AUDIENCE: WITH THE LORD CLOSE, OBSTACLES ARE NOT TO BE FEARED

VATICAN CITY, MAY 15, 2002 (VIS) - In this Wednesday's general audience, celebrated in St. Peter's Square, the Pope spoke about a canticle of the third and last chapter of the Book of Habakkuk.

John Paul II emphasized that the hymn of Habakkuk "presents a grandiose image of the Lord. His figure stands out solemnly over the world and the universe trembles at His actions. It is an illumination of His transcendental mystery that is communicated to humanity." It is "God, far and close, elusive and yet next to us, even more, willing to be with us and in us."

"The Lord," he continued, "wants to enter into the history of humanity" to "judge it and make it better", without being "indifferent to evil, oppression and injustice."

The Holy Father indicated that this canticle shows "the compassionate clemency of God who rises from the horizon of His glory not only to destroy the arrogance of the ungodly, but also to save His people and His consecrated people, Israel, and His king. He also wants to be liberator of the oppressed, to cause hope to be born in the hearts of victims, to open a new era of justice."

"When one is close to the Lord," he ended, "nightmares and obstacles are no longer feared, but one continues with a light step and with joy on the path of life which is sometimes difficult."

AG;CANTICLE HABAKKUK;...;...;VIS;20020515;Word: 250;