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Pope Benedict XVI- General Audiences |
General Audience
"Sing
a new song!"
H.H.
Benedict XVI
January 25, 2006
www.zenit.org
Dear Brothers and Sisters:
1.
Today concludes the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity,
during which we reflected on the constant necessity to invoke the
Lord for the immense gift of full unity among all of Christ's
disciples. Indeed, this prayer contributes in an essential way to
make the common ecumenical effort of the Churches and Ecclesial
Communities more sincere and fruitful.
At this gathering of ours, I would like to take up once more the
meditation on Psalm 144[143], proposed by the Liturgy of Vespers in
two distinct moments (cf. vv. 1-8 and vv. 9-15). The tone is still
hymnal and entering into the scene is, also in the second movement
of this Psalm, the figure of the "Anointed One", that is, the
"Consecrated One" par excellence, Jesus, who draws everyone to
himself to make of all "one" (cf. Jn 17:11, 21). It is not by chance
that the scene dominating the hymn is marked by prosperity and
peace, symbols typical of the messianic era.
2. For this reason, the hymn is defined as "new", a term which, in
biblical language, evokes not so much the exterior novelty of the
words, as the ultimate fullness that seals hope (cf. v. 9). It
sings, therefore, of the destination of history where the voice of
evil, described by the Psalmist as "lies" and "perjury", expressions
which indicate idolatry (cf. v. 11), will finally be silenced.
But this negative aspect is replaced by a more spacious positive
dimension, that of the new world, a joyful one about to appear. This
is the true shalom or messianic "peace", a luminous horizon
that is articulated with a series of images drawn from social life:
they too can become for us an auspice for the birth of a more just
society.
3. It is above all the family (cf. v. 12) that is founded on
generations of young people. Sons, the hope of the future, are
compared to strong saplings; daughters are like sturdy columns
supporting the house, similar to those of a temple.
From the family we pass on to agriculture and farming, to the fields
with its crops stored in the barns, with large flocks of grazing
sheep and the working animals that till the fertile fields (cf. vv.
13-14).
Our gaze then turns to the city, that is, to the entire civil
society which finally enjoys the precious gift of public peace and
order. Indeed, the city walls are never more to be "breached" by
invaders during assaults; raids are over, that mean plundering and
deportation, and finally, the "sound of weeping" of the despairing,
the wounded, victims and orphans, the sad inheritance of war, is no
longer raised (cf. v. 14).
4. This portrait of a different yet possible world is entrusted to
the work of the Messiah and also to that of his people. Under the
guidance of Christ the Messiah, we must work together for this
project of harmony and peace, stopping war's destructive action of
hatred and violence. It is necessary, however, to make a choice,
choosing to be on the side of the God of love and justice.
It is for this reason that the Psalm ends with the words: "Happy the
people whose God is the Lord" (v. 15). God is the Good of goods, the
condition of all other goods.
Only a people that knows God and defends spiritual and moral values
can truly go towards a profound peace and also become a strength of
peace for the world and for others; therefore, together with the
Psalmist they can sing the "new song", full of trust and hope.
Spontaneous reference is made to the new covenant, to the novelty
itself of Christ and his Gospel.
This is what St Augustine reminds us. Reading this Psalm, he also
interprets the words: "I will play on the ten-stringed harp to you".
To him, the ten-stringed harp is the law summed up in the Ten
Commandments.
But we must find the right peg for these ten strings, these Ten
Commandments. And only if these ten cords of the Ten Commandments -
as St Augustine says - are strummed by the charity of the heart do
they sound well.
Charity is the fullness of the law. He who lives the Commandments as
a dimension of the one charity, truly sings the "new song". Charity
that is united to the sentiments of Christ is the authentic "new
song" of the "new man", able to create also a "new world".
This Psalm invites us to sing "on the ten-stringed harp" with a new
heart, to sing with the sentiments of Christ, to live the Ten
Commandments in the dimension of love and to thereby contribute to
the peace and harmony of the world (cf. Esposizioni sui Salmi,
143, 16: Nuova Biblioteca Agostiniana, XXVIII, Rome,
1977, p. 677).
To special groups
I welcome the English-speaking pilgrims here today, especially the
students and teachers from Denmark and the ecumenical group from
Japan. I greet also those who have come from Ireland, New Zealand
and the United States of America. May you experience in your lives
the peace and joy of Christ our Lord, and may God bless you all.
Lastly, my thought goes to you, young people, the sick
and newly-weds. Among the young people I especially have in
mind the students of the "Leopardi" lycée of San Benedetto del
Tronto, accompaniedbyBishopGervasio Gestori, and the alumni of the "Pio
IX" Pontifical School of Rome. Following the example of the Apostle
Paul, whose conversion we celebrated today, I invite you all to live
authentically the Christian vocation.
©
Copyright 2006 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana
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