1. I have longed to come back to the town of Jesus, to feel once again, in contact with this place, the presence of the woman of whom Saint Augustine wrote: “He chose the mother he had created; he created the mother he had chosen” (Sermo 69, 3, 4). Here it is especially easy to understand why all generations call Mary blessed (cf. Lk 2:48).

I warmly greet Your Beatitude Patriarch Michel Sabbah, and thank you for your kind words of presentation. With Archbishop Boutros Mouallem and all of you – Bishops, priests, religious women and men, and members of the laity – I rejoice in the grace of this solemn celebration. I am happy to have this opportunity to greet the Franciscan Minister General, Father Giacomo Bini, who welcomed me on my arrival, and to express to the Custos, Father Giovanni Battistelli, and the Friars of the Custody the admiration of the whole Church for the devotion with which you carry out your unique vocation. With gratitude I pay tribute to your faithfulness to the charge given to you by Saint Francis himself and confirmed by the Popes down the centuries.

2. We are gathered to celebrate the great mystery accomplished here two thousand years ago. The Evangelist Luke situates the event clearly in time and place: “In the sixth month, the angel Gabriel was sent by God to a town in Galilee called Nazareth, to a virgin betrothed to a man named Joseph. . . The virgin’s name was Mary” (1:26-27). But in order to understand what took place in Nazareth two thousand years ago, we must return to the Reading from the Letter to the Hebrews. That text enables us, as it were, to listen to a conversation between the Father and the Son concerning God’s purpose from all eternity. “You who wanted no sacrifice or oblation prepared a body for me. You took no pleasure in holocausts or sacrifices for sin. Then I said. . . ?God, here I am! I am coming to obey your will’” (10:5-7). The Letter to the Hebrews is telling us that, in obedience to the Father’s will, the Eternal Word comes among us to offer the sacrifice which surpasses all the sacrifices offered under the former Covenant. His is the eternal and perfect sacrifice which redeems the world.

The divine plan is gradually revealed in the Old Testament, particularly in the words of the Prophet Isaiah which we have just heard: “The Lord himself will give you a sign. It is this: the virgin is with child and will soon give birth to a child whom she will call Emmanuel” (7:14). Emmanuel - God with us. In these words, the unique event that was to take place in Nazareth in the fullness of time is foretold, and it is this event that we are celebrating here with intense joy and happiness.

3. Our Jubilee Pilgrimage has been a journey in spirit, which began in the footsteps of Abraham, “our father in faith” (Roman Canon; cf. Rom 4:11-12). That journey has brought us today to Nazareth, where we meet Mary, the truest daughter of Abraham. It is Mary above all others who can teach us what it means to live the faith of “our father”. In many ways, Mary is clearly different from Abraham; but in deeper ways “the friend of God” (cf. Is 41:8) and the young woman of Nazareth are very alike.

Both receive a wonderful promise from God. Abraham was to be the father of a son, from whom there would come a great nation. Mary is to be the Mother of a Son who would be the Messiah, the Anointed One. “Listen!”, Gabriel says, “ You are to conceive and bear a son. . . The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. . . and his reign will have no end” (Lk 1:31-33).

For both Abraham and Mary, the divine promise comes as something completely unexpected. God disrupts the daily course of their lives, overturning its settled rhythms and conventional expectations. For both Abraham and Mary, the promise seems impossible. Abraham’s wife Sarah was barren, and Mary is not yet married: “How can this come about”, she asks, “since I am a virgin?” (Lk 1:34).

4. Like Abraham, Mary is asked to say yes to something that has never happened before. Sarah is the first in the line of barren wives in the Bible who conceive by God’s power, just as Elizabeth will be the last. Gabriel speaks of Elizabeth to reassure Mary: “Know this too: your kinswoman Elizabeth has, in her old age, herself conceived a son” (Lk 1:36).

Like Abraham, Mary must walk through darkness, in which she must simply trust the One who called her. Yet even her question, “How can this come about?”, suggests that Mary is ready to say yes, despite her fears and uncertainties. Mary asks not whether the promise is possible, but only how it will be fulfilled. It comes as no surprise, therefore, when finally she utters her fiat: “I am the handmaid of the Lord. Let what you have said be done to me” (Lk 1:38). With these words, Mary shows herself the true daughter of Abraham, and she becomes the Mother of Christ and Mother of all believers.

5. In order to penetrate further into the mystery, let us look back to the moment of Abraham’s journey when he received the promise. It was when he welcomed to his home three mysterious guests (cf. Gen 18:1-15), and offered them the adoration due to God: tres vidit et unum adoravit. That mysterious encounter foreshadows the Annunciation, when Mary is powerfully drawn into communion with the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Through the fiat that Mary uttered in Nazareth, the Incarnation became the wondrous fulfilment of Abraham’s encounter with God. So, following in the footsteps of Abraham, we have come to Nazareth to sing the praises of the woman “through whom the light rose over the earth” (Hymn Ave Regina Caelorum).

6. But we have also come to plead with her. What do we, pilgrims on our way into the Third Christian Millennium, ask of the Mother of God? Here in the town which Pope Paul VI, when he visited Nazareth, called “the school of the Gospel”, where “we learn to look at and to listen to, to ponder and to penetrate the deep and mysterious meaning of the very simple, very humble and very beautiful appearing of the Son of God” (Address in Nazareth, 5 January 1964), I pray, first, for a great renewal of faith in all the children of the Church. A deep renewal of faith: not just as a general attitude of life, but as a conscious and courageous profession of the Creed: “Et incarnatus est de Spiritu Sancto ex Maria Virgine, et homo factus est.”

