December 21, 2025

Gospel: Matthew, Chapter 1, verses 18–25
Homily of the Pontiff Samuel
Christmas Pilgrimage Sunday

Peace be with you, peace to every family,
peace to the righteous!

(Draft: Automatic Translation)

Beloved brothers and sisters, may the Peace of Our Lord Jesus Christ, who was born and rose again, be with you all today and remain with you always.

Here is the Feast we celebrate together, the Feast of the Pilgrims’ Christmas of the Child Jesus, the Feast of those who have set out on their journey to be here from the first light of dawn, even earlier, so that they might sing the praises of the Child Jesus (Luke 2:20), so that they might show their love for the Child Jesus (Magisterial Act, “Christmas of the Hearts”, 25/12/2025), to consecrate their lives anew to the Child Jesus, to offer all the love they are capable of to the Child Jesus; for the Child Jesus was born out of love for His children; sent by the Father, out of love for His children (1 John 4:9); giving His Life, out of Love for His children, so that those children, by encountering Him and loving Him, might have Life, have it in abundance and have it for eternity (Jn 6:40).

Behold the Mystery of Life which is fulfilled in the Child Jesus, for all those who wish to live it for eternity (Act of the Magisterium, “Love is Life”, 05/12/2021). Behold the joy of Holy Christmas (Lk 2:10), the joy of being able to be reborn in Christ, with Christ and for Christ, being reborn in the virginal Womb of Mary, from on High (Jn 3:3), in that Height which is in Mary, in that Infinity which is in Mary: Mary, Temple of the Holy Spirit (Lk 1:35), a Temple containing the infinite Tabernacle of God (Act of the Magisterium, “The Immaculate, Living Temple of God’s Love”, 8 December 2025).

Behold the Rebirth of the children, who through Mary experience the Nativity of the Son, of that Child, of that Youth, of the Shoot born to rule and shepherd His flock (Ezek 34:23), to gather everyone into this one Fold, where He who is Life will be the one Shepherd who will feed His flock for eternity, to lead them back to the grassy, green pastures of God’s Garden (Ps 22:2). That Garden which the Father had given and prepared for His children (Gen 2:8) and which is once again ready to welcome the flock, guided by the one Shepherd who will bring everyone back to that Garden, so that all may for eternity sing the praises of this Father who has given us everything out of Love, solely and exclusively out of Love (Rom 8:32). And in that Only-Begotten Love everything is understood, because everything is lived: the Mystery of Love that takes on Life, that is Life, eternal Life.

Here is Christmas, the Feast of the Family (Lk 2:16), and the Family must once again become the centre of this Christmas. If we want it to truly be Christmas, we must start afresh from the Family: the Family, the domestic church, without which there could be no Universal Church.

Here is the Family of God: God gathers His children so that they may be a Family (Jn 11:52), so that, following the example of the Holy Family, they may restore order to this disordered, corrupt, wicked, evil world that discards the family, that no longer cares for the family, that is no longer inspired by that Sacred and Holy Family we celebrate in Jesus, Joseph and Mary (Revelation of the Most Holy Mary to Maria G. Norcia, “The Divine Family and the Golden Staircase”, 25/12/1988).

Here is “the righteous” Joseph (Mt 1:19), just as this passage from the Gospel we have just heard says: “righteous”. Why? Because Joseph was filled with true Justice, that which comes from the Father, which the Father has given to His children in those ten timeless and eternal Laws. Not a justice according to human laws, which are constantly changing and are often based solely on the interests and selfishness of the few; and what is called “justice” becomes profound injustice that so many must endure (Isaiah 5:20). This is happening today in many nations, and many suffer because of human injustice (Amos 5:12). Anyone who truly wishes to live true Justice must look to these examples that Sacred Scripture gives us. Here is ‘the just’ Joseph (Revelation of Jesus to Maria G. Norcia, ‘Saint Joseph’, 19/03/1998), ‘just’, who never erred because he allowed himself to be guided by the Holy Spirit. Here is the Angel of the Lord who suggested everything to him so that he might do all things well (Mt 1:20-21). And so “the righteous” Joseph did well, protecting his Family, guarding his Family, loving his Family more than himself, loving the Bride whom God had given him. When the staff blossomed – it is no legend, it is the truth: the staff blossomed (cf. Num 17:23) – and Joseph accepted God’s sign, he accepted his Bride, just as he accepted that Child; he protected Him, he raised Him, for great was the task of that Child. ‘Righteous’ Joseph.

To the many fathers who are here today, who are united with us today, to many men I say: look to Joseph, to his example, imitate his virtues, imitate his character, so that you may return to being true men, just and holy according to the one Law, the Law of God (Lev 19:2).

