Pope Benedict XVI Blog

Pope Challenges Secular Values; Says True Life Comes from Lord, Not Comfortable Lives

Pope chides power, prestige and the ‘comfortable life’

Vatican City, May. 04, 2005 (CNA) - Some 13,000 pilgrims turned out for Pope Benedict XVI’s Wednesday audience today in which he chided temptations to overemphasize power, prestige, and what he called the “comfortable life.”

In the audience, he resumed his catechesis on the Psalms and Canticles, which was begun by the late John Paul II.

The Pope spoke about Psalm 120, "the keeper of Israel," explaining that it forms part of the "'songs of ascent,” or the “pilgrimage towards the meeting with the Lord in the Temple of Zion."

He pointed out that the name of God is used as "the keeper, ever alert, watchful and considerate, the 'sentinel' who keeps watch over his people to protect them from all risks and dangers."

Here, Pope Benedict, speaking off-the-cuff challenged those gathered, saying that, power, prestige and the comfortable life are sometimes considered "the high points of our lives." In reality, he said, they are not so "because true life comes from the Lord."

The Holy Father continued, pointing to the psalmist, who "raises his 'eyes to the hills,' in other words to the heights where Jerusalem stands. From there comes help, because there the Lord dwells in His holy temple."

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posted by Dr. Denice Hanley, DPM, M.Div. @ 10:26 PM