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SOLIDARITY WITH THE POOR AND WITH PEOPLE IN DIFFICULTIES

VATICAN CITY, 31 DEC 2010 (VIS) - In the Vatican Basilica at 6 p.m. today, the
Pope presided at first Vespers for the Solemnity of Mary Mother of God. This
was followed by the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament, the singing of the
traditional "Te Deum" of thanksgiving for the conclusion of the
year, and the
Eucharistic blessing.

In his homily the Holy Father explained how, "with the coming of Christ and His
redemption we are 'at the fullness' of time. As St. Paul says, time comes to
fullness in Jesus, it reaches its fulfilment, acquiring that significance of
salvation and grace which God wished for it since before the creation of the
world".

"Our human time", the Pope went on, "is loaded with evils,
sufferings and
dramas of every kind - from those caused by man's own wickedness to those
deriving from adverse natural events - but it now contains, definitively and
unchangeably, the joyful and liberating novelty of Christ the Saviour. In the
Child of Bethlehem we can see, in a particularly luminous and eloquent way, the
meeting of eternity and time, as the liturgy of the Church says".

The Church of Rome "is committed to helping all the baptised faithfully to live
the vocation they received and to bear witness to the beauty of the faith. As
we seek to be authentic disciples of Christ, essential support comes from daily
meditation on the Word of God", said the Holy Father. In this context he also
encouraged everyone "to cultivate an intense relationship with the Word,
especially through 'lectio divina', in order to obtain the light necessary to
discern the signs of God in our own time, and to proclaim the Gospel
effectively".

"Assistance in this evangelising activity in Rome", Benedict XVI continued,
"comes from the 'Centres for listening to the Gospel', which I suggest should
be recreated or revitalised, not only in homes but also in hospitals and
workplaces, and in the places where the new generations are formed and culture
is created".

"The best place to listen to the word of God is in the celebration of the
Eucharist. Last June's diocesan congress, in which I myself participated, chose
to underline the centrality of Sunday Mass in the life of all Christian
communities. ... I encourage pastors and priests to put the pastoral programme
into effect: forming liturgical groups to enliven the celebration and offering
a catechesis which helps everyone to a greater understanding of the Eucharistic
mystery, from which the witness of charity comes".

The Pope concluded his homily by referring to "concerns about insecurity, which
affect so many families and which call the entire diocesan community to draw
close to people living in conditions of poverty and distress. May God, infinite
love, enflame all our hearts with that charity which impelled Him to give His
Only-begotten Son".

Following the celebration, the Pope made a brief visit to the nativity scene in
St. Peter's Square.
HML/VIS 20110103 (500)

SUMMARY

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