Pope Francis: “I want to wish God’s style to you”

“I wish you to be attentive, in your homes and in your families, to the small things of every day, to the small gestures of gratitude, to the consideration of care. Looking at the manger we can imagine the concern, the tenderness of Mary and Joseph for the Child who was born,” said Pope Francis in his speech to the employees who serve in the Holy See and their families, whom he received in audience with occasion of Christmas greetings, this Thursday, December 21, in the Paul VI Hall of the Vatican.

God’s style: Concealment and smallness

When thanking the employees of the Vatican and the Vicariate of Rome, with their respective families, for the service they provide to the Church and society, the Holy Father noted that, when contemplating together the Mystery of the birth of Jesus, it is beautiful to be able to capture the style of God, which is neither grandiose nor noisy, but, on the contrary, is the style of concealment and smallness.

“Two important words: concealment and smallness. These transmit to us the meek trait of God, who does not come to us to terrify us with his greatness nor to impose himself with his magnificence, but rather he makes himself present in the most common way possible, becoming one of us”.

God hides in the smallness of a Child who is born

And when explaining these two elements of God’s style, concealment and smallness, Pope Francis said that God hides himself in the smallness of a Child who is born, in a couple of husbands – Mary and Joseph – who are not in the center of attention, in the poverty of a stable because there was no place for them in the inn.

“These are the distinctive features of the Son of God, who is then presented to the world as a small seed that dies hidden in the earth to bear fruit. He is the God of the little ones, the God of the last and, with Him, all of us learn the way to follow to enter the Kingdom of God: not an apparent and artificial religiosity, but becoming small like children”.

Good grows without making noise

In this sense, the Holy Father told Vatican employees that they know these two words well. His work here in the Vatican, the Pontiff indicated, generally takes place in everyday silence, often doing things that may seem insignificant and that, instead, contribute to offering a service to the Church and society.

“I thank you for this and I hope that you can continue your work with a spirit of gratitude, with serenity and with humility, and giving precisely there, in your relationships with your colleagues, a Christian testimony. Even here, in fact, in the first place, here, there is a need, right?, for this Christian testimony. Look at the concealment and smallness of Jesus in the grotto; Look at the simplicity of the manger you have made at home; and be assured that good, even when it is hidden and invisible, grows without making a sound.”

“Goodness grows without making noise, multiplies unexpectedly and spreads the aroma of joy. Do not forget this: good grows without making noise and gives that peace, that joy of the heart, which is beautiful”.

Do not put yourself in a showcase and do good in silence

And when addressing the children and relatives of the employees of the Holy See, the Bishop of Rome reminded them that today we live in an era that sometimes seems obsessed with appearance, everyone seeks to put themselves in the showcase.

Today’s society proposes that fathers or mothers do not need us at all. It is enough that there is one of the two, as we said at the beginning of this reasoning: the father (or mother) is dispensable, superfluous. This is serious. Even more. It’s very serious. (And if my opinion bothers you, change blogs, but allow me to exercise my freedom of thought and expression).

Live love in small everyday gestures

Before saying goodbye, Pope Francis reminded everyone present in the Paul VI Hall of the Vatican that God’s style is closeness, compassion and tenderness. And he invited us to live love in the concealment and smallness of everyday gestures, in the attention that we know how to exchange at work and at home.

“Dear brothers and sisters, I extend to you my best wishes for a Holy Christmas. It is a wish that I also extend to your children and young people, to your family members, to the elderly who live with you, especially to your loved ones who are sick. Brothers and sisters, let us open our hearts to joy: the Lord is coming among us! Merry Christmas to all! And please pray for me.”