146 Acta Apostolicae Sedis - Commentarium Officiale

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Iter Apostolicum in Srilankam et Philippinas: - Dum Summus Pontifex Eu- charistiam apud hortos vulgo Rizal Park Manilae celebrat.*

« A child is born to us, a son is given us ».1 It is a special joy for me to celebrate Santo Niño Sunday with you. The image of the Holy Child Jesus accompanied the spread of the Gospel in this country from the beginning. Dressed in the robes of a king, crowned and holding the sceptre, the globe and the cross, he continues to remind us of the link between God's Kingdom and the mystery of spiritual childhood. He tells us this in today's Gospel: « Whoever does not accept the Kingdom of God like a child will not enter it ».2 The Santo Niño continues to proclaim to us that the light of God's grace has shone upon a world dwelling in darkness. It brings the Good News of our freedom from slavery, and guides us in the paths of peace, right and justice. The Santo Niño also reminds us of our call to spread the reign of Christ throughout the world.

In these days, throughout my visit, I have listened to you sing the song: « We are all God's children ». That is what the Santo Niño tells us. He re- minds us of our deepest identity. All of us are God's children, members of God's family. Today Saint Paul has told us that in Christ we have become God's adopted children, brothers and sisters in Christ. This is who we are. This is our identity. We saw a beautiful expression of this when Filipinos rallied around our brothers and sisters affected by the typhoon.

The Apostle tells us that because God chose us, we have been richly blessed! God « has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavens ».3 These words have a special resonance in the Philippines, for it is the foremost Catholic country in Asia; this is itself a special gift of God, a special blessing. But it is also a vocation. Filipinos are called to be outstanding missionaries of the faith in Asia.

God chose and blessed us for a purpose: to be holy and blameless in his sight.4 He chose us, each of us to be witnesses of his truth and his justice

* Die 18 Ianuarii 2015. 1 Is 9:5. 2 Mk 10:15. 3 Eph 1:3. 4 Eph 1:4.