And so I say to the many mothers and women who are here and who are united with us: look to Mary (Act of the Magisterium, “Mary, the Beating Heart of this Humanity”, 21/11/2025) so that you may embody the essence of the true Woman, of the true Mother, She who is all pure, all beautiful, She who lived solely and exclusively to do God’s Will (Lk 1:49), just as Joseph did.

In their Hearts there was but a single desire: to do the Father’s Will, to fulfil the call they had received. They did not choose one another: it was the Holy Spirit who chose them. And they loved one another with a pure, holy Love; they allowed themselves to be guided by the Holy Spirit (Revelation of Jesus to Maria G. Norcia, “The Holy Spirit”, 13/09/1984) so that both might do the Will of God, which was alive in that Child.

Here is the Holy Family, which must return to the centre today if we are to live the essence of Christmas. Many no longer experience it. Holy Christmas has become an event: for some, a commercial one; for others, a matter of folklore; for others still, just another holiday. Some even feel ashamed to speak of or sing to the Child Jesus (Mk 8:38) out of a supposed sense of human respect. It is truly a world that has gone in the opposite direction to that desired by the Father.

And we, dear brothers and sisters, must restore order to the centre of this world, placing what truly matters back at the centre of our lives. Here is the Holy Family; here are the examples the Father gives us, timeless and eternal. Only in this way can we truly celebrate Holy Christmas. This is ‘the’ mission that the Father has entrusted to us (Mt 28:19–20): ‘the’ mission; and we shall carry it out in order to bring joy to the Heart of the Father and to bring joy to the Heart of the Child Jesus (Revelation of Jesus to Maria G. Norcia, “Joy Even in Suffering”, 1 January 1989).

Saint Joseph, as this Church has established by a specific Pontifical Decree (Pontifical Decree, “Glorious Saint Joseph”, 25/03/2020), Patron of the Universal Church and Patron of every family; therefore, within every family, love and honour Joseph, pray to Joseph, your patron, so that the Family, guided by Saint Joseph, may always be led along the Way of God, just as Joseph led the Holy Family. Saint Joseph: Guardian of the Holy Family, Guardian of the Little Cradle, Guardian of Christianity.

And here is Mary, his Spouse.

This Church prays: “I will console You and make You known and loved by all those who do not love You, thus consoling Your Immaculate Heart. In You I trust, in You I hope, and You alone I wish to love!”. This prayer encapsulates the mission of the children of the Church: to console the Immaculate Heart of Mary after consecrating themselves to It (Revelation of Jesus to Maria G. Norcia, “Mary, I consecrate myself to You”, 10/03/1986), to make Mary known and loved by all, so that Mary may once again become “the” centre of the lives of the children of Christ. The Immaculate One, the all-pure One, the universal Co-Redemptrix: another Decree of Mother Church (Pontifical Decree, “In Mary, with Mary and through Mary”, 22/12/2019). And on the Sunday of the pilgrimage of the faithful of the Child Jesus, we mark the anniversary of this Decree: this Sunday marks the sixth year since the proclamation of the Dogma of Mary Co-Redemptrix.

Behold Mary, the Almighty by Grace. Let Her Name shine forth, let Her Immaculate Heart triumph (Act of the Magisterium, “The Immaculate One will triumph”, 08/12/2023), so that humanity may bow its head and give honour and glory to She who has found favour with God, that the world may learn from Her Obedience and Her Humility, that the world may see Her sublime Holiness (Rev 12:1).

Here is the example of Maria Giuseppina (Revelation of Jesus to Maria G. Norcia, “She who is the synthesis of the prophets and the ancient patriarchs”, 26/07/1996), the Maiden of God, who helps us – having embodied the virtues of the Most Holy Mary – to love Mary, having offered us a unique example of a holy life. Look to Her Heart, hold fast to Her hands, so that you may be true witnesses of the Love of God which Maria Giuseppina dispensed for a full thirty-three years, without ceasing, embodying every virtue of the Mother, becoming Herself a spiritual Mother for all the children of this Mother Church. Let us now continue in continuity with Her Mission to bring this Mystery of Salvation to fulfilment, for the whole world. Every grace the Father grants: if what is asked is asked with love, in the Name of Mary, she obtains everything. Mary, Mum; Mary, Mother of every living being; Mary, Universal Mother (Act of the Magisterium, “The Privileged Way to Attain Salvation”, 15/08/2023).

