Pope calls on Christians to turn to Mary for help in building peace

Published: 2008-01-02

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope Benedict XVI called on Christians to turn to Mary, the mother of God, for help in being true friends of Jesus and courageous builders of peace. In his first general audience of 2008, the pope greeted thousands of ecstatic pilgrims Jan. 2 in the Vatican's Paul VI hall, bestowing upon them his "prayerful good wishes" for the new year. He said the new year had been ushered in "under the sign of the Virgin Mary" as the church celebrated the Jan. 1 feast of Mary, Mother of God. He invited the faithful to "carefully consider the importance of the presence of Mary in the life of the church and in our own personal life" and prayed that Mary would help "make us more keenly aware of her maternal presence." The scene of the Nativity represented in the Christmas creche highlights Mary offering up her child to "the contemplation of all those who go to adore him," he said.

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