“In our relationship with the Lord, in front of the most difficult and painful situations,
when it seems that God does not listen, we need not fear to entrust to Him all the
weight we carry in our hearts, we must not be afraid to cry out to Him in our suffering”,
said Pope Benedict XVI Wednesday as he continued his series of lessons on Christ’s
prayer in his General Audience, this week focusing on the cry of Jesus from the Cross:
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”. Listen:
He
said : “This cry comes after a three-hour period when there was darkness over the
whole land. Darkness is an ambivalent symbol in the Bible – while it is frequently
a sign of the power of evil, it can also serve to express a mysterious divine presence.
Just as Moses was covered in the dark cloud when God appeared to him on the mountain,
so Jesus on Calvary is wrapped in darkness. Even though the Father appears to be
absent, in a mysterious way his loving gaze is focussed upon the Son’s loving sacrifice
on the Cross.
In comments in Italian Pope Benedict said: “Jesus prays
at the time of ultimate rejection by men, at the time of abandonment; he prays, however,
aware of the presence of God the Father in this hour in which he feels the human drama
of death. But we wonder: how could a God so powerful not intervene to save his Son
from this terrible ordeal? It is important to understand that the prayer of Jesus
is not the cry of one who goes to meet death with despair, nor is it the cry of one
who knows himself to be abandoned. Jesus then makes his Psalm 22, the Psalm of the
people of Israel that suffers, and in this way not only takes upon Himself the punishment
of his people, but also that of all men who suffer from the oppression of evil and
at the same time, brings all of this to the heart of God himself in the certainty
that his cry will be heard in the resurrection”.
“This prayer of Jesus encloses
the utmost confidence and abandonment in God's hands, even when He seems absent, even
when He seems to remain silent, according to a design that is incomprehensible to
us. His is a suffering in communion with us and for us, that comes from love and already
carries within redemption, the victory of love”.
The Holy Father concluded:
“Dear friends, in prayer we bring our daily crosses to God, in the certainty that
He is present and hears us. The cry of Jesus reminds us that in prayer we must overcome
the barriers of our "self" and our problems and open ourselves to the needs and suffering
of others. The prayer of the dying Jesus on the Cross teaches us to pray with love
for so many brothers and sisters who feel the weight of everyday life, who are experiencing
difficult moments, who are in pain, without a word of comfort, so that they too can
feel the love of the God who never abandons”.
Following his catechesis Pope
Benedict launched an appeal for all the victims of a deadly cold snap that has gripped
much of Europe this week: “In recent weeks a wave of cold and frost has swept some
regions of Europe causing great inconvenience and considerable damage. I wish to express
my closeness to people affected by this intense bad weather, while I invite prayers
for the victims and their families. At the same time I encourage solidarity so that
those who are suffering from these tragic events are generously supported”.
And
finally he had greetings for pilgrims present in the Paul VI hall: “I greet all the
English-speaking visitors and pilgrims present at today’s Audience, including groups
from England, Ireland, Norway and the United States of America. I extend a special
welcome to the many students who are here, and I pray that your studies may serve
to deepen your knowledge and love of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Whatever
darkness you experience in your lives, may you always remain firm in faith, hope and
love. May God bless all of you!”