On Christmas, the pope asked Christians to grow closer to God in order to be more virtuous.
He started his preaching in Greccio, where St. Francis had begun the Nativity scene tradition. While there, he recommended contemplating the scene of Christ's birth. He expressed his suggestions in this document, “Admirabile Signum.”
POPE FRANCIS
This simple and visible sign of the Nativity, which faith has grasped and passed from generation to generation, shows the great mystery of our faith.
On Christmas Eve, he imparted his second teaching, reminding Christians that God loves people, even when they fail.
POPE FRANCIS
You may have mistaken ideas. You may have made a complete mess of things, but the Lord continues to love you. How often do we think that God is good if we are good, and punishes us if we are bad. Yet, that is not how He is.
The third message was delivered on the feast of the Epiphany. The pope said if God loves unconditionally, then people are called to love Him in the same way by worshiping Him. He said this is the recipe against selfishness and a thirst for power, fame and pleasure.
POPE FRANCIS
[Worship is] ridding ourselves of useless things and addictions that anesthetize the heart and confound the mind.
At the end of the Christmas season, the pope warned especially against these addictions. He said sins can be forgiven, but a corrupt person is hard to change.
Javier Romero
Translation: Claudia Torres
