During the last Angelus before Christmas, the pope made a bold proposal to those who watched from the square and through streaming.
POPE FRANCIS
Instead of complaining in these difficult times about what the pandemic prevents us from doing, let us do something for someone who has less: not the umpteenth gift for ourselves and our friends, but for a person in need whom no-one thinks of!
Pope Francis said it's time to stop and think about what model of Christmas people have been following. He specifically warned of one: consumerism.
POPE FRANCIS
That frenzy of doing things, more and more. It is Jesus that is important. Consumerism, brothers and sisters, has stolen Christmas from us. Consumerism is not found in the manger in Bethlehem: there we find reality, poverty, and love. Let us prepare our hearts to be like Mary's: free from evil, welcoming, and ready to receive God.
The pope recommended those present to visit the exhibition of '100 presepi,' 100 Nativity Scenes, which this year takes place under Bernini's Colonnade. It is an exhibition to which every year nativity scenes from all over the world are displayed. This year, however, because of the pandemic, most of them were made in Italy.
Javier Romero
Translation: Christian Campos
