a happy and holy christmas

I left my porch light on this morning when I left for the office, because I knew that by the time I arrived home again, it would be dark. The darkest day of the year, so it's only fitting that Benedict XVI would offer this sharing today at his general audience in St. Peter's Square...

And to celebrate, he donned the traditional camauro [not a Catholic Santa hat! :) ] ...

LIGHT OF CHRISTMAS, A SYMBOL OF GOOD THAT CONQUERS EVIL

VATICAN CITY, DEC 21, 2005 (VIS) - "The light of Christmas" was the theme of Benedict XVI's special catechesis in today's pre-Christmas general audience, which was held in St. Peter's Square in the presence of 15,000 people.

"Today's audience is taking place in a climate of joyful and eager expectation as we await the imminent Christmas festivities," said the Pope, adding that many symbols help us to understand the mystery of Christmas, "among them that of the light, which is one of the richest in spiritual significance."

He went on: "Christmas in our hemisphere coincides with the days in which the sun completes its descendent cycle and the period of daylight gradually begins to lengthen. ... This helps us to a better understanding of the subject of light overcoming shadow; a symbol evoking a truth that touches the most intimate part of man: the light of goodness that overcomes evil, ... of life that overcomes death. Christmas - which re-presents us with the announcement of the definitive victory of God's love over sin and death - causes us to think of this interior light, this divine light. ... As we prepare to celebrate with joy the birth of the Savior in our families and our ecclesial communities, a certain form of modern consumer culture tends to remove Christian symbols from the Christmas celebration. Let everyone, then, seek to understand the value of the Christmas traditions, which are part of the heritage of our faith and our culture."

"In particular, when we see streets and squares adorned by dazzling lights, let us remember that these lights call us to another light, one invisible to the eyes but not to the heart. As we admire them, as we light the candles in church or the lights on the nativity scene or the Christmas tree in our homes, let our souls open to the true spiritual light, which was brought to all men and women of good will."

The Pope concluded his catechesis by calling on the faithful to "maintain their interior wonder" as they celebrate the birth of the Savior, and wishing everyone "a happy and holy Christmas."