In a message published on the digital site of the Vatican News newspaper, the Supreme Pontiff expressed that “wars, social injustices, the multiple forms of violence that we experience every day, should not drag us into the temptation of skepticism and despair.”

In that text, sent by Francis for inclusion in the program ¨Thought of the day¨, of the British broadcasting corporation BBC, it is pointed out that, in this Christmas time and during the Catholic Jubilee, throughout the year 2025, “the choice to be made, therefore, will be that of love that returns to ardent and trusting hearts.”

Indeed, the Bishop of Rome pointed out, “those who love, even when they find themselves in precarious situations, always look at the world with the sweet gaze of hope.”

The Pope asserted that “kindness in itself is not a diplomatic strategy,” nor “a formal behavior that must be followed to guarantee social harmony or to obtain advantages,” but rather “a form of love that opens hearts to welcome and help everyone to be more humble.”

Humility, he emphasized, “predisposes to dialogue, helps overcome misunderstandings and generates gratitude” because it is, ultimately, about “taking the things of life with gratitude and not taking them for granted.”

The papal message concludes with “the hope that, during the Jubilee, we can exercise kindness as a form of love to relate to others, bringing peace, fraternity and gratitude to the world,” the source added.

ef/arc/ort