God's love and tenderness are at the heart of Christmas, Pope Francis said.

Celebrating Mass Dec. 12, the pope said God's love is like that of a parent.

It's not so much what God says as how he says it.

When talking to a child, mothers and fathers make themselves smaller, he said.

"That's because a father's or mother's love needs to be close.

I'd say this: They need to crouch down to enter the world of the child."