God speaks to us ‘with the voice of a child,’ Pope reflects

Last updated on: December 12, 2013 at 2:11 pm by CNA Daily News

God speaks to us ‘with the voice of a child,’ Pope reflects 2013-12-12T14:11:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Vatican City, Dec 12, 2013 / 07:11 am (CNA/EWTN News).- During his daily Mass Pope Francis reflected on how God lowers himself to converse on our level, and encouraged those present to make more moments of silence in order to prepare for the birth of Jesus.

“When we look at a father or a mother who speaks to their little child,” the Pope explained in his Dec. 12 daily homily, “we see that they become little and speak with a voice of a child and with the manners of children…That’s how the Lord speaks to us.”

Addressing those gathered for his Mass in the Vatican’s Saint Martha guesthouse, Pope Francis began by reflecting on the words of Isaiah from the day’s first reading in which the prophet assures the Israelites of God’s presence, and tells them not to fear.

What is important in this passage, the pontiff noted, is not only “what the Lord says” but also “how He says it.”

“When the child has a bad dream, he wakes up, cries…the father goes and says, ‘Don’t be afraid, don’t be afraid, I’m here,” the Pope explained, adding that “That’s how the Lord speaks to us…He is near.”

Reflecting on how parents often speak to small children in the tone of the little child, the pontiff observed that “Someone looking in from the outside might think, ‘This is ridiculous!’ They become smaller, right there, no?”

But they do this, the Pope explained, “because the love of a father and a mother needs to be close…to lower themselves to the world of the child.”

“If the father and mother spoke to them normally, the child would still understand,” he continued, “but they want to take up the manner of speaking of the child.”

“They come close, they become children. And so it is with the Lord.”

Recalling the Greek theologian’s “difficult” word “synkatábasi,” literally meaning “the condescension of God who comes down to make Himself one of us,” which is used to describe this attitude, Pope Francis noted how parents also say “ridiculous things” to their children.

“‘Ah, my love, my toy,’” and “all these things” are said, the Pope explained, stating that the Lord also speaks to us in this way, quoting Isaiah when he says “‘you worm Jacob…you are like a worm to me, a tiny little thing, but I love you so much.’”

“This is the language of the Lord, the language of the love of a father, of a mother,” reflected the pontiff, explaining that although we understand the word of the Lord, we also need to “see how He says it.”

“And we must do what the Lord does, do what He says and do it as He says it: with love, with tenderness, with that condescension towards the brethren.”

Referring then to Elijah’s encounter with God when the Lord came to him as “as sweet breeze,” or “sound of silence,” Pope Francis observed that “that is how the Lord draws near, with that resonance of silence that is proper to love. Without making a spectacle.”

“He becomes small in order to make me strong; He goes to death, with that condescendence, so that I might live.”

This silence, noted the Pope, “is the music of the language of the Lord, and we, in the preparation for Christmas, ought to hear it.”

“Normally, Christmas seems to be a very noisy holiday,” the pontiff explained, emphasizing that “it would do us good to have a little silence and to hear these words of love, these words of such nearness, these words of tenderness.”

“(Let us pray) for this,” he urged, “and to be silent in this time in which, as it says in the preface, we are watchful in waiting.”

Vatican

Previous Post

December 12, 2013

Congressman highlights ongoing Philippines recovery efforts

Next Post

December 12, 2013 Fraternity is the 'foundation' of peace, Pope's message says

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

Which letter emphasizes faith without works is dead?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Hebrews James Titus 1 Peter