Pope’s Epiphany Angelus: ‘May industry of war be replaced by craft of peace’

Vatican, Jan 7, 2025: Pope Leo made an appeal for peace during his Angelus address on January 6, the Solemnity of the Epiphany of the Lord. After celebrating the Epiphany Mass earlier in the morning at St. Peter’s Basilica, the Pope appeared at noon to deliver the Angelus and lead the faithful in the midday prayer in St. Peter’s Square.

Reflecting on the journey of the Three Kings—their departure, perseverance, and offering of precious gifts to the Child Jesus—the Pope said their example serves as a compelling reminder that believers are called to offer their entire selves and all they possess to Jesus, “our inestimable treasure.”

Kneeling before the Child of Bethlehem

Pope Leo explained that kneeling before the Infant of Bethlehem, as the Magi did, carries deep meaning for Christians today. “Kneeling like the Magi before the Infant of Bethlehem means, also for us,” he said, “to profess having found that true humanity in which the glory of God shines forth.”

He added that “In Jesus,” “the true life appears, the living man, the one who does not exist for himself but is open and in communion, who teaches us to say, ‘on earth as it is in heaven.’” (Mt 6:10).

Within this reflection, the Pope emphasized that “the divine life is within our reach” and that “it is made manifest so that we might be included in its dynamic freedom, which loosens the bonds of fear and enables us to encounter peace.” Since such communion cannot be forced, he posed the question: “What else could we desire more than this?”

The Magi’s risk and their gifts

Turning to Saint Matthew’s Gospel and the traditional nativity scene, the Pope recalled how the Magi offered gold, frankincense, and myrrh to the newborn Jesus. While these gifts might not appear useful for a child, he said, they reveal a deeper intention that invites reflection as the Jubilee year comes to a close: “the greatest gift is to give everything.”

To reinforce this message, Pope Leo referred to the Gospel episode of the poor widow observed by Jesus, who placed her last two coins into the Temple treasury—“all that she had.”

Offering everything to Christ

The Pope noted that nothing is known about the possessions of the Magi from the East. Nevertheless, he said, their willingness to set out, take risks, and present their gifts indicates that everything—“truly everything that we are and possess”—is to be offered to Jesus, “who is our inestimable treasure.”

He then reflected on the Jubilee of Hope, which concluded on the same day with the closing of the Holy Door of Saint Peter’s Basilica. “For its part,” he said, “the Jubilee has reminded us of the justice founded on gratuitousness, of the original jubilee prescriptions, which included a call for the integration of peaceful living, a redistribution of the land and its resources, and a restoration of ‘what one has’ and ‘what one is’ to the designs of God, which are greater than ours.”

Hope rooted in reality

Pope Leo stressed that Christian hope must be firmly anchored in real life. “The hope that we proclaim must be grounded in reality,” he said, “for Jesus came down from heaven in order to create a new story here below.”

Recalling the gifts of the Magi, he encouraged the faithful to reflect on what they themselves can share with others so as to enlarge Christ’s presence in the world. Such sharing, he said, allows Christ’s Kingdom to grow, His words to be fulfilled in believers’ lives, and enables strangers and enemies to become brothers and sisters.

“In the place of inequality, may there be fairness, and may the industry of war be replaced by the craft of peace,” the Pope said.

Concluding his address, he urged the faithful: “As weavers of hope, let us journey together towards the future by another road.”

Courtesy: Vatican News