CBCP President: Pope’s visit ‘a wonderful moment of grace’

Pope Francis' upcoming visit to the Philippines is a "wonderful moment of grace" as it is like Jesus in the Pope visiting Jesus in the Filipino, the head of the Catholic Bishops' Conference of the Philippines said Monday.

 

In his Christmas message posted on the CBCP news site, Lingayen-Dagupan Archbishop Socrates Villegas also reminded Filipinos God is not far beyong our reach.

 

"Although we believe in faith that God is always with us, we also know in our hearts that the coming of the Pope to the Philippines is a renewed affirmation of the love of God for us. When Pope Francis comes, he brings to us Jesus Himself, the Word made flesh, Emmanuel, God-with-us," he said.

 

Yet he added the Pope himself had repreatedly said the focus of his visit must be Christ.

 

"He comes to us to pay homage to Christ who is already in our country even before the start of the papal visit. The papal visit is Jesus in the Pope visiting Jesus in the Filipino. What a wonderful moment of grace!" he said.

 

Villegas said Christ is in all of us, in our poverty and prosperity, hunger and plenty, storms and calamities, progress and tranquility, dark nights and sunny days.

 

He added God is not far beyond our reach, becoming small like a baby "to make it easier for us to reach him, to carry him, to hug him and caress him, to embrace him and kiss him."

 

"As we thank God who has chosen to be so near, in fact to dwell right in our hearts, let us also beg the Lord to open our eyes and hearts that we may always see the wonder of His tender love every day of the coming year in everything that happens, in every person we meet, in every moment of our lives," he said. —Joel Locsin/NB, GMA News