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POPE-AUDIENCE May-14-2008 (620 words) With photos. xxxi
Pope says real dialogue looks for truth, unity
By Carol Glatz
Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Real dialogue is not a superficial exchange of ideas, Pope Benedict XVI said.
"The true spirit of dialogue looks not for the things that separate us, but for the truth" whose light will cast aside all that is false and unite on the basis of experiencing what is true, he said.
At his May 14 general audience in St. Peter's Square, the pope spoke about a sixth-century author whose writings have been attributed to a first-century disciple of St. Paul, Dionysius the Areopagite.
Instead of reading from his prepared text, the pope spoke extemporaneously about this "rather mysterious" author who created the "first mystical theology" in the Christian tradition.
Dionysius took the polytheistic and "deeply anti-Christian" Neoplatonic philosophy at the time and transformed them into a Christian theology that was accessible to people by using the "common thinking and language" of the revived Greek philosophy, the pope said.
He said it was "interesting this pseudo-Dionysius dared to use this (Neoplatonic) thinking to demonstrate the truth of Christ" and turn a universe of many gods into a cosmos created by God whose many creatures are in harmony, singing God's praise and reflecting God's beauty.
The author's work is in essence "a cosmic (hymn of) praise" in which all of God's creatures praise their maker, he said.
He said the faithful can discover God "by praising him, praying, not just thinking" about this divine being who is beyond the scope of human reason and understanding.
The liturgy is not something that was "invented to spend a religious hour" in church, but to gather the faithful together to sing together "with the chorus of creation and enter into the cosmic reality," said the pope.
The liturgy "becomes our union" using "the language of all of (God's) creatures," he said.
According to Dionysius, said the pope, human reason is too limited to be able to express who God really is so it's easier to talk about what God is not.
The pope said this negative theology makes Dionysius "a great mediator in the modern dialogue between Christianity and the mystical theologies of Asia" in which "one touches God by entering into the experience of this 'no.'"
With Christianity, however, the great and mysterious also become personal and concrete with Jesus, he said.
One can truly touch God through the experience of truth and not just by thinking about what the truth is, he said.
The pope said St. Francis of Assisi best expressed this experience as being "a very realistic, humble journey (made) day by day, heading toward Christ, accepting his cross in poverty and humility."
Through this "experience, which is greater than reflection, we can really touch the heart of God," said Pope Benedict.
This is why "dialogue does not spring forth from superficiality," he said.
It is when one enters into a deep union with Christ and discovers the truth that "the vast space for dialogue also opens up," he said.
The pope said people can then "meet the light of truth" which is "a light for all people."
Being united with the truth can eliminate the squabbling, let people get closer and understand each other, he said.
"The path of dialogue is really being close to Christ and God," he said.
When one is close to Jesus and experiences the truth then the light of truth and love can "emerge and help us go to meet the other," the pope said.
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Editor's Note: The Vatican text of the pope's remarks in English is available online at: www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/audiences/2008/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20080514_en.html.
The Vatican text of the pope's remarks in Spanish is available online at: www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/audiences/2008/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20080514_sp.html.
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