AUDIENCE: THE EXPERIENCE OF THE FATHER OF JESUS IN NAZARETH

VATICAN CITY, MAR 3, 1999 (VIS) - "The experience of the Father of Jesus in Nazareth" was the theme of John Paul II's catechesis during the general audience held this morning in St. Peter's Square.

"In his trinitarian mystery," the Pope told the 23,000 pilgrims present, "God is Father through essence, the eternal Father, in that He generates the Word who is consubstantial with Him, and united to Him in the Holy Spirit."

The Pope explained that "on the basis of this specific revelation of the Father, there is the experience of Jesus. By his words and attitudes, it is evident that he experiences a special relationship with the Father."

"The relationship between Jesus and the Father is unique. ... Jesus can present himself as He who reveals the Father, with knowledge which is the fruit of an intimate and mysterious reciprocity." The Father calls Jesus his "Beloved Son" and the Son "expresses affectionate tenderness" towards the Father by calling him "Abba."

The Holy Father said that the term "'Abba' shows the extraordinary closeness between Jesus and God the Father, an unprecedented intimacy in the religious biblical context or outside the biblical context. ... This simple expression of childlike language ... has taken on a deeply relevant doctrinal meaning to express the singular divine fatherhood in relation to Jesus and his disciples."

"Recognizing Jesus before men," he concluded, "is essential to be recognized by Him before the Father. In other words, our relationship as children of the Heavenly Father depends on our courageous fidelity to Jesus, his beloved Son."

AG;GOD FATHER;...;...;VIS;19990303;Word: 270;