180 Acta Apostolicae Sedis - Commentarium Officiale

will always have their trials, but may you never add to them! Instead, be

living examples of love, forgiveness and care. Be sanctuaries of respect

for life, proclaiming the sacredness of every human life from conception

to natural death. What a gift this would be to society, if every Christian

family lived fully its noble vocation! So rise with Jesus and Mary, and set

out on the path the Lord traces for each of you.

Finally, the Gospel we have heard reminds us of our Christian duty to

be prophetic voices in the midst of our communities. Joseph listened to

the angel of the Lord and responded to God's call to care for Jesus and

Mary. In this way he played his part in God's plan, and became a bless-

ing not only for the Holy Family, but a blessing for all of humanity. With

Mary, Joseph served as a model for the boy Jesus as he grew in wisdom,

age and grace.3 When families bring children into the world, train them

in faith and sound values, and teach them to contribute to society, they

become a blessing in our world. Families can become a blessing for all of

humanity! God's love becomes present and active by the way we love and

by the good works that we do. We extend Christ's kingdom in this world.

And in doing this, we prove faithful to the prophetic mission which we

have received in baptism.

During this year which your bishops have set aside as the Year of the

Poor, I would ask you, as families, to be especially mindful of our call to

be missionary disciples of Jesus. This means being ready to go beyond your

homes and to care for our brothers and sisters who are most in need. I ask

you especially to show concern for those who do not have a family of their

own, in particular those who are elderly and children without parents. Never

let them feel isolated, alone and abandoned, but help them to know that

God has not forgotten them. Today I was very moved when, after Mass, I

visited a home for children without families. How many people work in the

Church to make that home a family! This is what it means, in a prophetic

sense, to build a family.

You may be poor yourselves in material ways, but you have an abundance

of gifts to offer when you offer Christ and the community of his Church.

Do not hide your faith, do not hide Jesus, but carry him into the world

and offer the witness of your family life!

3 Cf. Lk 2:52.