AUDIENCE: THE HAND OF THE LORD LEADS TO VICTORY OVER EVIL

VATICAN CITY, DEC 5, 2001 (VIS) - In the general audience, held this morning in the Paul VI Hall, the Holy Father spoke on Psalm 117, "Song of joy and victory."

The Pope recalled that the Psalm contains "two phrases that will come to echo in the New Testament: ... 'the stone which the builders rejected has become the corner-stone,' (and) ... 'blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord'." The Psalm is part of what is known as "the Easter 'Hallel', in other words the psalmic praise used by Jews for the Passover as well as for other principal solemnities of the liturgical year.

"The unifying theme of Psalm 117 may be considered to be the processional rite ... with the backdrop of the Holy City and its temple. ... A hymn of praise is sung in which there is an essential message: that even in times of anguish, the torch of faith must be held high, because the mighty hand of the Lord leads His faithful to victory over evil and to salvation."

John Paul II indicated that when the procession reaches the temple, a second thanksgiving hymn is sung. "The final scene that opens before us is a joyous rite of sacred dances, accompanied by a festive waving of branches. ... This rite, evoked by the Psalm, is presented to Christians again in Jesus' entry into Jerusalem, celebrated by the liturgy of Palm Sunday."

"Psalm 117," he concluded, "encourages Christians to recognize in the events of Easter, 'the day which the Lord has made', when 'the stone which the builders rejected has become the corner-stone'."

AG;PSALM 117;...;...;VIS;20011205;Word: 280;