Pope: "We must acknowledge that we are not self-sufficient, but need God"
Continuing his reflections on "how Jesus prayed," at the general audience Benedict XVI illustrates the '"hymn of joy." God reveals himself to the “least", rejecting earthly logic in which the rich and learned are those who posses the important things and transmit them to the poor. The "pure in heart" of the Beatitudes.
Vatican City (AsiaNews) - Like Jesus, we can turn to God calling him "Father", but "we need to have the heart of the 'least' to recognize that we are not self-sufficient, but we need God," to "do the will the Father and so find rest in the toil of our lives. " This is the lesson that Benedict XVI has drawn from the "hymn of joy," the "messianic hymn," Christ’s prayer to which he dedicated his reflections during the general audience.
Continuing to present "how Jesus prayed," to the four thousand people present in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican, today the Pope illustrated the "prayer of thanksgiving and praise," of which Matthew and Luke speak.
In it, Jesus supports the choice of the Father who has decided to reveal himself to the "least of all." Thus, "the earthly logic for which the rich and those who have learned the important things and transmit them to the young and the poor" is not the logic of God, divine revelation does not occur according to this earthly logic. And Jesus, fully accepting the Father's will and sharing it, makes “the least of all, the first recipients of his message." Jesus "recognizes in the full actions of the Father, he agrees with his way of acting and adheres to his plan." In the hymn "the depth and intimate communion of Jesus with the Father emerges."
"All knowledge between people - said Benedict XVI – brings with it a commitment, some kind of inner link between the knower and known, we can not know without the communion of being." And "true knowledge of God," passes through "intimate communion with the Son." In Christ’s addressing to God as "Father" we see "Jesus’ awareness that he is the Son. This is the central point of every prayer of Jesus. " It "shows that the true knowledge of God presupposes communion. Only if I have a real contact do I know. True knowledge is reserved to the Son: he alone knows and can reveal who God is. " "In Jesus the possibility of being in relationship with God is once again opened up to man."
But who are the "little ones" to whom Jesus referred? Benedict XVI recalled the "pure in heart" of the Sermon on the Mount. "Blessed are the pure of heart for they shall see God 'purity of heart that will recognize the face of God in Jesus Christ." We must "have a heart as simple as that of children without the presumption of one who closes in on himself, thinking he no longer needs anyone, even God." In the Gospel story, Jesus in the "72 disciples who return full of joy because their mission was successful" sees that "despite all the refusals there are little ones who accept the word." And he tells the disciples that John the Baptist refers to the “least of all”, what happens "in contrast with the incredulity of the lake city, where most of the miracles of Jesus also took place."
In Matthew's Gospel, the Pope concluded, after the hymn of joy of Jesus we find "one of the most 'sorrowful appeals: come unto me you who are weary and burdened," because Christianity "is not' a doctrine to learn, nor an ethical proposal, but following a person, turning to God with the confidence of children, with the heart of the small, to recognize that we are not self-sufficient and we can not build our life without Him. "
Continuing to present "how Jesus prayed," to the four thousand people present in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican, today the Pope illustrated the "prayer of thanksgiving and praise," of which Matthew and Luke speak.
In it, Jesus supports the choice of the Father who has decided to reveal himself to the "least of all." Thus, "the earthly logic for which the rich and those who have learned the important things and transmit them to the young and the poor" is not the logic of God, divine revelation does not occur according to this earthly logic. And Jesus, fully accepting the Father's will and sharing it, makes “the least of all, the first recipients of his message." Jesus "recognizes in the full actions of the Father, he agrees with his way of acting and adheres to his plan." In the hymn "the depth and intimate communion of Jesus with the Father emerges."
"All knowledge between people - said Benedict XVI – brings with it a commitment, some kind of inner link between the knower and known, we can not know without the communion of being." And "true knowledge of God," passes through "intimate communion with the Son." In Christ’s addressing to God as "Father" we see "Jesus’ awareness that he is the Son. This is the central point of every prayer of Jesus. " It "shows that the true knowledge of God presupposes communion. Only if I have a real contact do I know. True knowledge is reserved to the Son: he alone knows and can reveal who God is. " "In Jesus the possibility of being in relationship with God is once again opened up to man."
But who are the "little ones" to whom Jesus referred? Benedict XVI recalled the "pure in heart" of the Sermon on the Mount. "Blessed are the pure of heart for they shall see God 'purity of heart that will recognize the face of God in Jesus Christ." We must "have a heart as simple as that of children without the presumption of one who closes in on himself, thinking he no longer needs anyone, even God." In the Gospel story, Jesus in the "72 disciples who return full of joy because their mission was successful" sees that "despite all the refusals there are little ones who accept the word." And he tells the disciples that John the Baptist refers to the “least of all”, what happens "in contrast with the incredulity of the lake city, where most of the miracles of Jesus also took place."
In Matthew's Gospel, the Pope concluded, after the hymn of joy of Jesus we find "one of the most 'sorrowful appeals: come unto me you who are weary and burdened," because Christianity "is not' a doctrine to learn, nor an ethical proposal, but following a person, turning to God with the confidence of children, with the heart of the small, to recognize that we are not self-sufficient and we can not build our life without Him. "
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