In Nazareth, where Jesus “grew in wisdom and age and grace before God and men” (Lk 2:52), I ask the Holy Family to inspire all Christians to defend the family against so many present-day threats to its nature, its stability and its mission. To the Holy Family I entrust the efforts of Christians and of all people of good will to defend life and to promote respect for the dignity of every human being.

To Mary, the Theotókos, the great Mother of God, I consecrate the families of the Holy Land, the families of the world.

In Nazareth where Jesus began his public ministry, I ask Mary to help the Church everywhere to preach the “good news” to the poor, as he did (cf. Lk 4:18). In this “year of the Lord’s favour”, I ask her to teach us the way of humble and joyful obedience to the Gospel in the service of our brothers and sisters, without preferences and without prejudices.

“O Mother of the Word Incarnate, despise not my petitions, but in your mercy hear and answer me. Amen”

[Pope John Paul II, homily in Nazareth, 25 March 2000]

The bond between the Annunciation and the “Gospel of Life” is close and profound, as Saint John Paul emphasized in his Encyclical Letter. Today we find ourselves reviving this teaching within the context of a pandemic that threatens human life and the world economy. It is a situation that makes the words with which the Encyclical begins ever more demanding. Here they are: “The Gospel of life is at the heart of Jesus’ message. Lovingly received day after day by the Church, it is to be preached with dauntless fidelity as ‘good news’ to the people of every age and culture” (n. 1).

As with every proclamation of the Gospel, this too should firstly be witnessed. And I think with gratitude of the silent witness of many people who, in various ways, are doing everything they can in serving the sick, the elderly and those who are alone and most destitute. They put into practice the Gospel of Life, like Mary who, having accepted the Angel’s announcement, went to help her cousin Elizabeth who was in need.

Indeed, the life that we are called to promote and defend is not an abstract concept, but rather it is always manifested in a person in flesh and blood: a baby who has just been conceived, a marginalized poor person, a sick person who is disheartened or in a terminal ill state, one who has lost their job or cannot find one, a rejected or marginalized migrant.... Life manifests itself tangibly in people.

Each human being is called by God to enjoy the fullness of life; and, is entrusted to the maternal care of the Church, every threat to human dignity and life cannot but have an effect on her heart, on her maternal ‘womb’. To defend life is not an ideology for the Church. It is a reality; a human reality which involves all Christians, precisely because they are Christian and because they are human.

Unfortunately, attacks against people’s dignity and life still continue in our epoch, which is the age of universal human rights. Indeed, we are facing new threats and new forms of slavery, and laws do not always protect the weakest and most vulnerable human lives.

The message of the Encyclical Evangelium Vitae is thus more current than ever. Aside from the emergencies like the one we are experiencing now, it is a case of taking action on the cultural and educational level in order to transmit to future generations, the attitude of solidarity, care and welcome, in the full knowledge that the culture of life is not the exclusive heritage of Christians, but rather belongs to all those who, working to build fraternal relationships, recognize the value of each person, even when they are fragile and suffering.

Dear brothers and sisters, every human life, unique and unrepeatable, has value in and of itself; it is of inestimable value. This must always be proclaimed anew with the courage of the Word and the courage of actions. It calls us to solidarity and fraternal love for the great human family and for each of its members.

Thus, with Saint John Paul II, who wrote this Encyclical Letter, I reaffirm with renewed conviction the appeal he addressed to everyone 25 years ago: “respect, protect, love and serve life, every human life! Only in this direction will you find justice, development, true freedom, peace and happiness!” (Encyclical Letter, Evangelium Vitae, n. 5).

[Pope Francis, General Audience 25 March 2020]

Parent’s parent, for a different events’ reading

(Lk 1:5-25)

Lk places the Angel Gabriel’s visit to Zechariah next to the Annunciation to Mary (vv.26ss), in order to help his communities perceive the differences between religious order and life of Faith.

Even today, the comparison allows the leap between First and Second Covenants to be read in watermark.

In ancient religion it’s taken for granted that the place of encounter and dialogue with God is as planned: an inviolable and venerating enclosure, scented with incense - in the echo of invocations and songs with a fixed formula.

Here without exceptional cues, Zechariah’s belief [«zachàr-Ja»: the Lord of Israel ‘remembers’] doesn’t become personal, but repetitive, motionless.

By dint of commemorating and waiting, the priest of God and of the people no longer expects for anything decisive.

Engaged in the rite mechanism, he is not «blessed» (v.45) but unhappy; ‘mute’ because he no longer has anything to say to those waiting outside the temple.

No real blessing to pass on to people (vv.21-22).

So partly Elizabeth, who is hiding (v.24), while the Virgin - without asking permission - makes Exodus from her environment and rushes to serve her (vv.39ss).

And to trigger a more just and communal life, of the «well-disposed people» (v.17c) - here is a first shot: the mission of John, a figure of the expected return of the prophet Elijah (v.17a). Witness called to recover the hopes of the people and their torn social fabric.

Finally, this "reconstruction" will have an unforeseen outcome, far from prejudices: no longer the normal continuity of an obvious generational pact (Mal 3:23-24) but the definitive return of the heart of the fathers to the sons (v.17b)!

The meaning of the name ‘John’ [Yhwh is Merciful, He manifested his Benevolence, He made Grace] does not allude to some act of compassionate paternalism on the divine side - but to a precise cut from the lineage and from the ancient expectations or costumances, now an end in themselves.

In the Bible the term Mercy describes the Eternal’s different attention and fruitful action in favor of anyone in need - in desperate situations. Intervention necessary for a different genesis: epochal, which makes incredible life and reckless mission sprout, not according to predictions - not even by repeating intentions.

