Originally published at National Catholic Register
Father Roberto Pasolini calls on the faithful to imitate Christ.
Papal preacher Father Roberto Pasolini urged Church leaders to embrace the quality of “littleness” ahead of the Christmas holiday, calling on the faithful to imitate Christ and arguing against the need to feel “important in the eyes of others.”
Father Pasolini, who was appointed to the role of papal preacher last month, told members of the Roman Curia on Dec. 20 that God “sees littleness not as a limitation but as a precious resource.”
He cited the teachings of Christ, who stipulated clearly that “only those who make themselves small, like little children, will enter the kingdom of God,” reported Catholic News Service (CNS), the news agency of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
The preacher’s remarks came as part of Advent reflections given in the Vatican’s Paul VI Audience Hall. The Capuchin priest has given similar remarks regularly throughout the Advent season, with Friday’s address the last before Christmas on Dec. 25.
Father Pasolini pointed to the example of St. Francis of Assisi — from whom Pope Francis drew his pontifical name — as one who “took seriously this destiny of littleness.”
The earlier Francis “understood that the
