The birth of Christ is a gift from God that brings people hope and courage in troubled times, Pope Francis said Christmas Eve.

This is not the Christmas we envisioned for ourselves or our children. ThereöÏÓãÊÓƵapp no getting away from that, no matter how hard we try.

VATICAN CITY – On Christmas Eve, Pope Francis noted how the coming of Jesus as an infant is paradoxical to the images of grandeur that had accompanied the prophesies on the coming of the Messiah, saying this should challenges us to go beyond the ephemeral and focus on what really counts.