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Skriven 2007-01-04 22:01:16 av Marc Lewis (1:396/45)
Ärende: Vatican Information Service - Press Release
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                               VIS-Press releases

MAY FAMILIES BE THE LIVING IMAGE OF GOD'S LOVE

VATICAN CITY, DEC 31, 2006 (VIS) - Today, the Feast of the Holy Family of
Nazareth, before praying the Angelus with thousands of faithful gathered in St.
Peter's Square, the Pope sent his greetings to all the families of the world,
expressing the hope that they may enjoy "the peace and love that Christ gave
us, coming among us at Christmas."

"God," he said, "wished to be born and to grow in a human family. Thus he
consecrated [the family] as the basic and ordinary way of His meeting with
humanity. In the life spent in Nazareth, Jesus honored the Virgin Mary and the
good Joseph, remaining under their authority for the entire period of His
infancy and adolescence. In this way, He highlighted the fundamental value of
the family in the education of the person."

The Pope emphasized how Mary and Joseph introduced Jesus into the religious
community. "With them he learned to make the pilgrimage to Jerusalem. ... When
He was twelve years old, He stayed behind in the Temple and his parents took
three days to find Him." Through that gesture, Jesus "brought them to
understand that He had to concern Himself with the things of His Father's
House."

"This evangelical episode reveals the most authentic and profound vocation of
the family: that of accompanying all its members on the journey to the
discovery of God and of the design He has laid down for them. Mary and Joseph
educated Jesus ... through their own example. ... From them He learned that in
the first place it is necessary to do God's will, and that the spiritual bond
is greater than the tie of blood.

"The Holy Family of Nazareth," Benedict XVI added, "is truly the 'prototype'
for all Christian families who, united in the Sacrament of Marriage and
nourished by the Word and the Eucharist, are called to put into practice that
stupendous vocation and mission of being a living cell, not only of society but
also of the Church, sign and instrument of unity for the entire human race."

The Pope concluded his remarks by invoking the protection of Mary and St.
Joseph "for all families, especially those in difficulties. ... Support them so
they may resist the divisive forces of a certain kind of modern culture that
undermines the very foundations of the family institution. ... Help Christian
families all over the world to be the living image of God's love."

Following the Angelus, the Holy Father addressed the faithful in various
languages. To Polish pilgrims he said: "Let us give thanks to God for the past
year, for all the good received, and particularly for my pilgrimage to Poland.
I recall my journey in the footsteps of Servant of God John Paul II and your
witness of faith. Today, on the Sunday of the Holy Family, I pray that your
families be worthy places for the education of children and young people."
ANG/HOLY FAMILY/...VIS 070102 (500)

SUMMARY

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