Audiences

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Playing catch up with the Pope again. Here's the general audience address from 1/18/06, kicking off the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. Excerpt:

"Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven" (Matthew 18:19). This solemn assurance of Jesus to his disciples sustains our prayer. Today begins the by-now traditional Week of Prayer for Christian Unity, an important appointment to reflect on the tragedy of the division of the Christian community and to pray with Jesus himself "that they may all be one so that the world may believe" (John 17:21). We also do so here, in harmony with a great multitude in the world. The prayer "for the unity of all" involves, in different ways and times, Catholics, Orthodox and Protestants, united by faith in Jesus Christ, only Lord and Savior.

Here's the audience address from 1/25/06, a commentary on Psalm 143 (144): 9-15. Excerpt:

This picture of a different but possible world is entrusted to the work of the Messiah, as well as to that of his people. All of us together, under the guidance of the Messiah, Christ, must work for this project of harmony and peace, preventing the destructive action of hatred, of violence and of war. It is necessary, however, to be on the side of the God of love and justice.

For this reason, the psalm concludes with the words: "Happy the people so blessed; happy the people whose God is the Lord." God is the good of goods, the condition of all other goods. Only a people that acknowledges God and that defends spiritual and moral values can truly go out to find a profound peace and become itself a force of peace for the world, for other peoples, and, therefore, can intone with the psalmist the "new song," full of confidence and hope. It recalls spontaneously the new Covenant, the very novelty that Christ and his Gospel are.

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This page contains a single entry by Papa-Lu published on January 28, 2006 9:10 AM.

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