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God is present in difficult times, Pope Francis says in Christmas Mass

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<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="This handout picture taken and released on December 24, 2022 by Vatican Media shows Pope Francis kissing a figurine of baby Jesus as he attends the Christmas Eve mass at The St Peter" s="" Basilica="" in="" the="" Vatican.="" Vatican="" Agence="" src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2022/tvpatrol/12/25/pope-francis.jpg"/><figcaption>This handout picture taken and released on December 24, 2022 by Vatican Media shows Pope Francis kissing a figurine of baby Jesus as he attends the Christmas Eve mass at The St Peter&#x27;s Basilica in the Vatican.<em> Vatican Media, Agence France-Presse</em></figcaption></figure></div><p>Pope Francis on Saturday night (Manila time) reassured the public that God is present in the most difficult times, even as the world is consumed by greed. </p><p>During his homily for the Night for the Solemnity of the Nativity of the Lord, Pope Francis said Jesus&#x27; manger symbolizes &quot;rejection and refusal,&quot; noting conditions for “greed for consumption.&quot; </p><p>“While animals feed in their stalls, men and women in our world, in their hunger for wealth and power, consume even their neighbors, their brothers and sisters,&quot; the Pope said, as translated by <a href="https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2022-12/pope-francis-christmas-nativity-mass-night-homily.html">Vatican News</a>. </p><p>He noted the presence of wars and inequality and how this affects children. Christ&#x27;s birth in the manger though shows that God is there even in the worst human situations possible. </p><p>It is also a reminder &quot;that God truly became flesh.”</p><p>God&#x27;s love, the Pope said, &quot;feeds us&quot; and makes us humble.</p><p>This was why people can take comfort in the thought that God is near even during our sufferings.</p><p>“[There is] no evil nor sin from which Jesus does not want to save us. And He can. Christmas means that God is close to us: let confidence be reborn!&quot; Pope Francis said. </p><p>“The poverty of the manger “shows us where the true riches in life are to be found: not in money and power, but in relationships and persons.”</p><p>While the image of poverty resonates in Jesus&#x27; humble birth in the manger, true wealth, according to the Pope, is through Him.</p><div><strong>RELATED VIDEO</strong></div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2392370" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

During his homily for Christmas Eve, Pope Francis said people can take comfort in the thought that God is near even during our sufferings.