Text 1786, 56 rader
Skriven 2006-10-25 23:40:10 av Marc Lewis (1:396/45)
Ärende: Vatican Information Service (Press Release)
===================================================
Hello All!
                This Area is READ ONLY.  Do not post to this area.
                The following press release is Copyrighted by the
                          Vatican Information Service.
                ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
                               VIS-Press releases

PAUL, ANNOUNCING THE UNIVERSAL SALVATION OF CHRIST

VATICAN CITY, OCT 25, 2006 (VIS) - In today's general audience Benedict XVI,
who last week completed a series of lessons on the twelve Apostles, announced
that this and forthcoming audiences will be dedicated "to other important
figures of the early Church," beginning with St. Paul, "the thirteenth
Apostle." The audience was held in St. Peter's Square and attended by 25,000
people.

The Holy Father briefly outlined the life of Saul, indicating that he was from
Tarsus, a city between Syria and Anatolia. A Jew of the diaspora, he came to
Jerusalem to study Mosaic law but also practiced a trade, that of tentmaker,
which later served him "to maintain and provide for himself, without weighing
upon the Church."

The decisive moment for the Apostle was his "coming to know the community of
those who professed themselves disciples of Jesus," practicing a faith "that
concentrated not so much on the Law of God as on the person of Jesus ... to
Whom was associated the remission of sins." As a Jew, Saul considered this
scandalous, to such an extent that he felt obliged to persecute Christians,
even outside Jerusalem. However, on the road to Damascus, "he was seized by
Christ, ... the light of the Risen One touched him and fundamentally changed
his whole life."

Paul himself speaks "not only of vision but of illumination and, above all, of
revelation and vocation in the meeting with the Risen One." He defines himself
as "an Apostle by the will of God," said the Holy Father, "as if to underline
that his conversion was the result not of ... reflection, but of divine
intervention, of an unforeseeable divine grace. ... And from that moment all
his energies were placed at the exclusive service of Jesus Christ and of His
Gospel."

"From this we draw a very important lesson," Pope Benedict said, "what is
important is to put Jesus Christ at the center of our lives. ... Another
fundamental lesson Paul teaches us," he continued, "is the universal nature of
his apostolate. ... Salvation is offered to everyone without exception." The
"announcement of grace destined to reconcile man with God, with himself and
with others ... did not concern only the Jews or a limited group of people, but
had a universal value and concerned everyone, because God is God to all."

In closing, Benedict XVI recalled Paul's numerous journeys, beginning in
Antioch, his desire to spread the Good News in Spain, "the end of the known
world," and his martyrdom in Rome under the emperor Nero.
AG/PAUL/... VIS 061025 (440)

SUMMARY

--- MPost/386 v1.21
 * Origin: Sursum Corda! BBS =Meridian, MS= bbs.sursum-corda.com (1:396/45)