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Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) – “This always leaves us astounded: universal salvation concentrated in just one! Yes, because in Jesus dwells the fullness of God, of His Love”, said Pope Francis during the Sunday Angelus prayer with the pilgrims and believers gathered in St. Peter’s Square on the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord.
Commenting on the Sunday Gospel, which tells of the meeting of the Holy Family with Simeon and Anna in the Temple of Jerusalem, the Pope noted how the “moving voices” of the two old people “resound among the ancient stones of the Temple, announcing the fulfilment of Israel’s expectations. Truly God is present in the midst of His people: not because He dwells within the four walls, but because He lives as a man among men. And this is the novelty of Jesus”.
In this context, the Bishop of Rome referred to the three words with which Simeon describes Jesus: He is “salvation”, “light” and “a sign of contradiction”.
But above all, Jesus is salvation, “the salvation of the world is concentrated in everyone”, “because in Jesus dwells the fullness of God”. Jesus is also the light, because he “will redeem it from the darkness of evil, pain and death. How much we need light, this light, even today!”.
And then Jesus is “a sign of contradiction. Jesus reveals the criterion for judging the whole of history and its drama, and also the life of each one of us”, namely love.
After the blessing, the Pope recalled the “Day for Life” that the Italian Church is celebrating today: “I join with the Italian bishops in expressing gratitude to the many families who eagerly welcome the gift of life and in encouraging young couples not to be afraid of bringing children into the world”.
And speaking of the primary value of human life, the Pontiff reiterated the ‘no’ to war, which destroys, it destroys everything, it destroys life and induces us to disregard it". In this Jubilee Year, he renewed his appeal "especially to Christian governors, to do their utmost in the negotiations to bring all the ongoing conflicts to an end. Let us pray for peace in tormented Ukraine, in Palestine, Israel, Lebanon, Myanmar, Sudan and North Kivu." (F.B.) (Agenzia Fides, 2/2/2025)
