Vatican City, Dec 3, 2013 / 06:07 am
The Pope focused his daily homily this morning on the themes of joy and peace, emphasizing that our God "is joyful," and that the Church's mission of transmitting this joy to others brings authentic peace.
"You can't imagine a Church without joy," the pontiff explained in his Dec. 3 homily, "and the joy of the Church lies precisely in this: to proclaim the name of Jesus."
Pope Francis directed his homily to those gathered in the Vatican's Saint Martha guesthouse, where he has chosen to reside.
He began by reflecting on the day's first reading taken from the prophet Isaiah, which describes how in the coming of the messiah, "the lion and the sheep shall abide together."