VATICAN CITY, MAY 5, 2004 (VIS) - In today's general audience which took place in St. Peter's Square, the Pope spoke about the Canticle of the Letter of St. Paul to the Colossians, "Christ was created before all creatures; He is the first-born of all who rise from the dead."
John Paul II indicated that the liturgy of Vespers presents this "admirable Christological hymn" in which the "great figure of Christ, Lord of the universe" is highlighted: "'Because in Him all things were created. ... Everything was created by Him and for Him.' Therefore, there exists the transcendent plan of God which is carried out by His Son."
The Letter also presents, he continued, "another one of Christ's functions: He is also the Lord of the history of salvation which manifests itself in the Church and is brought to fruition in the 'blood of the cross,' font of peace and harmony for all of humanity. Therefore, not only is the external horizon characterized for us by the effective presence of Christ as well as ... history. History is not subject to blind and irrational forces despite sin and evil, it is subject and directed - through Christ's work - to plenitude."
The Holy Father said that the hymn "depicts a beautiful vision of the universe and of history, inviting us to have faith. We are not a small particle of insignificant dust, dispersed in space and time without meaning but rather we are part of a well-thought out project which comes from the Father's love."
The gratuitous love of God, he concluded, is expressed "when we read that all things were created by Him." St. Paul "also speaks about His love for human beings: 'He is the head of the body which is the Church,' seeking to show His intimate communion with us."
AG/COLOSSIAN HYMN/... VIS 20040505 (310)
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