Dear sisters and brothers, Merry Christmas!
This night, the mystery that never ceases to amaze and move us has been renewed: the Virgin Mary has given birth to Jesus, the Son of God, wrapped Him in swaddling clothes, and laid Him in a manger. This is how the shepherds of Bethlehem found Him, filled with joy, while the angels sang: "Glory to God and peace to men" (cf. Lk 2:6-14). Peace to men.
Yes, this event, which occurred over two thousand years ago, is renewed through the work of the Holy Spirit—the same Spirit of Love and Life that made Mary’s womb fruitful and formed Jesus from her human flesh. And so today, amidst the turmoil of our time, the eternal Word of salvation is once again and truly incarnated, saying to every man and woman, saying to the entire world—this is the message: "I love you, I forgive you, return to me, the door of my heart is open for you!"
Sisters, brothers, the door to God’s heart is always open; let us return to Him! Let us return to the heart that loves and forgives us! Let us allow ourselves to be forgiven by Him, to be reconciled with Him! God always forgives! God forgives everything. Let us allow ourselves to be forgiven by Him.
This is the meaning of the Holy Door of the Jubilee, which I opened last night here at St. Peter’s: it represents Jesus, the Door of salvation open to all. Jesus is the Door; He is the Door that the merciful Father has opened in the midst of the world, in the midst of history, so that we may all return to Him. We are all like lost sheep and need a Shepherd and a Door to return to the Father’s house. Jesus is the Shepherd; Jesus is the Door.
Brothers, sisters, do not be afraid! The Door is open, wide open! There is no need to knock. It is open. Come! Let us be reconciled with God, and then we will be reconciled with ourselves and can reconcile with each other, even with our enemies. God’s mercy can do everything—it unties every knot, breaks down every wall of division, and dissolves hatred and the spirit of vengeance. Come! Jesus is the Door of peace.
Often, we stop at the threshold, afraid to cross it because it challenges us. Entering through the Door requires the sacrifice of taking a step—a small sacrifice; one step for something so great. It requires leaving behind disputes and divisions to abandon ourselves to the open arms of the Child who is the Prince of Peace. This Christmas, at the start of the Jubilee Year, I invite every person, every people, and every nation to have the courage to cross the Door, to become pilgrims of hope, to silence weapons, and to overcome divisions!
May weapons fall silent in war-torn Ukraine! May there be the courage to open the door to negotiation and acts of dialogue and encounter, leading to a just and lasting peace.
May weapons fall silent in the Middle East! With eyes fixed on the cradle in Bethlehem, I think of Christian communities in Palestine and Israel, especially the dear community in Gaza, where the humanitarian situation is dire. May the fire cease, the hostages be freed, and aid reach the population ravaged by hunger and war. I also stand close to the Christian community in Lebanon, particularly in the south, and in Syria during this delicate moment. May doors of dialogue and peace open across the entire region torn by conflict. I also remember the people of Libya, encouraging efforts to find solutions that enable national reconciliation.
May the birth of the Savior bring hope to the families of thousands of children dying from a measles epidemic in the Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as to the populations of the East of that country, Burkina Faso, Mali, Niger, and Mozambique. The humanitarian crisis affecting them is mainly caused by armed conflicts and the scourge of terrorism, worsened by the devastating effects of climate change, which claim lives and displace millions. I also think of the peoples of the Horn of Africa, for whom I implore the gifts of peace, harmony, and fraternity. May the Son of the Most High support the international community's efforts to provide humanitarian aid to the civilian population of Sudan and to initiate new negotiations for a ceasefire.
May the Christmas message bring comfort to the inhabitants of Myanmar, who, due to ongoing armed conflicts, suffer greatly and are forced to flee their homes.
May the Child Jesus inspire political authorities and all people of goodwill in the Americas to find effective solutions based on truth and justice to promote social harmony. I think especially of Haiti, Venezuela, Colombia, and Nicaragua, urging efforts, especially in this Jubilee Year, to build the common good and rediscover the dignity of every person, overcoming political divisions.
Let the Jubilee be an opportunity to tear down all walls of separation: ideological ones, which so often mark political life, and physical ones, such as the division that has torn the island of Cyprus for fifty years, disrupting its human and social fabric. I hope for a shared solution that ends the division while fully respecting the rights and dignity of all Cypriot communities.
Jesus, the eternal Word of God made man, is the open Door—the wide-open Door that we are invited to cross to rediscover the meaning of our existence and the sacredness of every life—every life is sacred—and to reclaim the foundational values of the human family. He awaits us at the threshold. He awaits each of us, especially the most vulnerable: children suffering from war and hunger, the elderly often forced to live in conditions of loneliness and abandonment, those who have lost their homes or flee their lands seeking refuge, those who have lost or cannot find work, prisoners who, despite everything, remain children of God—always children of God, and those persecuted for their faith. There are so many.
On this festive day, let us not forget our gratitude toward those who work silently and faithfully for the common good: parents, educators, and teachers who bear the great responsibility of shaping future generations; healthcare workers, law enforcement, and those engaged in acts of charity, especially missionaries worldwide who bring light and comfort to many in need. To all of them, we say: thank you!
Brothers and sisters, may the Jubilee be an opportunity to forgive debts, especially those burdening the poorest countries. Each of us is called to forgive the offenses received, for the Son of God, born in the cold and darkness of night, forgives every debt of ours. He came to heal and forgive us. Pilgrims of hope, let us go to meet Him! Let us open to Him the doors of our hearts. Let us open the doors of our hearts as He has opened wide the door of His Heart.
To everyone, I wish a holy and serene Christmas.
