Francis: “The scandal is the Incarnation of the Word”

Hic de Virgine Maria Iesus Christus natus est  (Here the Virgin Mary gave birth to Jesus Christ) Inscription in the silver star that indicates the birthplace of Christ in Bethlehem’s Basilica of the Nativity.

The problem that scandalized these people was the same that demons shouted to Jesus: “You are the Son of God, you are the Holy One.” This is the centre. The scandal is that Jesus is the incarnated God. And just like they set traps for Jesus then, they set trap for us now; the Church scandalizes them because of the mystery of the Incarnation of the Word. In fact, we often hear them say to us: “You Christians must be more normal, more like other people, be sensible, do not be so rigid.” Behind these words is the request not to announce that God became man, because "the scandal is the Incarnation of the Word".

Morning meditation of Pope Francis in the Chapel of the Domus Sanctae Marthae
June 1, 2013