Pope Francis encouraged young
people gathered to see him during a visit to a Franciscan shrine
near Rieti east of Rome on Monday to reflect on the signs
contained in the Christmas story, according to a copy of his
address published on the Rieti diocesan website Tuesday.
"In life there are many signs, many signals," Francis said.
The first is the star that guided the Magi, the pope said.
"The sky is full of stars, but there is a special one that
led them to...begin a journey without knowing where it would
lead," Francis said.
"We need to ask for the grace to discover 'the star' that
God wants to show me today, because that star will lead me to
Jesus," he continued.
The second sign in the Christmas gospel is the humbleness
of the Christ child lying in the manger.
"God lowered himself, he annihilated himself to become like
us, to walk in front of us...God who goes against pride,
conceit, arrogance," Francis said.
"I hope that your lives will always be accompanied by these
two signs, which are a gift of God," he said.
"May you never lack the star or the humility to rediscover
Jesus in the humble, the poor, the social outcasts," he
continued.
The pope also joked with the young people about their
presence at Greccio.
Monsignor Domenico Pompili, bishop of Rieti, "led me to
understand that it would be a good thing to pray at Greccio over
Christmas and so I have come to pray. But I do not know what
ruse he used to draw you here," he quipped.
On Monday the Vatican said only the prior of the shrine and
the Bishop of Rieti, Msgr Domenico Pompili, knew about the
visit.
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