POPE: ONLY PRAYER CAN SAVE US FROM ANGUISH AND DEATH

[emad]

POPE: ONLY PRAYER CAN SAVE US FROM ANGUISH AND DEATH

(AGI) - Vatican City, Jan. 26 - The biblical image of "pray fallen into the trap of the inexorable hunter" was evoked by the Pope during today's general audience, to describe the anguish that assails man when he thinks about death. "It is like a bite that becomes ever harder", the old Pope confided,. "The bonds of existence are those of death, the ropes that torment are those of hell, that want to attract the living without ever placating them", he described revealing that the "danger of death", when experienced is often, "accompanied by psychic pain." "Sadness and anguish oppress me", the Pope said, quoting Psalm 114. "But - he added - from that tragic abyss comes a shout towards the only one who can extend a hand and pull us out of that inextricable knot." Abandoning his reading of the psalm, the Pope however recalled the prayer that Jesus's disciples, "shout" in the storm: "I beseech you, Lord: save me." "Thus implored Peter when, walking on the sea, he began to drown." And the Pope continued, "the Lord, invoked with faith, extended a hand, broke the bonds that were closing in, and dried the tears from his eyes, stopping him from falling into the hellish abyss."

As Origen wrote, the Pope said, "we are small and low, we can lengthen and look upwards, the Lord in response bends his head and listens to us." "If you, a soul return to paradise - other words from Origen quoted today - it is not because you decide it, but it is the mercy of God. If you have left paradise, it is your fault: however to return is God's mercy." Only faith can save us from the fear of death. "In the final count - the Pope commented - given that we are men and cannot become gods, God made us man and bent over us." (AGI) -
http://www.agi.it/english/news.pl?doc=200501261442-1106-RT1-CRO-0-NF11&page=0&id=agionline-eng.oggitalia

FEELS like someone's hurting badly....

Imminent re-start of the Rome murder trial of God's banker Roberto Calvi????

[oneighty]

1. Dear Mr. Pope

Please pray us out of Iraq. Please pray the sick are healed the hungry fed.

Come on man you can do it.

180

[Ezlivin]

7. No shit!

This whole "power of prayer" thing is really kind of spooky. Is there really an invisible superbeing who is going to care about the outcome of your football game or the color of the new church carpet?

Here in Texas we have a bunch of the "Health and Wealth" churches, claiming that God wants you to be healthy and wealthy, but never explaining why this magic power has yet to empty the homeless shelters and hospitals.

[purji]

2. I think getting republicans out of office

would help too.

[Hand]

3. Well...

A little birth control might help, too. Also condoms. Also stem cell research. But then I'm a bit of a materialist...

:grr:

[Ernesto]

4. A prayer and a dime will buy you

eh, just about nothing.

[opihimoimoi]

5. Yup, even at PRAYERS R US...them cheap prayers get hardly anything

[SmokingJacket]

6. Drives me nuts when people think they have The Answer

and the ONLY answer.

I'm glad it works for you, Pope, sir!

[matt819]

8. I don't buy this, but. . .

It at least has some merit coming from the leader of the Catholic Church. After all, if you're a believer, he does have a direct line, and faith is his job.

However, that kind of faith has no place in the leadership of the United States. Sure, go pray. Have at it. But prayer didn't stop that helicopter from crashing. It didn't help turn up WMD. The rest of us live in the real world. Faith is nice, but it's not real high on my list of priorities, especially when it's not accompanied by compassion, common sense, human dignity, etc.

[tubbacheez]

9. I'll agree w/ yonder pope if "prayer" can be expanded to mean...

... things like activism for universal health care, activism against war, activism for tolerance, and such.



If not all prayers need be performed on one's knees, my views and the Pope's may indeed jive on that statement.