Pope: the cross overturns the logic of power: folly for men, love for God <http://new.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=13612>http://new.asianews.it/index.php?l=en&art=13612
Continuing his illustration of the figure of St. Paul, Benedict XVI
spoke today of the theology of the cross. What seems to be a failure
"reveals the power of God, which is different from human power," and
grants salvation freely.
Emacs!
Vatican City (AsiaNews) - In our time, as for the Greeks before us,
"the criterion for opposition to Christianity is rational," the cross
is "foolishness, an insult to good common sense," and St. Paul
"repeatedly had the bitter experience of the rejection of
Christianity because of lack of understanding," in that it is
"unacceptable that God should become man, immersing himself in all
the limitations of space and time, and should moreover die on the
cross." In reality, the cross overturns the logic of power, and
demonstrates that the power of God is different from that of men.
The "foolishness" of "accepting a God who becomes man and is
defeated" to the point of death, which in reality is "salvation,
because it manifests God who freely saves man," and therefore is
"true wisdom," is the central content of the theology of the cross in
St. Paul, of which Benedict XVI spoke today to the twenty thousand
faithful present in St. Peter's Square for the general audience.
"For the logic of the Greeks, which is also the logic typical of our
time," the pope said, "understanding a God who became man and was
defeated, and then arose from the dead, is impossible: 'We should
like to hear you on this some other time', the Athenians told Paul
disdainfully when they heard him speak of the resurrection." "But
why," the pope asked, "did St. Paul make the cross the fundamental
point of his preaching? The answer," he said, "is not difficult: the
cross reveals the power of God, which is different from human power,
and especially his love." "God uses means and instruments that at
first glance seem only to be weakness to us, "and the cross "reveals
on the one hand the weakness of man, and on the other hand the true
power of God, which is the gratuity of love."
Since this summer, the pope has dedicated his reflections for the
general audience to the apostle of the Gentiles, and today he focused
on the Pauline doctrine of salvation by grace, "because everything
emerges from the death of Christ, and not from our works." The cross
is not a "scandal," as the Jews maintained, nor "folly," as the
Greeks thought, but "the revelation of the power and wisdom of God,
the supreme sign of the gratuitous and merciful love of God."
Benedict XVI illustrated the situation of the Church in Corinth, in
which "disorder and scandal were present to an alarming extent, and
in which communion was threatened by parties and internal divisions
that compromised unity." Here, Paul "presents himself not with words
of wisdom, but with the cross, not with persuasive words or
sophisticated arguments, but in the weakness of God." His power is
not persuasive language, but paradoxically the weakness of his
remarks," which rely only upon the cross. In Paul, "Jesus is risen,
he is alive, he is always with him." The "scandal and foolishness lie
precisely in the fact that where there seems to be failure, defeat,
suffering," the cross is "the expression of the love that is true
power, and reveals itself in an unexpected way."
In Paul, therefore, "the cross is fundamental in human history," "the
focal point of his theology is that salvation is grace, it is
bestowed." This is the "essential and primary element of his
teaching." It is a matter, then, of "accepting a profound conversion
in one's relationship with God," which "permits us to discover all of
the power of the Spirit of God in our life." "We too must find our
strength precisely in the humility of love," and "we must conform our
entire life to this true wisdom, living not for myself but for faith
in God": "all of us can say that he loved me and gave himself for me."
<*}}}>< <http://halfthekingdom.mofuse.mobi/>Half the Kingdom!
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<*}}}>< <http://www.halfthekingdom.org/wordpress/>Half the Kingdom!
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<*}}}>< <http://www.halfthekingdom.org/>Half the Kingdom! Main Site
<*}}}>< <*}}}>< <http://www.halfthekingdom.org/by-the-by/>Half the
Kingdom! By the by <*}}}><
Lord, may everything we do begin with Your inspiration and continue
with Your help,
so that all our prayers and works may begin in You and by You be happily ended.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
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May the blessing of Jesus and our Blessed Mother be with you
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<<attachment: c5fdba.jpg>>
<*}}}>< <http://halfthekingdom.mofuse.mobi/>Half the Kingdom!
on your Mobile <*}}}><
<*}}}>< <http://www.halfthekingdom.org/wordpress/>Half the Kingdom!
Blog <*}}}><
<*}}}>< <http://www.halfthekingdom.org/>Half the Kingdom! Main Site
<*}}}>< <*}}}>< <http://www.halfthekingdom.org/by-the-by/>Half the
Kingdom! By the by <*}}}><
Lord, may everything we do begin with Your inspiration and continue
with Your help,
so that all our prayers and works may begin in You and by You be happily ended.
We ask this through Christ our Lord.
Amen.