The Name that deviates from tradition is parable of God’s faithful testimony: from now on we must not only "remember" the still immobilized prophecies, without seeing their unpredictable implementation.

While assimilating the spiritual riches of the people, discontinuity marks the beginning of a completely new age.

It’s the transition to ‘personal’ fulfilment, and to a Kingdom that says Yes to everything it faces: that no longer decries the life of each one, of things, of the world.

The different reading of events and of inspirations allows us to become now fruitful - even fathers and mothers of our parents and ancestors.

[Weekday Liturgy, December 19]

2. The context in which the two annunciations take place also contributes to enhancing the excellence of Mary's faith. In Luke's account we grasp the most favourable situation of Zechariah and the inadequacy of his response. He receives the annunciation of the angel in the temple of Jerusalem, at the altar before the "Holy of Holies" (cf. Ex 30:6-8 ); the angel addresses him while he is offering incense, thus during the fulfilment of his priestly function, at a salient moment in his life; the divine decision is communicated to him during a vision. These particular circumstances favour an easier understanding of the divine authenticity of the message and are a reason for encouragement to accept it promptly.

The announcement to Mary, on the other hand, takes place in a simpler and more everyday context, without the external elements of sacredness that accompany the one made to Zechariah. Luke does not indicate the precise place where the Annunciation of the Lord's birth takes place: he only reports that Mary was in Nazareth, an unimportant village that does not appear predestined for the event. Moreover, the evangelist does not attribute singular importance to the moment when the angel makes himself present, not specifying the historical circumstances. In the contact with the heavenly messenger, the focus is on the content of his words, which demand from Mary an intense listening and a pure faith.

This last consideration allows us to appreciate the greatness of faith in Mary, especially when compared to the tendency to insistently demand, yesterday as today, sensitive signs in order to believe. The Virgin's assent to the divine Will is motivated, on the other hand, solely by her love for God.

3. Mary is proposed to adhere to a much higher truth than that announced to Zechariah. Zechariah is invited to believe in a marvellous birth that will take place within a sterile marriage union that God wants to make fruitful: a divine intervention similar to those from which some women of the Old Testament had benefited: Sarah ( Gen 17, 15-21 ; 18,10-14 ), Rachel ( Gen 30, 22 ), Samson's mother ( Jdc 13, 1-7 ), Anne, mother of Samuel ( 1Sam 1, 11-20 ).

[Pope John Paul II, General Audience 3 July 1996]

These elderly parents had dreamt of that day and even prepared for it, but they no longer expected it: they felt excluded, humiliated, disappointed: they had no children. Faced with the announcement of the birth of a son, Zechariah had remained incredulous, because the natural laws did not allow it: they were old, they were elderly; consequently the Lord rendered him mute throughout the entire gestation period.

It is a sign. But God does not depend on our logic and our limited human capacities. We must learn to trust and be silent before the mystery of God, and to contemplate in humility and silence his work, which is revealed in history and which so often exceeds our imagination.

[Pope Francis, commentary of 24 June 2018:

https://www.lalucedimaria.it/vangelo-oggi-luca-1-5-17/]

Here is an empty cradle, we can look at it. It can be a symbol of hope because the Child will come, it can be a museum object, empty all our lives. Our heart is a cradle. What is my heart like? Is it empty, always empty, but is it open to continually receive life and give life? To receive and be fruitful? Or is it a heart preserved like a museum object that has never been opened to life and to give life?

[Pope Francis, commentary of 19 December 2017:

https://www.lalucedimaria.it/vangelo-oggi-luca-15-25-audio-commento/]

Third Sunday in Advent (year A)  [14 December 2025]

May God bless us and may the Virgin protect us! "Rejoice always in the Lord... the Lord is near." The message of this third Sunday of Advent is the announcement of the joy of Christmas approaching. Advent teaches us to wait with patient hope for Jesus, who will surely come. 

*First Reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah (35:1...10)

This passage comes from Isaiah's Little Apocalypse, known as the "Minor Apocalypse" (cc34-35), probably written by an anonymous author, and  tells of the joyful return of Israel from exile in Babylon. We are in the period when the people suffered the sack of Jerusalem and spent over fifty years away from their land, experiencing humiliation and suffering that would discourage even the strongest. Isaiah, who lived in the 6th century BC during the exile in Babylon, reassures the frightened people: 'Behold your God: vengeance is coming, divine reward. He is coming to save you'. The result will be the liberation of the suffering: the blind will see, the deaf will hear, the lame will leap for joy, the mute will shout for joy. The people have suffered years of domination, deportation with humiliation and many trials, including religious ones: a time that discourages and makes them fear for the future. The author uses the expression 'God's vengeance', which may surprise us today. But here, vengeance is not punishment on men: it is the defeat of the evil that oppresses them and the liberation that God gives. God intervenes personally to save, redeem and restore dignity: the blind will see, the deaf will hear, the lame will leap and the mute will shout for joy. The return from exile is described as a triumphal march through the desert: the arid landscape is transformed into fertile and lush land, as beautiful as the mountains of Lebanon, the hills of Carmel and the plain of Sharon, symbols of abundance and beauty in the land of Israel. This journey shows that even the hardest trials can become a path of joy and hope when God intervenes. The desert, a symbol of hardship and trial, is thus transformed into a path of joy and hope thanks to God's intervention. The liberated people are called 'redeemed' and liberation is compared to 'redemption' in Jewish law: just as a close relative would release a debt or redeem a slave, God himself is our 'Go'el', the Relative who frees those who are oppressed or prisoners of evil. In this sense, redemption means liberation: physical, moral and spiritual. Singing 'Alleluia' means recognising that God leads us from servitude to freedom, transforming despair into joy and the desert into blossoming. This text reminds us that God never abandons us: even in the most difficult moments, his mercy and love free us and give us hope again. It shows how the language of the Bible can transform words that seem threatening into promises of salvation and hope, reminding us that God always intervenes to free us and restore our dignity.

