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Skriven 2006-02-01 17:28:36 av Marc Lewis (1:396/45)
Ärende: Vatican Information Service - Press Release
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                The following press release is Copyrighted by the
                          Vatican Information Service.
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                               VIS-Press releases

THE LORD'S MERCY IS EVEN GREATER THAN HIS WORKS

VATICAN CITY, FEB 1, 2006 (VIS) - In his catechesis during today's general
audience, which was held in the Paul VI Hall in the presence of 8,000 pilgrims,
Benedict XVI turned his attention to the first part of Psalm 144, "praise of
divine majesty."

This psalm, said the Pope, "is an intense and impassioned celebration of divine
regality. ... It is an expression of God's plan of salvation. He is not
indifferent to human history, rather He desires to bring it into conformity
with His design of harmony and peace. All humanity is called to put this plan
into effect, that it might adhere to the divine salvific will, a will that
extends to 'all men,' to 'all generations' and to 'all time.' A universal
action that takes evil from the world and places there the 'glory' of the Lord,
in other words, His effective and transcendent personal presence."

The Holy Father then went on to recall how, in the psalm, "the Lord is exalted
as a loving and tender sovereign, concerned for all His creatures. ... We are
not at the mercy of dark forces, nor are we alone with our freedom; rather we
are entrusted to the action of the powerful and loving Lord Who has a plan for
us, a 'kingdom' to establish. This 'kingdom' is not founded on power and
domination, on triumph and oppression as is often the case of earthly
kingdoms." It is a place of "piety, tenderness, goodness, grace and justice."
As the psalm says, the Lord is "gracious and merciful, slow to anger."

Benedict XVI concluded his catechesis with a reference St. Peter Chrysologus,
who noted that "even greater than the Lord's works is the Lord's mercy."

At the end of the audience, the Pope addressed a special greeting to heads of
the Italian Prison Administration. "Your presence," he told them, "gives me an
opportunity to remind individuals and the whole of society of respect for civil
and ethical norms, which lie at the foundation of human coexistence."

In remarks to Polish pilgrims, he mentioned the celebration tomorrow, February
2, of the Day of Consecrated Life. "Let us thank God for religious vocations
and ask Him to support with grace the sisters and brothers who have chosen
chastity, poverty and obedience as the way of sanctity."
AG/PSALM 144/... VIS 060201 (400)

SUMMARY

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