Pope: in the struggle between good and evil, evil seems stronger, but "love wins, not hate"
At the General Audience, Benedict XVI illustrates Psalm 110 concluding his series of catechesis dedicated to these biblical prayers. In Church tradition it is seen as a fundamental Messianic text. Jesus, "priest eternal, holy, innocent, unstained, can save those who through him are close to God."
Vatican City (AsiaNews) - "There is a lot of evil in the world ", but in the permanent battle between good and evil, "the winner is the Lord" and "despite all the negative things in history, Christ wins not evil, love not hate”. Benedict XVI drew this comforting certainty from the reading of Psalm 110, which he outlined today before 20 thousand people in St. Peter's Square for the general audience.
Today's commentary on Psalm 110, read and cited as particularly important messianic text, concludes, the Pope said, the series of reflections that he has devoted to these "precious prayers" of the Bible "that reflect the various situations of life, states of mind that we have toward God. "
Psalm 110, "perhaps originally related to the enthronement of a Davidic king" in Church tradition opens up "to larger dimensions and thus becomes a triumphant celebration of the Messiah." In the prayer, God "enthrones the King in glory, making him sit at his right, a sign of great honor and an absolute privilege." The king thus "participates in the Divine Stewardship, of which he is mediator with the people."
This glorification of the king was taken on in the New Testament as a messianic prophecy, so the verse is among the most commonly used by New Testament authors. "Jesus himself mentions this verse about the Messiah to show that the Messiah is more than David, he is David’s Lord and Peter takes it up again in his Pentecost speech announcing that the king enthroned is realized in Christ’s resurrection. Christ, in fact, is the Lord enthroned, the Son of Man seated at the right hand of God who comes on the clouds of heaven, as Jesus himself says during his trial before the Sanhedrin. "
Among the king celebrated in Psalm and God "there is indissoluble bond, the two governments together." "The exercise of power is a commission that the king receives directly from the Lord, a responsibility that must live in dependency and obedience, thus becoming a sign, within the people, of the powerful presence and providence of God."
Then there is the verse in Psalms that says " You are a priest forever in the manner of Melchizedek." Melchizedek, said Benedict XVI, was the priest king of Salem who blessed Abraham and offered bread and wine after the successful military campaign conducted by the patriarch to save his nephew Lot from the hands of the enemy who had captured him. "In his figure, royal and priestly power converge and are now being proclaimed by the Lord in a statement that promises eternity: the king celebrated in the Psalm will be a priest for ever, the mediator of God's presence among his people, through the blessing that comes from God and which in the liturgical action meets man's blessing. The Epistle to the Hebrews makes explicit reference to this verse chapter 7 is entirely focused on it, elaborating its reflection on the priesthood of Christ. Jesus is the true and final priest who completes the features of the priesthood of Melchizedek, rendering them perfect. "
"In the Lord Jesus resurrected and ascended into heaven, where he is seated at the right hand of the Father, the prophecy of our Psalm is accomplished and the priesthood of Melchizedek is completed, because it is rendered absolute and eternal, a reality that knows no sunset. And the offering of bread and wine, made by Melchizedek in Abraham's time, finds its fulfillment in the Eucharistic gesture of Jesus, who in the bread and wine offers himself, and having overcome death, brings life to all believers. Priest eternal, holy, innocent, unstained, he, as we can read in the Letter to the Hebrews, can save those who through Him approach God; he is ever-living to intercede for them ".
At the end of the Psalm is the triumphant king who, "supported by the Lord" scatters his enemies and judges the nations. "The sovereign, protected by the Lord, breaks down every obstacle and proceeds safely to victory. It tells us: yes, there is much evil in the world, there is an ongoing battle between good and evil and evil seems to be stronger. No! The Lord, our true King and Priest, Christ, is stronger because he fights with the power of God and despite all those things which make us doubt a positive outcome for history, Christ wins and good wins, love wins, not hatred. "
Today's commentary on Psalm 110, read and cited as particularly important messianic text, concludes, the Pope said, the series of reflections that he has devoted to these "precious prayers" of the Bible "that reflect the various situations of life, states of mind that we have toward God. "
Psalm 110, "perhaps originally related to the enthronement of a Davidic king" in Church tradition opens up "to larger dimensions and thus becomes a triumphant celebration of the Messiah." In the prayer, God "enthrones the King in glory, making him sit at his right, a sign of great honor and an absolute privilege." The king thus "participates in the Divine Stewardship, of which he is mediator with the people."
This glorification of the king was taken on in the New Testament as a messianic prophecy, so the verse is among the most commonly used by New Testament authors. "Jesus himself mentions this verse about the Messiah to show that the Messiah is more than David, he is David’s Lord and Peter takes it up again in his Pentecost speech announcing that the king enthroned is realized in Christ’s resurrection. Christ, in fact, is the Lord enthroned, the Son of Man seated at the right hand of God who comes on the clouds of heaven, as Jesus himself says during his trial before the Sanhedrin. "
Among the king celebrated in Psalm and God "there is indissoluble bond, the two governments together." "The exercise of power is a commission that the king receives directly from the Lord, a responsibility that must live in dependency and obedience, thus becoming a sign, within the people, of the powerful presence and providence of God."
Then there is the verse in Psalms that says " You are a priest forever in the manner of Melchizedek." Melchizedek, said Benedict XVI, was the priest king of Salem who blessed Abraham and offered bread and wine after the successful military campaign conducted by the patriarch to save his nephew Lot from the hands of the enemy who had captured him. "In his figure, royal and priestly power converge and are now being proclaimed by the Lord in a statement that promises eternity: the king celebrated in the Psalm will be a priest for ever, the mediator of God's presence among his people, through the blessing that comes from God and which in the liturgical action meets man's blessing. The Epistle to the Hebrews makes explicit reference to this verse chapter 7 is entirely focused on it, elaborating its reflection on the priesthood of Christ. Jesus is the true and final priest who completes the features of the priesthood of Melchizedek, rendering them perfect. "
"In the Lord Jesus resurrected and ascended into heaven, where he is seated at the right hand of the Father, the prophecy of our Psalm is accomplished and the priesthood of Melchizedek is completed, because it is rendered absolute and eternal, a reality that knows no sunset. And the offering of bread and wine, made by Melchizedek in Abraham's time, finds its fulfillment in the Eucharistic gesture of Jesus, who in the bread and wine offers himself, and having overcome death, brings life to all believers. Priest eternal, holy, innocent, unstained, he, as we can read in the Letter to the Hebrews, can save those who through Him approach God; he is ever-living to intercede for them ".
At the end of the Psalm is the triumphant king who, "supported by the Lord" scatters his enemies and judges the nations. "The sovereign, protected by the Lord, breaks down every obstacle and proceeds safely to victory. It tells us: yes, there is much evil in the world, there is an ongoing battle between good and evil and evil seems to be stronger. No! The Lord, our true King and Priest, Christ, is stronger because he fights with the power of God and despite all those things which make us doubt a positive outcome for history, Christ wins and good wins, love wins, not hatred. "
.png)
See also