Main elements +Context: Babylonian exile, Israel far from the land, anonymous author. +Isaiah's Little Apocalypse: prophecy of hope and return to the promised land. +God's vengeance: defeat of evil, not punishment of men. +Concrete liberation: the blind, deaf, lame, mute and prisoners redeemed. +The desert will blossom: difficulties transformed into joy and beauty. +Redemption: God as Go'el, liberator of the oppressed. +Alleluia: song of praise for the liberation received. +Spiritual message: God intervenes to free us and give us hope even in the hardest moments.

*Responsorial Psalm (145/146, 7-8, 9-10

This psalm, a 'psalm of Alleluia', is a song full of joy and gratitude, written after the return of the people of Israel from exile in Babylon, probably for the dedication of the rebuilt Temple. The Temple had been destroyed in 587 BC by Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. In 538 BC, after the conquest of Babylon by the Persian king Cyrus, the Jews were allowed to return to their land and rebuild the Temple. The reconstruction was not easy due to tensions between those returning from Babylon and those who had remained in Israel, but thanks to the strength of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah, the work was completed in 515 BC, under King Darius. The dedication of the new Temple was celebrated with great joy (Ezra 6:16). The psalm reflects this joy: Israel recognises that God has remained faithful to the Covenant, as he did during the Exodus. God is the one who frees the oppressed, breaks the chains, gives bread to the hungry, gives sight to the blind and lifts up the weak. This image of God, a God who takes the side of the poor and feels compassion ('mercy' indicates as if the bowels were trembling), was not taken for granted in ancient times. It is Israel's great contribution to the faith of humanity: to reveal a God of love and mercy. The psalm expresses this by saying that the Lord supports the widow and the orphan. The people are invited to imitate God in the same mercy, and the Law of Israel contains many rules for the protection of the weak (widows, orphans, foreigners). The prophets judged Israel's fidelity to the Covenant on the basis of this behaviour. At a deeper level, the psalm shows that God frees us not only from external oppression, but also from internal oppression: spiritual hunger finds its food in the Word; inner blindness is illuminated; the chains of hatred, pride and jealousy are broken. Although we do not see it here, this psalm is actually framed by the word 'Alleluia', which according to Jewish tradition means to sing the praise of God because He leads from slavery to freedom, from darkness to light, from sadness to joy. We Christians read this psalm in the light of Jesus Christ: He gave bread to his contemporaries and continues to give the "bread of life" in the Eucharist; He is the light of the world (Jn 8:12); in his resurrection, he definitively freed humanity from the chains of death. Finally, since man is created in the image of God, every time he helps a poor person, a sick person, a prisoner, a stranger, he manifests the very image of God. And every gesture made "to the least" contributes to the growth of the Kingdom of God. A catechumen, reading about the miracle of the multiplication of the loaves, asked, "Why doesn't Jesus do this today for all the hungry?" And after a moment she replied, "Perhaps he is counting on us to do it."

Important elements to remember +Historical context: psalm written after the return from exile and the reconstruction of the Temple (587–515 BC). +Central theme: the joy of the people for God's faithfulness and their liberation. +Revelation of God: God is merciful and defends the oppressed, the poor, the weak. +Commitment of the people: to imitate God in works of mercy towards all the oppressed. +Spiritual reading: God frees us from inner chains (hatred, pride, spiritual blindness). +Alleluia: symbol of the passage from slavery to freedom and from sadness to joy. +Christian reading: fulfilment in Christ, who gives true bread, enlightens, liberates, saves. +Image of God in man: every gesture of love towards the most fragile makes the image of God visible. +Christian responsibility: God also counts on our commitment to nourish, liberate and support those who suffer.

*Second Reading from the Letter of St James the Apostle (5:7-10)

Christian tradition recognises three figures named James who were close to Jesus: James the Greater, son of Zebedee and brother of John, with an impetuous character, present at the Transfiguration and in Gethsemane; James, son of Alphaeus, one of the Twelve; James, 'brother/cousin' of the Lord, leader of the Church of Jerusalem and probable author of the Letter of James. The text highlights a fundamental theme for the early Christians: the expectation of the coming of the Lord. Like Paul, James always looks to the horizon of the final fulfilment of God's plan. It is significant that at the very beginning of Christian preaching, the end of the world was most ardently desired, perhaps because the Resurrection had given a taste of future glory. In this expectation, James repeats a crucial invitation: patience, a word which in the original Greek (makrothyméo) means 'to have long breath, to have a long spirit'. Waiting for the coming of the Lord is a long-distance race, not a sprint: faith must learn to endure over time. When the early Christians realised that the parousia was not coming immediately, waiting became a true test of fidelity.

To live this endurance, James offers two models: the farmer, who knows the rhythm of the seasons, trusting in God who sends rain 'in its season' (Deut 11:14), and the other model: the prophets, who endured hostility and persecution to remain faithful to their mission. James asks Christians to have stamina (perseverance/patience) and a steadfast heart ("Strengthen your hearts"). In verse 11, which follows this text, James also quotes Job, the only case in the New Testament, as the supreme example of perseverance: those who remain steadfast like him will experience the Lord's mercy. Patience is not only personal: it is lived out in community relationships. James takes up Jesus' teaching: do not complain about one another, do not judge one another, do not murmur. 'The Judge is at hand': only God truly judges, because he sees the heart. Man easily risks confusing wheat and weeds. The lesson is also for us: we often lack the breath of hope, and at the same time we give in to the temptation to judge. Yet Jesus' words about the speck and the log remain relevant today.

