Information service of the Pontifical Mission Societies since 1927
Vatican City (Fides Service) - In his teaching during the Wednesday audience, today 31 March, Pope John Paul II encouraged those present to contemplate the figure of the paschal Lamb, the Lamb of God. Commenting the Canticle “Hymn of the Redeemed” - vespers Tuesday Week I (reading: Rev. 4,11; 5,12) he said the canticle “depicts a glorious heavenly scene. At the centre there is the throne on which God is seated... later, seated on that same throne there is the Lamb, symbol of the Risen Christ: it speaks in fact of «slain Lamb», but «standing» living and glorious.”
The Holy Father continued his teaching explaining that around these two divine figures there is the heavenly choir, represented by four «living beings» and «twenty four elders». “This assembly of the People of God intones a hymn to the Lord praising his «glory, honour and power», manifested when he created the universe”. At this point another important detail is introduced, the scroll with seven seals. “That book contains all the divine decrees which must be obeyed in human history to enable perfect justice to reign. If the scroll remains sealed these decrees will be neither known or obeyed, and evil will continue to spread and to oppress believers. Hence the need for authoritative intervention whose artifice will be precisely the Lamb slain and risen. He is able to «take the scroll and break the seals». Christ is the great interpreter, the Lord of history who reveals the secret thread of divine action in history.”
The hymn then indicates the basis of Christ’s power over history as “none other than his Paschal mystery”. “Christ was «sacrificed» and with his blood he «redeemed» the whole of humanity from the power of evil... The salvation he achieved not only redeems us from evil committed in the past, healing wounds and alleviating our misery. Christ gives us a new interior being, he makes us priests and kings, participants in his own dignity.” Lastly it is said that “the redeemed People of God, is composed of kings and priests who must guide and sanctify the whole of creation”. This consecration has its roots in Christ’s Passover and it is achieved through baptism, hence the call to the Church, “to realise her dignity and mission”. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 31/3/2004 - Righe 28; Parole 419)
