VATICAN - Benedict XVI concludes his reflections on Saint Paul: “Paul was converted to Christ and the Church at the same time, and so we understand why the Church is so present in his thought, his heart and his work” - appeal for peace in Lebanon

Vatican City (Agenzia Fides) - At the General Audience on Wednesday 22 November Pope Benedict XVI concluded his reflections on Saint Paul focussing on “one of the decisive components of his activity and one of the most important themes of his thought: the realty of the Church”. Paul’s first contact with the person of Jesus occurs through the Christian community in Jerusalem, of which he becomes a fierce persecutor. “History shows that Jesus is usually reached through the Church!” the Pope said and also Paul came into contact with the Church before he encountered Jesus, although this contact provoked violent repulsion. “Paul joined the Church thanks to a direct intervention by Christ, who revealed himself on the road to Damascus, identified himself with the Church making him realise that by persecuting the Church Paul was actually persecuting Jesus, the Lord”. Paul was converted to Christ and the Church at the same time, and so we understand why the Church is so present in his thought, his heart and his work.
In the first place Paul “founds various Churches in the different cities where he goes to evangelise ”, and he keeps contact with these Communities “not cold bureaucratic contact but intense and warm … At times he demonstrates towards them sentiments not only of paternity but even of maternity”. Moreover in his “Letters” Paul illustrates his doctrine on the Church, defining it, the first Christian author of the 1st century to do so, as “body of Christ”. “Paul helps us understand that there exists not only membership the Church of Christ - the Pope said -, but also a certain form of equivalence and identification of the Church with Christ. From this is derived the greatness and nobility of the Church, that is, of all of us who belong to the Church: we are members of Christ, almost an extension of his personal presence in the world. From this there follows, naturally, our duty to live truly in conformity with Christ”. Many times Paul speaks of the different charisma in the Church which call come from “one source, the Spirit of the Father and the Son... However it is important that all charismas cooperate together to build up the community and do not become instead a motive of laceration”.
Pope Benedict XVI continued: “to underline the need for unity does not mean to uniform or level ecclesial life according to only one way of operating... All must help build the ecclesial tissue in an orderly manner”. Last of all Paul presents the Church “as the bride of Christ” from an ancient prophetical metaphor: “this was to explain the depth of the relationship that exists between Christ and his Church, both in the sense that she is the object of the Lord’s most tender love, and in the sense that love must be reciprocal and that therefore we too, as members of the Church, must demonstrate fidelity to Him.” The Pope concluded speaking about communion: “vertical between Jesus Christ and all of us, and horizontal communion between all those in the world who ‘invoke the name of Our Lord Jesus Christ’… a non Christian who enters one of our assemblies should be able to say at the end: "Truly God is with you!". Let us pray to the Lord that we may be in communion with Christ and communion among ourselves.”
At the end of today's general audience, Benedict XVI mentioned the attack yesterday in Lebanon in which Pierre Gemayel, the country's industry minister, was assassinated. "I firmly condemn this brutal attack," said Pope Benedict, "and give assurances of my prayers and my spiritual closeness to the family in mourning, and to the beloved Lebanese people. In the face of the dark forces that seek to destroy the country, I invite all Lebanese not to allow themselves to be overcome by hatred, but to reinforce national unity, justice and reconciliation, and to work together to build a future of peace. Finally, I invite leaders of the nations that have the fate of this region at heart to contribute to finding a global negotiated solution to the various situations of injustice that have existed for too many years.” (S.L.) (Agenzia Fides 23/11/2006, righe 48, parole 717)