Important points to remember: + Of the three James, it is James the Greater, the son of Alphaeus, the 'brother' of the Lord, who is the probable author of this Letter, which reflects the central theme of waiting for the coming of the Lord. + Patience is repeated several times and is understood as 'long breath', an endurance race. + The initial Christian expectation was very intense: it was thought that Christ's return was imminent. + Two models of perseverance: the farmer (trust in God's timing) and the prophets (courage in mission). + v.11 not in this text but immediately after John

cites Job as an example of endurance: the only citation in the New Testament, a symbol of perseverance in trials. +Community mission: do not judge, do not murmur, do not complain because 'the Judge is at the door'. He invites us to live knowing that only God judges rightly. +The danger today is also a lack of spiritual breath and the risk of judging others.

*From the Gospel according to Matthew (11:2-11)

Last Sunday we saw John the Baptist baptising along the Jordan and announcing: 'After me comes one'. When Jesus asked to be baptised, John recognised him as the expected Messiah, but the months passed and John was put in prison by Herod around the year 28, at which time Jesus began his public preaching in Galilee. Jesus began his public life with famous discourses, such as the Sermon on the Mount and the Beatitudes, and with many healings. However, his behaviour was strange in the eyes of the people: he surrounded himself with "unreliable" disciples (publicans, people of different origins and characters); he was not an ascetic like John, he ate and drank like everyone else, and he showed himself among the common people; he never claimed the title of Messiah, nor did he seek power. From prison, John received news from those who kept him informed and began to doubt: 'Have I been deceived? Are you the Messiah?' This question is crucial because it concerns both John and Jesus, who was forced to confront the expectations of those who awaited him. Jesus does not answer with a yes or no, but quotes the prophecies about the works of the Messiah: the blind regain their sight, the lame walk, lepers are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the poor receive the good news (Isaiah 35:5-6; 61:1). With these words, Jesus invites John to see for himself whether he is doing the works of the Messiah, confirming that yes, he is the Messiah, even if his manners seem strange. The true face of God is revealed in his service to humanity, not in accordance with expectations of power or glory. Finally, Jesus praises John, saying that he is blessed because he "does not find cause for scandal in me." John sets an example of faith: even in doubt, he does not lose confidence and seeks the truth directly from Jesus himself. Jesus concludes by explaining that John is the greatest of the prophets because he paves the way for the Messiah, but with the coming of Jesus, even the least in the Kingdom of Heaven is greater than John, emphasising that the content of Christ's message exceeds all human expectations: "The Word became flesh and dwelt among us".

Important elements to remember +John the Baptist announces the Messiah and baptises along the Jordan. +Jesus begins his public life after John's arrest, in Galilee, with speeches and miracles. +Jesus' "strange" behaviour: he associates with everyone, even the most marginalised, does not claim titles or power, eats and presents himself like ordinary people.+John's doubts: he sends his disciples to ask if Jesus is truly the Messiah. + Jesus' response: he cites the prophetic works of the Messiah (healings, liberations, proclamation to the poor).+ John's active faith: he does not remain in doubt, but asks Jesus directly for clarification. + Joy and surprise: the face of God is revealed in the service of man, not according to traditional expectations. + John as precursor: the greatest of the prophets, but with Jesus, the smallest in the Kingdom is the greatest. + Final message: Christ is the Word incarnate, the fulfilment of God's promises.

*Here is a quote from St Gregory the Great in Homily 6 on the Gospels, commenting on the episode: "John does not ignore who Jesus is: he points to him as the Lamb of God. But, sent to prison, he sends his disciples not to know him, but so that they may learn from Christ what he already knew. John does not seek to be taught, but to teach. And Christ does not respond with words, but with deeds: he makes it clear that he is the Messiah not by saying so, but by showing the works announced by the prophets." He adds: "The Lord proclaims blessed those who are not scandalised by him, because in him there is greatness hidden beneath a humble appearance: those who are not scandalised by his humility recognise his divinity." This commentary perfectly illuminates the heart of the Gospel: John does not doubt for himself, but to help his disciples recognise that Jesus is the expected Messiah, even though he presents himself in a surprising and humble way.

+Giovanni D'Ercole

Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin Mary [8 December]

Biblical texts: Gn 3:9–20; Ep 1:3–12; Lk 1:26–38 May God bless us and may the Virgin protect us! Instead of commenting on the readings, I propose a theological and spiritual meditation on the Immaculate Conception, starting with St Paul and referring to the tradition of the Church and the liturgy.

1. Saint Paul and Mary: a hidden but real bond Although Paul speaks almost nothing directly about the Virgin Mary, his teaching on the election, holiness and predestination of Christians (Eph 1:4-11) deeply illuminates the mystery of Mary. Saint Paul affirms that all the baptised are chosen, holy and immaculate. Applying this to Mary, we understand that what is true for the whole Church is realised in her in a perfect and anticipated way.

2. The mystery of the Church sheds light on the mystery of Mary In the development of theology, especially in the early centuries, Mary was understood in relation to the Church: Mary is what the Church is called to become. What is partial in us is perfect in her. She is 'the first on the journey': first in time, first in perfection. Mary is 'first' in two senses: chronologically first to welcome Christ, first to share in his Passion, first to enter into glory with body and soul. Qualitatively: no one welcomed Christ with greater purity, love and freedom. Her unique grace does not separate her from us, but manifests what God wants to accomplish in the whole Church. The Immaculate Conception is not an isolated privilege, but the full realisation of the vocation of every Christian: Mary is preserved from sin in view of Christ's merits. We are saved from sin through Christ's merits (baptism, sacraments, conversion). The trajectories are the same; in Mary they are only anticipated and brought to perfection thanks to her total obedience and total abandonment to God's will: Mary did not do the divine will but lived entirely in God's will. Herein lies the key to her life: tempted like everyone else, including Jesus, she defeated Satan by choosing to live always and completely in the Father's will, and for this reason she is now a sign of sure hope for us all.

