VATICAN - The Pope comments on Psalm 115: “The entire people of God, thank the Lord of life, Who never abandons the just in the dark bosom of pain and death, but leads then to hope and to life."

Wednesday, 25 May 2005

Vatican City (Fides Service) - “In the original Hebrew Psalm 115 forms one composition with the previous psalm 114. Both form a unitary act of thanksgiving to the Lord who frees us from the nightmare of death. In our text there emerges the memory of past anguish: the psalmist held high the torch of faith even when the bitterness of desperation and unhappiness rose to his lips. Around him in fact there arose a sort of gelid curtain of hatred and deceit, because his neighbour was false and unfaithful. But now supplication turns into gratitude because the Lord has lifted his faithful servant out of the dark gorge of deceit.” During his general audience this morning in St Peter’s Square Pope Benedict XVI explained the significance of Psalm 115 - Thanksgiving in the temple - first vespers Sunday week 3 (Ps. 115,10-13.18-19).
The psalmist is preparing to offer a sacrifice of thanksgiving during a liturgy: “in fact explicit reference is made to a sacrificial rite and the assembly of «all the people», before whom the psalmist voices his faith. It will be in this circumstance that he makes his thanksgiving public knowing well that even when death threatens the Lord reaches down to him with love. God is not indifferent to the drama of his creature, he breaks his chains”. The psalmist "having been saved from death, feels himself to be the Lord's 'servant,' and 'son of His handmaiden;' a beautiful Oriental expression indicating a person born in the same house as his master. The Psalmist humbly and joyfully professes his association with the House of God, with the family of created beings united to him in love and faithfulness."
Greeting pilgrims in various languages Benedict XVI invited everyone to participate in the Mass he will celebrate at 7 p.m. tomorrow, Solemnity of Corpus Christi, in the Basilica of St. John Lateran, and in the traditional procession to St. Mary Major, in order "to express together faith in Christ, Who is present in the Eucharist.”.
At the end of the audience the Pope met President Blaise Compaoré of Burkina Faso, consort and entourage; President Amadou Toumani Toure, President of Mali and entourage; Mr Absalom Themaba Dlamini, Prime Minister of Swaziland, consort and entourage. (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 25/5/2005, righe 30, parole 439)


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