"God's way of doing things" is to always act "as a gentle love that embraces, fertilizes and safeguards, without doing violence, without harming freedom", Pope Francis said today at the Angelus . And this " kindness of God ", he underlined, "is something that, in a certain way, we can also experience among ourselves , for example when between friends, boyfriends, spouses, parents and children, we are delicate, respectful, caring for others with kindness."

For the Pontiff " God loves like this and calls us to do the same: welcoming, protecting and respecting others ". "Thinking of everyone, thinking of those who are marginalized, of those who in these days are far from the joy of Christmas: thinking of everyone with the kindness of God", added Francis. «Let us ask ourselves then, on Christmas Eve - he then urged -: do I want to let myself be enveloped by the shadow of the Spirit, by the sweetness and meekness of God, making room for him in my heart, approaching his forgiveness, the Eucharist? And then: for which lonely and needy people could I be a shadow that restores, a friendship that consoles?".

« I wish you all a Christmas Eve in prayer, in the warmth of affection and in sobriety. Allow me a recommendation: let's not confuse celebration with consumerism ", Bergoglio then added. "We can, and as Christians we must, celebrate in simplicity, without waste and sharing with those who lack the necessary things or those who lack company ", he further specified. So the thoughts and prayers «to our brothers and sisters who suffer from the war, let's think of Palestine, Israel, Ukraine. Let us also think of those who suffer from poverty, hunger and slavery."

So greetings to the «delegation of Italian citizens who live in territories officially recognized as highly contaminated and who have been waiting for their cleanup for a long time. I express solidarity with these populations and hope that their voice will be heard."

(Unioneonline/vl)

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