3. Why is Mary Immaculate? The reason is profoundly simple: to be truly the Mother of God. To love Jesus for what he really is — true God and true man — Mary had to be totally free from sin, totally open to love, capable of welcoming God without hindrance. The Immaculate Conception is a gift of love: God formed her this way out of love for his Son and for us, so that Mary might become the Mother of the Saviour and the Mother of the Church. St John Damascene writes: "As Eve cooperated in the fall, Mary cooperated in the redemption: immaculate, she brought life to the one who was to give life to the world." And St Bartholomew Longo, recently canonised, observes: "The Immaculate Conception is not just a title, but a living mystery: God created her entirely pure to make her the Mother of the Redeemer."

4. Mary precedes us to show us our destiny. Mary does not crush, humiliate or distance us: she shows us what we will be in glory; she is a foretaste of what the Church will become; her holiness is a promise of ours. In her we see the goal of Christian life. Mary freely receives the angel's announcement and her "fiat" opens the door to salvation. Today, too, the Church, like Mary, is called to proclaim Christ, to bring his love into the world, to say her "yes" in history. God needs our hands, our eyes, our arms, our hearts: like Mary, we are called to be bearers of light, and we can be so to the extent that God's will lives in us as the protagonist of our entire existence.

5. What does it mean to be “immaculate” today? For us, it does not mean being without sin, but welcoming God’s action in our lives. It means living open to grace, saying our daily “yes”, allowing ourselves to be purified and transformed by the Spirit, becoming transparent in order to show Christ in the world. The Immaculate Conception thus becomes a vocation and a journey. "The truth about the Immaculate Conception seemed the most difficult for me to accept... when I finally accepted it, everything became clear: my faith found meaning." (Testimony reported on the website CatholicConvert.com in the story of Delores, a woman who recounts her conversion to Catholicism).

Important points to remember: +Mary is understood starting from the Church: what is true for all the baptised is perfect in her. +Immaculate because she is the Mother of God: in order to love her Son fully, she had to be totally free from sin. +"First on the journey": first in time and in the quality of love and holiness. +Her grace is promised to us: what she already lives, the Church and Christians will live fully in glory. +Shared predestination: Mary is preserved from sin; we are saved from sin. +Mary's "fiat" as a model: God calls, but waits for our freedom; the yes opens the way to mission. +Being immaculate today: it means welcoming God, allowing ourselves to be purified, becoming transparent to his light. +Mary takes nothing away from God: she is the "echo of God"; to venerate her is to honour God's work in her. +Mary points to our destiny: in her we see what God wants to accomplish in each of us. +The Immaculate Conception is a gift of love: from God to Mary and from Mary to the world.

*Here is a very brief historical summary of the main medieval defenders of the Immaculate Conception: St. Albert the Great (1200-1280) – Dominican theologian; open to the idea of Mary's preservation from original sin, but without defining it definitively. St. Thomas Aquinas (1225-1274) – Dominican theologian; he argued that Mary was redeemed 'after original sin', therefore not immaculate from conception. Duns Scotus (1266-1308) – Franciscan theologian; main defender of the Immaculate Conception. Mary was preserved from original sin from the first moment, thanks to the merits of Christ anticipated by God. William of Ockham (1287-1347) – Franciscan; supporter of Scotus' position, albeit with some philosophical nuances. Scotus' central idea: Mary immaculate from the moment of conception, preserved by God's grace thanks to the future merits of Christ, anticipating the official dogma defined in 1854.

+ Giovanni D'Ercole

Second Sunday of Advent (year A) [7 December 2025]

May God bless us and may the Virgin protect us! From this Sunday onwards, in addition to the summary of the most important elements of each reading, I will add a brief commentary on the Gospel by a Father of the Church.

*First Reading from the Book of the Prophet Isaiah (11:1-10)

Isaiah speaks of the root of Jesse and refers to the descendants of King David. Jesse had eight sons, but God chose Samuel not to choose the strongest or the eldest, but the youngest: David, the shepherd, who became the greatest king of Israel. From that moment on, Jesse became the progenitor of a dynasty often represented as a tree destined for a great future, which would never die. The prophet Nathan promised David that his descendants would reign forever and bring unity and peace to the people. But in history, the kings of his lineage did not fully keep these promises. However, it is precisely from disappointments that a stronger hope arises: if God has promised, then it will come to pass. How did the idea of the Messiah come about? The term 'messiah' (in Hebrew mashiach = 'anointed') originally referred to any king, because he was 'anointed' with oil on the day of his coronation. Over time, however, the word 'messiah' took on the meaning of 'ideal king', the one who brings justice, peace and happiness. When Isaiah says, 'A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse', it means that even if David's dynasty seems like a dead tree, God can bring forth a new shoot, an ideal king: the Messiah, who will be guided by the Spirit of the Lord. The seven gifts of the Spirit, symbols of fullness, will rest upon him: wisdom, understanding, counsel, fortitude, knowledge, and the fear of the Lord, which is not fear but trust and respect as a son. The Messiah will rule as God wills: with justice and faithfulness, and his task will be to wage war on injustice: He will judge the poor with justice... not according to appearances... he will put an end to wickedness with the breath of his lips. 'The wicked' does not refer to a person, but to wickedness itself, like saying 'waging war on war'. Isaiah describes a world where the wolf lives with the lamb, the child plays without fear, there is no more violence or conflict. It is not a return to paradise on earth, but the final fulfilment of God's plan, when the knowledge of the Lord will fill the earth. The root of Jesse will be a sign for all peoples, and the Messiah concerns not only Israel but all nations. Jesus himself will take up this idea: "When I am lifted up from the earth, I will draw all people to myself" (Jn 12:32). Isaiah preaches in the eighth century BC, at a time of political pressure and threats from neighbouring empires. The tree of David seems to be dead, but Isaiah urges us not to lose hope. The "animal fable" uses symbols to speak of human beings, as La Fontaine would do many centuries later, and constitutes a promise of peace, brotherhood and universal reconciliation. Martin Luther King, in his "I have a dream" speech, drew direct inspiration from these images used by Isaiah (cf. 11:2): a world where justice and brotherhood overcome violence.

