Pope Francis says "Serenity doesn't mean that everything is going well...The Holy Family of Jesus, Joseph and Mary ...didn't know where to go...there was an underlying serenity....in prayer and mutual love."
.png)
GREETING OF THE HOLY FATHER FRANCIS
TO VATICAN EMPLOYEES
FOR THE PRESENTATION OF CHRISTMAS GREETINGS
Paul VI Hall
Thursday, December 22, 2022
_________________________________
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Thank you for coming to this meeting where we exchange greetings for a holy Christmas.
First of all we have to thank the Lord because, with his help, we have overcome the critical phase of the pandemic. We do not forget! When we were closed, we said: who knows what it will be like when we are free to move, to meet, and so on. Then, as soon as things change, we lose our memory and carry on as if nothing had happened. And maybe we don't even thank the Lord!
This is not Christian and it is not even human. No, we want to thank you because we were able to go back to work, and also trying to overcome certain more or less major problems that had arisen during the most difficult period. Filming is a job we all have to do.
We must not forget, because the long period of the pandemic has left its marks. Not only material, economic consequences; he has also left signs in people's lives, in relationships, in the serenity of families. And for this reason today I wish you above all serenity: serenity for each one of you and for your families. Serenity doesn't mean that everything is going well, that there are no problems, no difficulties, no, it doesn't mean that. The Holy Family of Jesus, Joseph and Mary demonstrates this to us. We can imagine, when they arrived in Bethlehem, Our Lady began to feel pain, Joseph didn't know where to go, he knocked on so many doors, but there was no room... Yet in the hearts of Mary and Joseph there was an underlying serenity, that came from God, came from the awareness of being in his will, of seeking it together, in prayer and mutual love. I wish you this: that each of you has faith in God and that in families there is the simplicity of entrusting themselves to his help, to pray to him and to thank him.
I would like to wish peace of mind especially to your children, to the boys and girls, because they have been greatly affected by the closure, they have accumulated a lot of tension. It's normal, it's inevitable. But we must not ignore it, we must reflect, try to understand, because emerging better from the crisis does not happen by magic, we must work on ourselves, calmly, patiently. Kids can do it too, naturally with the help of their parents and sometimes other people, but it's important that they themselves are aware that crises are stages of growth and require work on themselves.
This is the first wish that comes to mind, starting from the pandemic. I wish you serenity, in your heart, in your family relationships, in your work. Serenity.
And the second is this: that we are witnesses and artisans of peace. At this moment in the history of the world, we are called to feel more strongly the responsibility of each one doing his or her part to build peace. And this has a particular meaning for us who live and work in Vatican City. Not because this tiny state, the smallest in the world, has a special specific weight, not because of this; but because we have the Lord Jesus as Head and Teacher, who calls us to unite our humble daily commitment to his work of reconciliation and peace. Starting from the environment in which we live, from relationships with our colleagues, from how we deal with misunderstandings and conflicts that can arise at work; or at home, in the family environment; or even with friends, or in the parish. It is there that we can concretely be witnesses and artisans of peace.
Sow peace. And how? For example: avoiding speaking ill of others "behind their backs". If we only did this, we would be creators of peace everywhere! If there is something wrong, let's talk about it directly with the person concerned, respectfully, frankly. We are brave. We don't ignore it and then gossip about him or her with other people. We try to be sincere and honest. Let's test it and see if this will work.
Dear sisters and dear brothers, best wishes to you and your loved ones. Say hello to your children and your elders at home from me. They are the treasure in the family, the treasure of the society. And I thank you: I thank you for everything you do here, for your work and also for your patience, at times, because I know there are situations in which you exercise patience: thank you for that. All of us must go forward with patience, with joy, thanking the Lord who gives us this grace of work, but also guarding the work and also doing it with dignity. Thank you for this, thank you for what you do here. Without you, none of this would go on. Thank you very much!
I bless you all from my heart, and I ask you please to pray for me. And Merry Christmas everyone!
TO VATICAN EMPLOYEES
FOR THE PRESENTATION OF CHRISTMAS GREETINGS
Paul VI Hall
Thursday, December 22, 2022
_________________________________
Dear brothers and sisters, good morning!
Thank you for coming to this meeting where we exchange greetings for a holy Christmas.
First of all we have to thank the Lord because, with his help, we have overcome the critical phase of the pandemic. We do not forget! When we were closed, we said: who knows what it will be like when we are free to move, to meet, and so on. Then, as soon as things change, we lose our memory and carry on as if nothing had happened. And maybe we don't even thank the Lord!
This is not Christian and it is not even human. No, we want to thank you because we were able to go back to work, and also trying to overcome certain more or less major problems that had arisen during the most difficult period. Filming is a job we all have to do.
We must not forget, because the long period of the pandemic has left its marks. Not only material, economic consequences; he has also left signs in people's lives, in relationships, in the serenity of families. And for this reason today I wish you above all serenity: serenity for each one of you and for your families. Serenity doesn't mean that everything is going well, that there are no problems, no difficulties, no, it doesn't mean that. The Holy Family of Jesus, Joseph and Mary demonstrates this to us. We can imagine, when they arrived in Bethlehem, Our Lady began to feel pain, Joseph didn't know where to go, he knocked on so many doors, but there was no room... Yet in the hearts of Mary and Joseph there was an underlying serenity, that came from God, came from the awareness of being in his will, of seeking it together, in prayer and mutual love. I wish you this: that each of you has faith in God and that in families there is the simplicity of entrusting themselves to his help, to pray to him and to thank him.
I would like to wish peace of mind especially to your children, to the boys and girls, because they have been greatly affected by the closure, they have accumulated a lot of tension. It's normal, it's inevitable. But we must not ignore it, we must reflect, try to understand, because emerging better from the crisis does not happen by magic, we must work on ourselves, calmly, patiently. Kids can do it too, naturally with the help of their parents and sometimes other people, but it's important that they themselves are aware that crises are stages of growth and require work on themselves.
This is the first wish that comes to mind, starting from the pandemic. I wish you serenity, in your heart, in your family relationships, in your work. Serenity.
And the second is this: that we are witnesses and artisans of peace. At this moment in the history of the world, we are called to feel more strongly the responsibility of each one doing his or her part to build peace. And this has a particular meaning for us who live and work in Vatican City. Not because this tiny state, the smallest in the world, has a special specific weight, not because of this; but because we have the Lord Jesus as Head and Teacher, who calls us to unite our humble daily commitment to his work of reconciliation and peace. Starting from the environment in which we live, from relationships with our colleagues, from how we deal with misunderstandings and conflicts that can arise at work; or at home, in the family environment; or even with friends, or in the parish. It is there that we can concretely be witnesses and artisans of peace.
Sow peace. And how? For example: avoiding speaking ill of others "behind their backs". If we only did this, we would be creators of peace everywhere! If there is something wrong, let's talk about it directly with the person concerned, respectfully, frankly. We are brave. We don't ignore it and then gossip about him or her with other people. We try to be sincere and honest. Let's test it and see if this will work.
Dear sisters and dear brothers, best wishes to you and your loved ones. Say hello to your children and your elders at home from me. They are the treasure in the family, the treasure of the society. And I thank you: I thank you for everything you do here, for your work and also for your patience, at times, because I know there are situations in which you exercise patience: thank you for that. All of us must go forward with patience, with joy, thanking the Lord who gives us this grace of work, but also guarding the work and also doing it with dignity. Thank you for this, thank you for what you do here. Without you, none of this would go on. Thank you very much!
I bless you all from my heart, and I ask you please to pray for me. And Merry Christmas everyone!
Source: Vatican.va
Comments