Third Sunday of Advent Print
Pope: The crib is where we can learn the secret of true joy


“The crib is a school of life where we can learn the secret of true joy, which does not mean having many things, but signifies being loved by God, by giving to others and by loving one another.”

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These were the Pope’s words before the Angelus prayer on December 13th, the third Sunday of Advent, in St. Peter’s Square, where he performed the traditional blessing of the "Baby Jesus", the statues of the Infant Jesus, which are brought by the children of Rome, to then be placed in their cribs.

In the crib, the Pope said, we see that Mary and Joseph, having had their first child in the midst of great distress, “are filled with deep joy and love and above all are certain that God is at work.” So, dear friends, the true joy is in the feeling that our personal lives and community comes filled with a great mystery, the mystery of God.

In order to feel joy, said the Pope, we need not only to rejoice in things, but rejoice in love and truth. We need a God nearby which warms our hearts and responds to our deepest yearnings.