GENERAL AUDIENCE: THE "UNITING" OF ALL THINGS IN CHRIST

VATICAN CITY, FEB 14, 2001 (VIS) - The theme of John Paul II's catechesis for today's general audience, held in the Paul VI Hall, was: "The 'uniting' of all things in Christ."

The Pope affirmed that "the salvific design of God, 'the mystery of His will' concerning every creature, is expressed in the Letter to the Ephesians with a characteristic term: 'to unite' all things, heavenly and earthly, in Christ." Thus, "Christ confers a unifying meaning to all syllables, words, and works of creation and of history."

"In the expression 'all things'," affirms Irenaeus, "is included man, touched by the mystery of the Incarnation. ... Christ is the new Adam, that is, the First-born of the human faithful," who cancels the sin "which Adam in rebellion sowed in the secular affairs of humanity and in the horizon of creation. With His full obedience to the Father, Christ opens the era of peace with God and among men, reconciling scattered humanity in Himself."

The Holy Father continued the catechesis affirming: "This work will reach fulfillment in the fullness of time, when," as Paul also recalls, "'God may be everything to everyone'. ... Christ will 'deliver the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power ... The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For God has put all things in subjection under the feet' of His Son."

"The Church, bride in love with the Lamb," the Holy Father concluded, "with her gaze fixed on that day of light, raises the ardent invocation: 'Maranatha', 'Come, Lord Jesus!'"

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