Pope Francis’s Christmas homily: ‘A census of the whole earth’
December 24, 2023
On Christmas Eve, Pope Francis presided at the Christmas Mass during the Night in St. Peter’s Basilica (video, booklet).
Pope Francis preached the homily; Cardinal Giovanni Battista Re, the Dean of the College of Cardinals, was the principal celebrant.
“‘A census of the whole earth,’ (cf. Lk 2:1),” Pope Francis began. “This was the context in which Jesus was born, and the Gospel makes a point of it. The census might have been mentioned in passing, but instead is carefully noted.”
“And in this way, a great contrast emerges,” he continued. “While the emperor numbers the world’s inhabitants, God enters it almost surreptitiously. While those who exercise power seek to take their place with the great ones of history, the King of history chooses the way of littleness. None of the powerful take notice of him: only a few shepherds, relegated to the margins of social life...” [Click here for the rest of the Pope’s homily.]
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