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bout one month before Christmas, Pope Francis published his first Apostolic Exhortation entitled Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel). There is a clear link between the two events as far as humanity is concerned.

Francis, Time'€™s person of the year, acknowledged in his Evangelii Gaudium the advances that mankind has made in so many fields, such as health care, education and communications. But on the other hand there are still so many people gripped by fear and desperation across the globe.

The pope said the joy of living frequently faded with a lack of respect for others while violence was on the rise and inequality was everywhere. In such an atmosphere, how could we spread the joy of the gospel as the true message of Christmas?

Taking Evangelii Gaudium as a lesson, we can share the joy of Christmas if we reject four things. First is an economic system that leads to exclusion and inequality, because such an economy kills.

The pope wonders if we can continue to stand by as food is thrown away while others are starving. There are so many people in the world excluded and marginalized without work, opportunities and means of escape.

Francis criticized the trickle-down theories which assume that economic growth, encouraged by the free market, will inevitably bring about greater justice and inclusiveness in the world.

In such an economic regime people tend to lose compassion for the poor, they no longer weep at other people'€™s pain, let alone feel the need to help them.

Second is denial of the primacy of the human person. We idolize money and the dictatorship of an impersonal economy that lacks human purpose. In that case, men and women are reduced to being mere consumers.

The joy of the gospel can be reflected in the fight against corruption and tax evasion. We should realize that the thirst for power and possessions knows no limits.

This system tends to devour everything that stands in the way of profits, the environment is defenseless before the interests of a deified market.

Third, we can spread the joy of Christmas by opposing a financial system that rules rather than serves. Francis says that behind such a financial system lies the rejection of ethics and God.

This ideology is a real threat, since it condones the manipulation and debasement of persons. When explaining this idea, Pope Francis quotes the words of Saint John Chrysostom, '€œNot to share one'€™s wealth with the poor is to steal from them and to take away their livelihood. It is not our own goods which we hold, but theirs.'€

Money must serve, not rule. It means the rich must help, respect and promote the poor.

We are exhorted to generous solidarity and to return economics and finance to an ethical approach that favors human beings.

Last but not least, we should say no to inequality, which spawns violence. In many places today we hear a call for greater security. Pope Francis writes that until exclusion and inequality in society and among peoples are removed, it will be impossible to eliminate violence.

The poor and the poorer peoples are accused of violence, yet without equal opportunities the different forms of aggression and conflict will find a fertile terrain for growth and eventually explode.

When a society '€” whether local, national or global '€” is willing to leave a part of itself on the fringes, no political programs or resources spent on law enforcement or surveillance systems can indefinitely guarantee tranquility.

These are the facts that happen in all countries. This is not the case simply because inequality provokes a violent reaction from those excluded from the system, but because the socioeconomic system is unjust at its root.

Just as goodness tends to spread, the toleration of evil, which is injustice, tends to expand its baneful influence and quietly to undermine any political and social system, no matter how solid it may appear.

If every action has its consequences, an evil embedded in the structures of a society has a constant potential for disintegration and death.

It is evil crystallized in unjust social structures, which cannot be the basis of hope for a better future.

We are far from the so-called '€œend of history'€, since the conditions for a sustainable and peaceful development have not yet been adequately articulated and realized.

So, let'€™s work together to spread the message of Christmas as the joy of the gospel to everybody everywhere, especially in our beloved country of Indonesia. We need to work hand-in-hand to express and spread this joy together regardless of our faith or beliefs.

May the Lord Jesus Christ bless our country that we can live together in peace, welfare and harmony. Merry Christmas!