VATICAN - THE GREATNESS OF GOD AND THE DIGNITY OF THE HUMAN PERSON: THE POPE’S WEDNESDAY TEACHING ON PSALM 8, “ AN ADMIRABLE HYMN OF PRAISE”

Vatican City (Fides Service) – Pope John Paul II was unable to join visitors to St Peter’s for the usual Wednesday Audience on 24 September, due to a slight indisposition. On his behalf Cardinal Angelo Sodano read the address prepared for the Audience to about 7 thousand people in the Paul VI Audience Hall. From his Summer Residence in Castel Gandolfo the Pope watched the audience on television and after his address had been read through a live link with the audience Hall, he greeted and blessed those present saying he was sorry he had been unable to come.
The teaching, the last in a series on the Psalms, focussed on Psalm 8. “At the centre of Psalm 8 there is a twofold experience – the Pope explained in his catechesis -. On the one hand the person feels almost overwhelmed by the greatness of creation …on the other however God reaches out to man and makes him his viceroy: . Indeed to this fragile creature God entrusts the whole of the universe from which to draw knowledge and support for life…the Psalm makes us realise our greatness but also our responsibility for creation”.
The Pope then underlined that “man’s vocation cannot be limited to the present earthly world” because “God wants to in heaven . For this plan to be achieved it was necessary for the way to be traced by a in whom the vocation of mankind would find its complete fulfilment. That pioneer is Christ”.
God has prepared for men a crown of glory “to reward our faithfulness to him even when the tempest besets our hearts and minds. But in every age God watches over his favourite creature and longs to see shine in him the divine that he may be in the world a sign of harmony, light and peace”.
SL (Fides Service 25/9/2003 EM lines 22Words: 311)