

The priest concluded: "Nor is it possible to live love without forgiveness and all this is nourished by the cooperation of the spouses with the sacramental grace."