Pope in Financial Times

The first article by a Pope in the Financial Times supplies us with a suitable message for Christmas. In the article, made available by the Vatican, the Pope writes:

"Christians shouldn’t shun the world; they should engage with it. But their involvement in politics and economics should transcend every form of ideology. 
Christians fight poverty out of a recognition of the supreme dignity of every human being, created in God’s image and destined for eternal life.

"Christians work for more equitable sharing of the earth’s resources out of a belief that, as stewards of God’s creation, we have a duty to care for the weakest and most vulnerable.

"Christians oppose greed and exploitation out of a conviction that generosity and selfless love, as taught and lived by Jesus of Nazareth, are the way that leads to fullness of life.

"Christian belief in the transcendent destiny of every human being gives urgency to the task of promoting peace and justice for all.
 Because these goals are shared by so many, much fruitful cooperation is possible between Christians and others. Yet Christians render to Caesar only what belongs to Caesar, not what belongs to God.

"Christians have at times throughout history been unable to comply with demands made by Caesar. From the Emperor cult of ancient Rome to the totalitarian regimes of the last century, Caesar has tried to take the place of God.

"When Christians refuse to bow down before the false gods proposed today, it is not because of an antiquated world-view. Rather, it is because they are free from the constraints of ideology and inspired by such a noble vision of human destiny that they cannot collude with anything that undermines it." 

Extract from Pope Benedict XVI, “A Time for Christians to Engage with the World”, Financial Times, 20 December 2012