THE HUMAN BEING, MASTERPIECE OF CREATION

VATICAN CITY, DEC 28, 2005 (VIS) - Today, 20,000 persons participated in Wednesday's General Audience, in Saint Peter's Square. Benedict XVI, once again, spoke about the Psalms.

  The Pope said: "Psalm 138, (...) knowledgeable hymn of intense beauty and passion, points at the highest and most admirable reality of the entire universe, man, defined as the "prodigy" of God. A theme completely in harmony with the Christmas atmosphere (...) when we celebrate the great mystery of the Son of God, made man for our salvation".

  Benedict XVI reminded that throughout this psalm runs the recurrent symbol of the pottery maker and the sculptor that "form and model the artistic creation, the masterpiece" and adds that in the text the "idea that God already sees all the future of that still unformed embryo is extremely potent: in the book of the life of the Lord, already the days that creature will live has been written and would fill with works during his worldly existence. Thus the transcendent greatness of Divine knowledge re-emerges, which not only embraces the past and the present of humanity, but also the entire range hidden by the future".

  The Pope concluded quoting the reflection by Saint Gregory Major on this psalm which represents "a meditation on those who are weakest in their spiritual path in the Christian community". No matter how "imperfect or small they may be, according to their capabilities, they love God and their brethren (...) contributing to the edification of the Church (...) This is a message of hope for all, even for those who continue with difficulty along the path of spiritual and ecclesial life".

  After the catechesis, the Pope welcomed the pilgrims in various languages and in particular remembered "the dear populations hit by the tsunami a year ago, which caused many victims and great damage to the environment. We pray the Lord for them and for those, even in other areas of the world, that have suffered natural calamities, and await our concrete and active solidarity".
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