The central theme can be summed up in one sentence: From the seemingly dead trunk of David's dynasty, God is so faithful that, when all seems lost, he revives his promise from a fragment, from a stump: hope is born precisely where man can no longer see anything. God will raise up a Messiah guided by the Spirit, who will fight injustice and bring universal peace to all peoples. God is faithful, and even from a dead trunk he can bring forth new life. It is messianic peace, the final reconciliation of creation. There are times when we too feel like a cut tree: failures, disappointments, repeated sins, broken relationships, projects that do not come to fruition, communities that seem to be losing strength. Isaiah announces: God is not finished with you either, and even where you see no future, He sees a sprout. Continue to hope, because God sees sprouts where we see only dry wood.

*Responsorial Psalm (71/72, 1-2, 7-8, 12-13, 17)

Psalm 71/72 is a prayer that arose after the Babylonian exile, at a time when there was no longer a king in Israel. This means that the psalm no longer speaks of an earthly ruler, but of the king promised by God: the Messiah. Since it is God who promises him, his fulfilment is certain. The entire Bible is permeated with an indestructible hope: history has meaning and direction, and God has a plan of happiness for humanity. This plan takes on different names (the Day of the Lord, the Kingdom of Heaven, the benevolent plan), but it is always the same: like a lover who repeats words of love, God tirelessly proposes his plan of salvation.

This plan is announced from the beginning, in the vocation of Abraham (Gen 12:3): 'All the families of the earth shall be blessed in you'. The revelation is therefore universal from the outset. Israel is chosen not to manage a privilege, but to be a service and a sign for all peoples. The psalm takes up this promise: in the Messiah, all nations will be blessed and will call him blessed. It also takes up the other promise made to Abraham (Gen 15:18), namely the gift of the land "from the river of Egypt to the great river". Echoing this, the psalm says: "He shall rule from sea to sea and from the River to the ends of the earth." The book of Sirach (Sir 44:21) confirms this reading, linking together universal blessing, multiplication of descendants and extended inheritance. Although today the idea of a universal ruler may seem far removed from democratic sensibilities, and indeed there is fear of the imposition of a hidden world authority that would dominate the whole of humanity, the Bible reminds us that every ruler is only an instrument in the hands of God, and what matters is the people, considering the whole of humanity as one vast people, and the psalm announces a pacified humanity: In those days, justice will flourish, great peace until the end of time, poverty and oppression defeated. The dream of justice and peace runs through the entire Scripture: Jerusalem means 'city of peace'; Deuteronomy 15 states that there will be no more poor people. The psalm fits into this line: the Messiah will help the poor who cry out, the weak without help, the miserable who have no defence. The prayer of the psalm does not serve to remind God of his promises, because God does not forget. Instead, it serves to help man learn to look at the world through God's eyes, remember his plan and find the strength to work towards its realisation. Justice, peace and the liberation of the poor will not come about magically: God invites believers to cooperate, allowing themselves to be guided by the Holy Spirit with light, strength and grace.

Important points to remember: +Psalm 72 is messianic: written when there were no more kings, it announces the Messiah promised by God.+History has meaning: God has a plan of happiness for all humanity.+The promises to Abraham are the foundation: universal blessing and inheritance without borders.+The Messiah will be God's instrument, serving the people and not power.+The world to come will be marked by justice, peace and an end to poverty. +Prayer is not meant to convince God, but to educate us: it opens our eyes to God's plan. Peace and justice will also come through human commitment guided by the Spirit.

Second Reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Romans (15:4-9)

Saint Paul writes to the Romans: 'Everything that was written before us was written for our instruction... so that we may keep hope alive'. This sentence is the key to reading the entire Bible: Scripture exists to enlighten, liberate and give hope. If a text seems obscure or difficult, it simply means that we have not yet fully understood it: the Good News is always present and we must dig to find it, as if it were a hidden treasure. Scripture nourishes hope because it proclaims on every page a single plan of God: that "merciful design" which is the great love story of God with humanity. The entire Bible, from the Old to the New Testament, has only one subject: the plan of salvation and communion that God wants to realise in the Messiah. Paul then moves on to a concrete theme: the Christians in Rome were divided. There were two groups: Christians who came from Judaism and were still attached to Jewish religious and dietary practices, and Christians who came from paganism and considered such observances outdated. This diversity gave rise to discord, mutual judgement and suspicion. Liturgical and cultural differences became real conflicts. This situation is very similar to the tensions that exist even today in the Church between different sensibilities. Paul does not propose dividing the community into two separate groups. Instead, he proposes the path of cohabitation, the building of peace, patience and mutual tolerance, inviting everyone to seek what promotes peace and what builds up the community. Let each one seek the good of the other, and may 'the God of perseverance and consolation' grant you to live in harmony according to Christ. The fundamental principle is: 'Welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you'. Paul recalls that Christ took upon himself the mission of the Servant of God announced by Isaiah: chosen and elected by God, formed every morning by the Word, giver of his own life, bringer of salvation to all nations. Christ, by dying and rising again, united the Jews, saved in continuity with their Covenant, and the pagans, saved by God's gratuitous mercy. For this reason, no one can claim superiority; rather, everything is grace, everything is a gift from Christ, and true worship is this: to overcome the past, to recognise the gift received, to welcome one another without distinction, to sing together of God's faithfulness and mercy.

