"THE FAITHFUL" AND "THE POOR" RESPOND TO GOD'S PATERNAL LOVE

VATICAN CITY, MAY 23, 2001 (VIS) - The theme of John Paul II's catechesis in today's general audience, held this morning in St. Peter's Square, and in which 13,000 faithful participated, was Psalm 149. He recalled that "the prayer which this Psalm inspires is the gratitude of a heart filled with jubilation."

The protagonists of the Psalm are "the pious, the faithful" and "the humble and the poor." The faithful, the Pope affirmed "found themselves involved in a battle for freedom; they fought to free their oppressed people and to give them the possibility to serve God."

"In the current perspective of our prayer," the Holy Father continued, "this war symbology becomes an image of our commitment as believers who, after having sung morning praise to God, set out on the streets of the world, in the midst of evil and injustice." The psalmist is trusting "because he knows he has the Lord near, who is the true King of history."

The Holy Father affirmed that "the poor, the humble" are "the oppressed, the wretched, those persecuted for justice, but also those who, faithful to the moral commitments of the Alliance with God, are marginalized by those who choose violence, wealth, and arrogance. In this light it can be understood that 'poor' is not only a social category but a spiritual choice."

The Pope concluded the catechesis emphasizing that "the song of Mary in the Gospel of Luke - the 'Magnificat' - is the echo of the best sentiments of the 'sons of Zion': joyful praise to God the Savior, gratitude for the great things done for her by the Almighty, battle against the forces of evil, solidarity with the poor, faithfulness to the God of the Alliance."

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