Pope says Advent is reminder that God will never abandon his children

Published: 2007-12-05

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Advent is a time for prayer and trust that God will never abandon his children, even during turbulent times, Pope Benedict XVI said at his weekly general audience. "The Lord will fight to defend you," he said, quoting St. Chromatius. "It is God who brings victory in the end." During his Dec. 5 general audience in the Vatican's Paul VI hall, the pope continued a series of talks on writers of the early church with a catechesis on St. Chromatius, the fourth-century bishop of Aquileia in northern Italy. The bishop stayed close to his flock and "opened their hearts to trust in God who never abandons his children" even during times of trouble and insecurity, the pope said. The Lord will protect his loved ones not because of their merits, but because he is a loving and merciful God, he said. He said God asks the faithful to call on him in times of trouble, and the Lord will say, "I will free you and you will give me glory."

Copyright (c) 2007 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .