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Vatican City,
11th May 2005 (CNA)
- Continuing his series of Wednesday
audiences prepared by the late John Paul II, Pope
Benedict XVI today told an estimated 17,000
pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square that
although seemingly in the hands of dark forces,
God penetrates all of human history.
The Holy Father spoke on the "Hymn of
adoration and praise", a canticle in chapter 15,
verses 3 and 4, of the Book of
Revelation.
"History”, he said, “is not in the hands of
dark forces, of chance, or of merely human
choices."
Rather, he said, "The Lord, supreme arbiter
of historical events, rises above the discharge of
evil energies, the vehement onslaught of Satan,
the emergence of plagues and wickedness. He
knowingly guides history to the dawn of the new
heaven and the new earth, as mentioned in the last
part of the book in the image of the new
Jerusalem."
Pope Benedict pointed out that the hymn is
sung by "the just of history, the vanquishers of
the Satanic beast, those who through the seeming
defeat of martyrdom are in reality the builders of
the new world, with God the supreme architect."
He said that the intention of the canticle
"is to reaffirm that God is not indifferent to
human affairs, but penetrates them creating His
'ways,' in other words His projects and His
efficacious 'works'."
The Pope said that, "This divine
intervention has a precise aim: to be a sign
inviting all the peoples of the earth to
conversion. Nations must learn to 'read' in
history a message from God.”
“The human adventure is not confused and
meaningless,” he said, “nor is it hopelessly
condemned to the prevarication of the domineering
and the perverse."
Pope Benedict encouraged the faithful to
recognize “divine action hidden in history," and
to be open to "fearing the name of God.”
He noted though, that in biblical language,
“this 'fear' is not the same as being afraid,
rather its is a recognition of the mystery of
divine transcendence. ... Thanks to fear of the
Lord, one is not afraid of the evil raging through
history and can vigorously resume the road of
life."
"The hymn”, the Pope concluded, “closes by
foreseeing a universal procession of peoples, who
will present themselves before the Lord of
history," Whom they will adore. "And the one Lord
and Savior seems to repeat the words pronounced on
the last evening of His earthly life: 'Be of good
cheer, I have overcome the world'."
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