And here is the Child Jesus, that Child born to reign in hearts, born of Love, born to rule with a rod of iron (Rev 19:15) over all those who wish to listen to the Voice of His Heart, all those who allow themselves to be guided by His Gaze of Love: a gaze of mercy and grace for all His children, for all the sheep who look to Him (Zech 12:10). And a gaze of justice for all those who defy God, for all those who oppress the poor and the widow (Zech 7:10). It will be grace and liberation for many, and His Kingdom will have no end. Welcome the King who was born here, and come, all of you, to give Him glory. Behold, as Isaiah sings, a child is born, a son is given to us: ‘For a child is born to us, a son is given to us. Upon his shoulders rests the sign of sovereignty, and he is called: Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace; his dominion shall be great, and peace shall have no end upon the throne of David and over the kingdom, which he comes to consolidate and strengthen with law and justice, now and forever; this shall be accomplished by the zeal of the Lord of hosts” (Isa 9:5–6).

And all this is followed by the Justice of God, who must purify this Earth (Act of the Magisterium, “Father, the hour has come”, 01/12/2024). Behold the Holy Spirit who will purify; and a Remnant will remain, just as Isaiah, continuing in these chapters, from nine to eleven, which sing of these times: “In that day the remnant of Israel and the survivors of the house of Jacob will no longer rely on those who struck them down, but will rely on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, with loyalty. The remnant shall return, the remnant of Jacob, to the mighty God. For though your people, O Israel, were as the sand of the sea, only a remnant of them shall return; a decree of destruction has been issued that will bring forth righteousness, for the Lord, the God of hosts, will execute a decree of ruin upon the whole land” (Isa 10:20–23).

It is written, and what is written shall be fulfilled, so that the Branch, the Child, may reign forever, triumph and shepherd the flock for all eternity. The prophet says further: “A shoot shall spring from the stump of Jesse, a branch shall sprout from his roots. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon him—the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the fear of the Lord. He shall delight in the fear of the Lord. He shall not judge by what his eyes see, nor decide by what his ears hear; but he shall judge the poor with justice and decide with equity for the oppressed of the land. His word shall be a rod that strikes the violent; with the breath of his lips he shall slay the wicked. Righteousness shall be the belt around his waist, and faithfulness the sash around his hips. The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; the calf and the young lion shall feed together, and a little child shall lead them” (Is 11:1–6). Just as we sing in this Church: we sing to the Child and to His Mother.

All is fulfilled, dear brothers and sisters. And behold, the Kingdom of Jesus and the Kingdom of Mary triumph (Revelation of God the Almighty Father to Maria G. Norcia, “The Immaculate dwells within Us”, 28/06/1983).

Remain children at heart; manifest the childlikeness of faith following the example of the Child of God and the example of the Maiden of God. And then it will always be Christmas, just as we sing today. It is Christmas, now and it will always be Christmas (Jn 1:14).

But be adults in faith to manifest the true Doctrine and for all to have a single Language, which is that of the Son of God. The more one surrenders to the Will of the Father, listening to the Voice of the Holy Spirit, the more one will succeed in being effective and in understanding everything, for the Father will make everything understood to His children (Jn 16:13): one will understand who one has before one; the Guardian Angel will help and suggest what must be done and what must not be done, what must be said and when, instead, it is better not to speak. Here is the work of the Archangels which is now coming to the fore (Revelation of Jesus to Maria G. Norcia, “The Archangels”, 29/09/1986). Pray to your Guardian Angel and pray to the Seven Archangels (Papal Decree, “Establishment of the Feast of the Seven Archangels”, 28/09/2025), so that you may be true men and true Christians, true women and true Christian women, disciples of the Master and of She who is the Mistress, to lead everyone to the Holy Dwelling, the Heavenly Jerusalem (Heb 12:22). This is the Christmas of the children of God.

And I wish to conclude, on this note, by sending a thought of peace to the sick, to prisoners, to the oppressed, to the marginalised, to refugees in spirit as well as in flesh, to those who are abandoned and feel alone. To you I say: never alone. You will never be alone. I think of the families from whom their children have been taken away, who cannot spend Christmas with mum and dad. Shame on us!

To you I send my thoughts of love; to you, little ones, God’s help. God will never abandon you. Never lose your trust in God. If you have lost it in people and institutions, do not lose it in God, for God will never abandon you. The moment you think, even for a moment, that God may have abandoned you, that is the moment when God holds you in His arms, to lift you up from the wickedness of this world.

Here are the words of the recent Magisterial Act promulgated by the Church: “Peace be with men of good will. Peace be with those who pronounce His Name with holy devotion. Peace be with those who invoke His Grace. Peace be with the workers of brotherhood and holiness. Peace be with every child who asks His Heart for help. May the Peace of the Almighty Father pour out in abundance today upon the Little Cradle, the inexhaustible Source of His Love, the eternal Tabernacle of God, where the divine Child was born to rule the world and lead all back to the one Fold, which is the Way, the Truth and the Life” (Act of Magisterium, “Father, grant Peace to Your children and Justice to the righteous”, 07/12/2025). So be it.