Pope says Christmas should bring hope, help ease life's burdens
- 17th December 2003

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- In a world that often seems overburdened by problems and conflicts, the celebration of Christmas should bring a sense of hope, Pope John Paul II said.

The coming of Christ should also remind people that there is more to life than material well-being and economic progress, the pope said at his weekly general audience Dec. 17.

The pontiff looked fit as he addressed some 6,000 pilgrims who packed the Vatican audience hall. However, he skipped over half of his prepared speech, and his words were hard to understand.

In his talk, the pope spoke philosophically about the impact of Christmas on people's daily lives. Above all, it should bring encouragement to those who feel dispirited by life's many difficulties, he said.

"Every person dreams of a more just world, where decent living conditions and peaceful coexistence make for harmonious relations between individuals and peoples," he said.

"Often, however, it's not like that. Obstacles, conflicts and problems of various kinds weigh upon our existence and sometimes nearly oppress it. The strength and courage to work for the good risk giving in to evil, which sometimes seems to gain the upper hand," he said.

Especially in moments like this, Christmas should bring a ray of hope, he said. The celebration of Christ's birth should remind people that God does not forget his promises, and is always with us, he said.

Christmas should also prompt people to widen their vision and contemplate the meaning of their own lives, the pope said.

"Not infrequently, one asks oneself: Who are we? Where are we going? What sense is there to what we do on earth, and what awaits us after death?" he said.

The pope said there are certainly worthy earthly goals, including material comfort, social and scientific advances, as well as individual and community projects.

"But are these goals enough to satisfy the most intimate aspirations of our soul?" he said.

The pope said Christmas invites people to "rise above the daily routine" and reflect on God's alliance with man and his generosity in sending his son as savior.

The audience was enlivened by brief performances by choirs and singing groups from many countries. A decorated Christmas tree stood to one side of the papal stage.

Because of the pope's Christmas schedule, it was his last weekly general audience of the year. The Vatican released statistics showing that in 2003 more than 501,700 people attended 48 general audiences. That was more than 90,000 more than the year before.

In his 25-year pontificate, the pope has presided over 1,112 general audiences at the Vatican. At the end of 2003, the total number of people who have attended the audiences was 17,138,200, the Vatican said.

Later on Dec. 17, in a ceremony that combined Christmas songs and short speeches, the Vatican's Christmas tree was lit in St. Peter's Square. The tree, a 110-year-old blue red spruce that stood about 90 feet tall, came from the Valle d'Aosta region in northern Italy where the pope has vacationed several times during the summer.

The pope in 1982 began the practice of having a Christmas tree and a giant Nativity scene erected in St. Peter's Square. Over the years, the pontiff has said he enjoys watching from his apartment as hundreds of families come to view the creche and tree.

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