Thursday, June 09, 2005
Fear of the Lord? What's that?
Good stuff, is what.
Vatican, Jun. 08 (CWNews.com) - Pope Benedict XVI (bio - news) spoke about "fear of the Lord" at his public audience on Wednesday, June 8.
Explaining that his "fear" should be understood as awe rather than dread, the Holy Father reminded his audience that this attitude is "the beginning of true wisdom."
Speaking to 35,000 people in a wind-swept St. Peter's Square, the Pope offered a short meditation on Psalm 110, noting how this hymn of praise includes many different words and phrases extolling the greatness of God. This psalm, he observed, opens with a prayer of thanksgiving and closes with a prayer of praise, promising that the gratitude of the believer "endures forever." In contemplation of the Almighty, the Pontiff said, the Christian does not experience "servile fear," but a "sincere and serious respect" that prompts "geninune and active adherence." Battered by the wind as he delivered his talk, the Pope broke from his text to joke that "the symbol of the Holy Spirit is among us." After his prepared remarks, he offered his greetings to several groups of pilgrims attending the audience. He welcomed a large Polish contingent, saying that he hoped they would be strengthened by the memory of Pope John Paul II (bio - news) in their "desire to give spiritual support to his successor." He offered a special welcome to Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, the Major Archbishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, and the Byzantine Catholic bishops who accompanied him.
Vatican, Jun. 08 (CWNews.com) - Pope Benedict XVI (bio - news) spoke about "fear of the Lord" at his public audience on Wednesday, June 8.
Explaining that his "fear" should be understood as awe rather than dread, the Holy Father reminded his audience that this attitude is "the beginning of true wisdom."
Speaking to 35,000 people in a wind-swept St. Peter's Square, the Pope offered a short meditation on Psalm 110, noting how this hymn of praise includes many different words and phrases extolling the greatness of God. This psalm, he observed, opens with a prayer of thanksgiving and closes with a prayer of praise, promising that the gratitude of the believer "endures forever." In contemplation of the Almighty, the Pontiff said, the Christian does not experience "servile fear," but a "sincere and serious respect" that prompts "geninune and active adherence." Battered by the wind as he delivered his talk, the Pope broke from his text to joke that "the symbol of the Holy Spirit is among us." After his prepared remarks, he offered his greetings to several groups of pilgrims attending the audience. He welcomed a large Polish contingent, saying that he hoped they would be strengthened by the memory of Pope John Paul II (bio - news) in their "desire to give spiritual support to his successor." He offered a special welcome to Cardinal Lubomyr Husar, the Major Archbishop of the Ukrainian Catholic Church, and the Byzantine Catholic bishops who accompanied him.
