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POPE-AUDIENCE Jan-7-2009 (540 words) With photo. xxxi
True worship entails honoring God concretely in daily life, pope says
By Carol Glatz
Catholic News Service
VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- True worship entails honoring God, not in the abstract, but concretely in one's daily life, Pope Benedict XVI said.
Christians are called to offer themselves "as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God," and to glorify God in their "full daily existence," he said Jan. 7 at the first weekly general audience of 2009.
In a hoarse voice, the pope extended his New Year's greetings to about 4,000 pilgrims gathered inside the Paul VI hall.
He apologized, saying "I lost my voice, but I hope I will be able to make myself understood." Those at the audience then burst into applause.
The pope called on the faithful to renew their dedication to "opening one's heart and mind to Christ."
May the faithful continue to seek to live as true friends of Christ, he said.
"His companionship will mean that, even with this year's inevitable difficulties, the year can be a journey full of joy and peace," he said.
"In fact, only if we stay united with Jesus will it be a good and happy new year," he added.
In his catechesis, Pope Benedict continued his audience talks about the life and teaching of St. Paul, focusing on the apostle's definition of true worship.
According to St. Paul, Christ's death and resurrection brought about "a historic transformation that radically changed and renewed the nature of worship," he said.
The ancient Jewish ritual for the atonement of sins on Yom Yippur entailed sacrificing the life of an animal and sprinkling its blood upon the Ark of the Covenant in the Temple of Jerusalem, he said.
The lid of the Ark was believed to be the bridge or point of contact between God and humankind, he said.
The sacrificial blood on the lid "symbolically carried the sins from the past year to God and that way sins were more or less absorbed and forgiven by God" so that the people could start life anew, said the pope.
He said St. Paul knew this ritual was "an expression of the desire to be able to really put all of our sins in the abyss of divine mercy and, that way, make them disappear."
But true atonement could not come from the blood of animals, the apostle taught; it requires more direct and real contact with God, the pope said.
Through his death on the cross, Christ took upon himself the sins of all people, said the pope.
He said Jesus "is the point of contact between human misery and divine mercy."
"The dismal lump of evil carried out by humankind melts in the heart" of Jesus, thereby giving everyone new life, he said.
Sacrifice no longer involves the death of an animal, but does involve living one's life fully for Christ, he said.
He said St. Paul urges Christians to "offer our own bodies -- meaning our entire selves -- as a spiritual worship, not in the abstract, but in our concrete daily life."
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Editor's Note: The text of the pope's audience remarks in English will be posted online at: www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/audiences/2009/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20090107_en.html.
The text of the pope's audience remarks in Spanish will be posted online at: www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/audiences/2009/documents/hf_ben-xvi_aud_20090107_sp.html.
END
Copyright (c) 2009 Catholic News Service/USCCB. All rights reserved.
This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed.
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