Important elements to remember: +Scripture exists to give hope. Every page of the Bible is Good News. If we do not find liberation, we have not yet understood the text. + The Bible proclaims a single plan. God's "providential plan" is to bring humanity to communion and salvation through the Messiah. +Paul corrects a divided community: In Rome, there were tensions between Christians of Jewish and pagan origin. Practical and cultural differences created judgements and conflicts. The Christian solution is not to separate. Paul proposes cohabitation, patience, and mutual edification. The community is a 'building' that must be constructed with peace and tolerance. +The model is Christ the Servant who united everyone: Jews and pagans. No one can boast: everything is grace. +The watchword: welcome: Welcome one another as Christ has welcomed you. The Church is alive when it overcomes divisions and lives mercy.

*From the Gospel according to Matthew (3:1-12)

When John the Baptist begins his preaching, Judea has been under Roman rule for 90 years, Herod is in power but deeply hated; religious currents are divided and confused; there are collaborators, resisters, false prophets, messianic agitators. The people are tired and disoriented, and it is in this climate that the preaching of John, who lives in the desert of Judea (between Jerusalem and the Jordan), begins. Matthew insists on the spiritual meaning of the desert: he recalls the Exodus, the Covenant, purification, the loving relationship between God and Israel (Hosea) and sees the desert as the place of return to truth and decision. In John, everything recalls the great prophets: he wears camel's hair, eats locusts and honey, and lives an ascetic lifestyle. Many consider him the possible return of Elijah, awaited to prepare for the coming of God (Malachi 3:23). His preaching has a double prophetic tone: sweet and comforting for the humble; harsh and provocative for the proud. The expression "brood of vipers" is not a personal insult, but a way of saying, "you are following the logic of the tempting serpent," and is therefore an invitation to change one's attitude. John invites everyone to make a righteous discernment in their lives: what is healthy remains, what is corrupt is eliminated. And to be incisive, he uses strong images: fire burning straw (a reference to the prophet Malachi), a sieve separating wheat from chaff, a threshing floor where the choice is made - and this is the meaning: everything in us that is death will be purified; everything that is authentic will be saved and preserved. It is a liberating judgement, not a destructive one. John announces Jesus: 'I baptise you with water, but the one who comes after me... will baptise you with the Holy Spirit and fire'. Only God can give the Spirit, and so John implicitly affirms the divinity of Jesus. The images used: 'Stronger than me' is a typical attribute of God. "I am not worthy to carry his sandals or untie his sandals": with this he recognises Jesus' divine dignity. Although he is a teacher followed by disciples, John puts himself in the second row; he recognises Jesus' superiority and paves the way for the Messiah. His greatness consists precisely in making room. Matthew shows him as a "voice in the desert" with reference to Isaiah 40:3, also linked to Elijah (2 Kings 1:8; Malachi 3:23), in the line of prophets to introduce Jesus as God present and judge. Chapters 3-4 of Matthew are a hinge: here begins the preaching of the Kingdom.

Important elements to remember: +John appears in a context of oppression and moral confusion: his word brings light and discernment. +The desert is a place of new covenant, truth and conversion. +John presents himself with prophetic signs (clothing, food, style) reminiscent of Elijah. +His preaching is twofold: consolation for the little ones, provocation for those who are sure of themselves. +Judgement is internal, not against categories of people: it purifies the evil in each person. Fire does not destroy man, but what is dead in him: it is a fire of love and truth. +Jesus accomplishes purification by baptising in the Holy Spirit, something that only God can do, and John recognises the divinity of Jesus with gestures of great humility. +The greatness of the Precursor lies in stepping aside to make room for the Messiah, and Matthew places him as a bridge between the Old and New Covenants, inaugurating the preaching of the Kingdom.

St John Chrysostom – Commentary on Matthew 3:1-12

'John appears in the desert not by chance, but to recall the ancient path of Israel.

Israel was educated in the desert, and now conversion begins again in the desert. His rough clothing and simple food show that he is free from all vanity, like Elijah. For this reason, the people, tired of the leaders of the time, flock to him: they see in John a truthful man who does not seek glory but leads to the truth." Chrysostom then explains the prophetic and moral content of John's preaching: By calling them a 'brood of vipers', he is not insulting them, but shaking them up so that they realise the poison that corrupts them. He does not attack people, but the evil that possesses them.

The judgement he announces is not against men, but against their evil deeds: fire burns guilt, not human nature." And regarding the announcement of the Messiah: "By saying, 'One more powerful than I is coming after me,' John does not compare himself to another man, but to God. For only God is said to be the Strong One. And when he adds, 'He will baptise you with the Holy Spirit', he openly confesses that the One who is coming has divine power. For this reason, he declares that he is not even worthy to untie his sandals: not because he despises himself, but because he recognises the greatness of Christ." Finally, Chrysostom interprets the mission of the Precursor:

"His greatness consists in diminishing so that Christ may grow. He is the voice that prepares the Word; he is the bridge that connects the Old Covenant to the New. He shows that all that the prophets awaited is now fulfilled: the King is near, and the Kingdom begins."

+Giovanni D'Ercole