Birth of Jesus should spur Christians to evangelize, pope says

Published: 2007-12-24

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The gift of Jesus' birth at Christmas should spur Christians everywhere to evangelize, Pope Benedict XVI said. "The joy of Christmas ... fills us with hope and at the same time should stimulate us to announce to all people the presence of God among us," he said. The pope spoke to several thousand pilgrims in St. Peter's Square at his weekly Sunday blessing Dec. 23. They gathered in the middle of the square around a shrouded creche, which was to be unveiled Christmas Eve. In his final public remarks before Christmas, the pope turned to what has become a dominant year-end theme at the Vatican: the need to evangelize. "The evangelizing mission of the church is the answer to the cry 'Come, Lord Jesus!' which runs through salvation history and that continues to rise from the lips of believers," the pope said. He cited a recent document from the Vatican's doctrinal congregation, which underlined Christians' duty to share the salvation they have received as a gift. That is something many Catholics do not seem to understand anymore, the pope said.

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