Pope's Intentions
Universal: That the birth of the Redeemer may bring peace and hope to all people of good will.
For Evangelization: That parents may be true evangelizers, passing on to their children the precious gift of faith.
The 6th Day in the Octave of Christmas
Commentary of the day
Saint Clement of Alexandria (150- c.215), theologian
Protreptic 1,6-8 ; SC 2 (trans. Ante-Nicene Fathers, rev.)
The new song : "Anne gave thanks to God"
Inasmuch as the Word was from above, he was and is the divine source of all things; but inasmuch as he has now received the name Christ, consecrated of old and worthy of power, he has been called by me “a new song” (Pss 33[34], 144[145], 149[150], etc.). This Word, then, the Christ, the cause of both our being (for He was in God) and of our well-being, this very Word has now appeared to us - he alone being both God and man—the author of all blessings to us. Having been taught by him to live well, we are introduced by him to life eternal. For, according to that inspired apostle of the Lord: “The grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all and training us to reject godless ways and worldly desires and to live temperately, justly, and devoutly in this present age as we await the blessed hope, the appearance of the glory of the great God and of our Savior Jesus Christ” (Tit 2,11-13).
This is the new song, the manifestation of the Word that was in the beginning and who comes to shine in our midst. The Savior, who has existed before all time, has in recent days appeared… For the Word, who “was with God,” and by whom all things were created (Jn 1,10), has appeared as our teacher. The Word, who in the beginning bestowed life on us as our creator, taught us to live well when he appeared as our teacher that, as God, he might afterwards lead us to the life that never ends. It was not only now that he took pity us because of our sins; but he pitied us from the first, from the beginning.