To hurt a woman is to insult God

“To hurt a woman is to insult God, who from a woman took on our humanity”, Pope Francis underscored during his homily for Holy Mass in Saint Peter’s Basilica on Saturday morning, 1 January, Solemnity of Mary, Mother of God and World Day of Peace. The following is the English text of the Holy Father’s words. T he shepherds found “Mary and Joseph, and the child lying in the manger” (Lk 2:16). For the shepherds, the manger was a joyful sign: it was the confirmation of the message they had heard from the angel (cf. v. 12), the place where they found the Saviour. It is also the proof of God’s closeness to them, for he was born in a manger, an object they know well, as a sign of his closeness and familiarity. The manger is also a joyful sign for us. Jesus touches our hearts by being born in littleness and poverty; he fills us with love, not ...