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Pope Benedict XVI- Audiences |
General Audience
“O where can I go”
H.H. Benedict XVI
December 14, 2005
www.zenit.org
Dear Brothers
and Sisters:
1. The Liturgy of Vespers - on whose Psalms and Canticles we are
meditating - offers us in two separate phases the reading of a
sapiential hymn of clear beauty and strong emotional impact: Psalm
139[138]. Today, we have before us the first part of the composition
(cf. vv. 1-12), that is, the first two strophes which respectively
exalt God's omniscience (cf. vv. 1-6) and his omnipresence in space
and in time (cf. vv. 7-12).
The purpose of the forceful images and expressions is to celebrate
the Creator: "If the greatness of the works created is immense",
said Theodoret of Cyr, a Christian writer of the fifth century, "how
much greater their Creator must be!"
(Discorsi sulla Provvidenza, 4: Collana di Testi
Patristici, LXXV, Rome, 1988, p. 115).
The Psalmist's meditation sought above all to penetrate the mystery
of God, transcendent yet close to us.
2. The substance of the message he offers us is straightforward:
God knows everything and is present beside his creature who cannot
elude him. However, his presence is neither threatening nor
inspectorial; of course, he also looks reprovingly at evil, to which
he is not indifferent.
Yet the basic element is that of a saving presence which can embrace
the whole being and the whole of history. In practice, this is the
spiritual scenario to which St Paul alluded at the Areopagus of
Athens, with recourse to a quotation from a Greek poet: "In him we
live and move and have our being" (Acts 17: 28).
3. The first part (cf. Ps 139[138]: 1-6), as I said, is the
celebration of the divine omniscience: in fact, verbs suggesting
knowledge are repeated, such as "scrutinize", "know", "discern",
"penetrate", "understand", "be wise".
As is well known, biblical knowledge exceeds pure and simple
intellectual learning and understanding; it is a sort of communion
between the One who knows and the one known: hence, the Lord is
intimately close to us while we are thinking and acting.
On the other hand, the second part of our Psalm (cf. vv. 7-12) is
dedicated to the divine omnipresence. The illusory desire of human
beings to flee from that presence is vividly described in it. The
whole of space is steeped in it: there is first of all the vertical
axis "heaven-hell" (cf. v. 8), which gives way to the horizontal
dimension which extends from dawn, that is, from the East, and
reaches as far as the Mediterranean "sea's furthest end", that is,
the West (cf. v. 9). Every sphere of space, even the most secret,
contains God's active presence.
The Psalmist continues, also introducing the other reality in which
we are immersed: time, symbolically portrayed by night and by
light, by darkness and by day (cf. vv. 11-12).
The gaze and the manifestation of the Lord of being and time even
penetrates the darkness, in which it is difficult to move about and
see. His hand is always ready to grasp ours, to lead us on our
earthly journey (cf. v. 10). This is not, therefore, a judgmental
closeness that inspires terror, but a closeness of support and
liberation.
And so we can understand what the ultimate, essential content of
this Psalm is: it is a song of trust. God is always with us. Even
in the darkest nights of our lives, he does not abandon us. Even in
the most difficult moments, he remains present. And even in the last
night, in the last loneliness in which no one can accompany us, the
night of death, the Lord does not abandon us.
He is with us even in this final solitude of the night of death. And
we Christians can therefore be confident: we are never left on our
own. God's goodness is always with us.
4. We began with a citation by the Christian writer Theodoret of
Cyr. Let us end by entrusting ourselves once again to him and to his
Fourth Discourse on Divine Providence, because in the
ultimate analysis this is the theme of the Psalm. He reflects on v.
6, in which the person praying exclaims: "Too wonderful for me,
[your] knowledge, too high, beyond my reach".
Theodoret comments on this passage by examining the interiority of
the conscience and personal experience, and says: "Having turned to
me and become intimate with me, after removing me from the external
din, he wanted to immerse me in contemplation of my nature....
Reflecting on these things and thinking of the harmony between the
mortal and the immortal natures, I am won over by so much wonder
and, not succeeding in contemplating this mystery, recognize my
defeat; furthermore, while I proclaim the victory of the Creator's
knowledge and sing hymns of praise to him, I cry: "Too wonderful
for me, [your] knowledge, too high, beyond my reach" (Collana di
Testi Patristici, LXXV, Rome, 1988, pp. 116, 117).
[To special groups:]
I am pleased to welcome the English-speaking pilgrims present at
this Audience, especially those from the United States of America.
In a special way I greet the group of Buddhists from Japan. Upon all
of you I invoke the Lord's Blessings of peace and joy.
Lastly, my greeting goes to the young people, the sick
and the newly weds.
Today's Memorial of St John of the Cross invites us, dear friends,
to turn the heart's gaze on the mystery hidden in Christ Jesus,
remembering that those who truly desire divine wisdom, desire first
of all to enter into "the depths of the Cross".
With these sentiments, let us prepare to live Christmas, now at
hand.
A good Advent season to you all!
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