This morning Pope Benedict XVI broadcast 'Thought for the Day,' a regular two-minute-forty-second pious meditation during the morning news programme 'Today' on BBC Radio 4, which airs every weekday morning.
The BBC website gives the text of the broadcast:
"Recalling with great fondness my four-day visit to the United Kingdom last September, I am glad to have the opportunity to greet you once again, and indeed to greet listeners everywhere as we prepare to celebrate the birth of Christ.
Our thoughts turn back to a moment in history when God's chosen people, the children of Israel, were living in intense expectation.
They were waiting for the Messiah that God had promised to send and they pictured him as a great leader who would rescue them from foreign domination and restore their freedom.
God is always faithful to his promises, but he often surprises us in the way he fulfils them.
The child that was born in Bethlehem did indeed bring liberation, but not only for the people of that time and place - he was to be the Saviour of all people throughout the world and throughout history.
And it was not a political liberation that he brought, achieved through military means; rather, Christ destroyed death forever and restored life by means of his shameful death on the Cross.
And while he was born in poverty and obscurity, far from the centres of earthly power, he was none other than the Son of God.
Out of love for us, he took upon himself our human condition, our fragility, our vulnerability and he opened up for us the path that leads to the fullness of life to a share in the life of God himself.
As we ponder this great mystery in our hearts this Christmas, let us give thanks to God for his goodness to us and let us joyfully proclaim to those around us the good news that God offers us freedom from whatever weighs us down: he gives us hope, he brings us life.
Dear Friends from Scotland, England, Wales and indeed every part of the English-speaking world. I want you to know that I keep all of you very much in my prayers this Holy Season.
I pray for your families, for your children, for those who are sick and for those who are going through any form of hardship at this time.
I pray especially for the elderly and for those who are approaching the end of their days.
I ask Christ, the light of the nations, to dispel whatever darkness there may be in your lives and to grant to every one of you the grace of a peaceful and joyful Christmas.
May God bless all of you!"
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33 comments:
The Pope's words capture the true meaning of Christmas. Another great missionary effort of the Pope of Christian Unity. Thank God that England is so open. Pity that RTE and their like are so anti-Catholic.
Praise God for the Holy Father! May He grant him many years!
The Pope pitched this just right. God bless him. Happy Christmas to all and keep up the good work!
Thisis a really strange thing to broadcast on the British Broadcasting Corporation. I wouldn't have thought that they'd give this opportunity to Pope Benedict to preach over the airwaves like this. His visit to the UK keeps having reverberations for good.
Thanks for publishing this! Merry Christmas!
The true meaning of Christmas in a few minutes. God bless the Pope! God bless us every one!
Great! Thanks!
I think the fact that the Holy Father was invited to take part in this reflects the overall positive coverage that his visit to England earlier this year received. I also agree with the earlier comment that it was well pitched. In age when sadly it appears that Christmas is becoming increasingly about commercialisation, hopefully it will have touched a chord for many listeners.
Yes, good work! This is a very beautiful blog.
God bless you and happy Christmas
We have the one guy for the job in the job. I like the references to folks in their last days. Europe is facing a war on two fronts against the preborn and the elderly. Benedict is the man leading the charge.
I totally agree with Virgo Potens about RTÉ. They give fanatical coverage to the scandals (fair enough) but they fail to give a similar coverage to the Faith. Their coverage of the Pope's visit to England was nothing short of shameful. It was just the same with the death of Pope John Paul II. Just a Girl it looks like Christmas is not just about commercialisation but about sport, if the reports of the Queen's speech is true. It seems that the one place that the world and the UK in particular can look for a faithful Christianity is to Rome. Thank God for the Pope.
A wonderful thought for the day of Christ's birth.
There was something hauntingly beautiful by hearing the conversational voice of our wonderful Holy Father in your video. I will remember his gentle voice talking as if I was sitting next to him in the study one morning. I feel so privileged to have hit upon this blog and to have listened to that wonderful broadcast. It has made my Christmas something really special. Thank you all so very much. Sara P.
We are witnessing the co-operation with grace before our eyes and ears. The Pope is exercising those graces of Office to Teach and to Sanctify given uniquely to the Vicar of Christ. He needs our firm prayerful support. I am praying to the gentle yet omnipotent Child of Bethlehem to grant Pope Benedict the strength and perseverance to fulfil his mission in the World.
I love Pepe Benedict so much. I love his thought for the day. May God bless everyone involved.
Grazie a Dio per il Papa Benedetto XVI. Lui è un sovrano glorioso della Chiesa di Cristo. Che Dio gli darà molti anni.
Good blog
I mailed the BBC to thank them for inviting the Holy Father.
A tour de force radio address and still Richard Dawkins bleats on. Benedict is a true sign of contradiction in the World. Where is the nearest recruiting station for the Papal Zouaves? Sign me up Your Holiness!
Mazel Tov! I am looking forward to the contrast with the Christmas Day speech from the balcony in St Peter Square. This is so much more homely and personal. I liked it a lot.
This is the voice of a man of faith, a man of God. No wonder the BBC went all the way to the top to get the cream!
If only the BBC or EWTN would give the Pope a regular slot what good things would come from it?
simply wonderful. Benedict the Great!
Magnificent blog. May God grant our Pope length of days!
I watched the ceremony on Christmas day morning for the first time after I saw it on your blog at Easter. Fantastic to be joined in. Thanks for posting up the radio speech too. Good job guys!
"God is always faithful to his promises, but he often surprises us in the way he fulfils them."
Just perfect. The sound common sense of the Catholic Faith. Perhaps this is a reference to Anglicanorum Coetibus as the means of achieving Christian Unity. God bless our Pope, the Great, the Good!
I am very impressed by the number of comments to this post. The Pope's words are so simple and directe that they could have been spoken from the pulpit of any Country Church - except that sacred eloquence is a thing of the past as are the pulpits of Country Churches.
JSB
BXVI is ace!
Another historic event for the Dowery of Mary. It is a crowning moment for the Holy Father's visit. I pray that it will bear much fruit. Hail the Pope of the New Evangelization!
God bless our Pope! Benedict XVI, Apostle of the English!
I agree with all the comments above. Pope Benedict is a feather in the wing of the Holy Ghost.
Pope Benedict is an amazing man chosen by God. Thank God for the Pope.
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