Vatican City, Dec 20, 2009 / 10:19 am
Pope Benedict XVI led the Angelus from the window of his Vatican chambers on this crisp, clear winter morning of the fourth Sunday of Advent in Rome. In his pre-Angelus address to thousands of pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square, he echoed the words of the prophet Micah in Sunday´s liturgy, inviting the world to look to Bethlehem for peace.
The Holy Father began his address by quoting Micah's prophesy from 1,000 years before Christ's birth, 'But you, Bethlehem-Ephrathah, too small to be among the clans of Judah, From you shall come forth for me one who is to be ruler in Israel; Whose origin is from of old, from ancient times.'
"So, there is a divine design that knows and explains the times and places of the coming of the Son of God into the world," said Benedict XVI of the prophesy.
"It's a design of peace ..." one that comes with the arrival of the Lord on Earth, he said.