Holy Father Pope Francis while addressing the faithful gathered at Casa Santa Marta for the morning Mass, urged the Christians to lead a fruitful life and conveyed that fruitfulness is a blessing. His Holiness invited those present to contemplate the empty cradle that is awaiting the Child and he reflected on the births of Samson and of John the Baptist, both of them borne to sterile women, as recounted in the readings of the day.
As reported by news.va, Holy Father Pope Francis remarked that “It is not a blessing to have countries that are empty of children, Fruitfulness is always a blessing of God. Material and spiritual fruitfulness means giving life, a person may choose not to marry, like priests and consecrated persons, but must live by giving life to others. Woe to us, if we are not fruitful with good works.” Further, His Holiness added, “Fruitfulness is a sign of God” and he recalled how the prophets chose beautiful symbols like the desert and continued, “What is more sterile than a desert? And yet they say that even desert will flourish, the dryness will be filled with water. This is God’s promise.”
His Holiness Pope Francis reminded that the devil wants infertility and highlighted that the devil does not want us to give life, be it physical or spiritual, to others. Holy Father Pope Francis concluded his homily by asking the faithful to look at the empty cradle and say: “Come, Lord, fill the cradle, fill my heart and help me to give life, to be fruitful.”
