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JOHN PAUL II
GENERAL AUDIENCE
Wednesday, January 10, 1990
1. In biblical language, the emphasis on "ruah" as a "breath of God" seems to show that the analogy between the action of invisible divine, spiritual, insightful, powerful, and the wind, was rooted in psychology and tradition, which drew and at the same time gave new food the sacred authors. Despite the variety of meanings derivatives, the term always needed to express a "life force" operating outside or inside man and the world. Even when not directly designated the divine person, the term refers to God - "the spirit (or breath) of God" - stamped and grow in the soul of Israel was the idea of a spiritual God who intervenes in history and in the life of ' man, and prepared the ground for the future revelation of the Holy Spirit.
So we can already say that the narrative of creation in the Book of Genesis, the presence of the "spirit (or wind) of God," that hovered over the waters and the land was deserted and empty, and darkness covered the abyss (cf. January 1, 2), is a highly effective reference to "the life force". It suggests that the "breath" or "spirit" of God has had a role in creating almost a power of animation, along with the "word" that gives being and the order of things.
2. The connection between the Spirit of God and the waters, we observe the beginning of the story of creation, he finds himself in a different form in different parts of the Bible and will become even closer, because the Spirit himself is presented as a water fertilizing, source of new life. In the Book of Consolation, Second-Isaiah expresses this promise of God: "I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground. I will pour my spirit upon your descendants, and my blessing on your offspring; grow like grass amid waters, like willows by flowing water ( Is 44: 3-4). The water slide is God's promises to his spirit, that he "pay" for the children of his people. Not unlike the prophet Ezekiel announces that God "will pour out" his spirit upon the house of Israel ( Ezekiel 39: 29), and the prophet Joel takes the same expression that assimilates the spirit poured in water: "I will pour my spirit, God says, on all flesh. . . "( Joel 3, 1).
The symbolism of water, with reference to the Spirit, will be resumed in the New Testament and enriched with new shades. We shall have occasion to return.
3. In the story of creation, after the initial mention of the spirit or breath of God was hovering over the waters ( January 1, 2) we no longer find the word "ruah", the Hebrew name of the spirit. The way, however, that describes the creation of man suggests a relationship with the spirit or breath of God In fact it is stated that, after formed man of the dust of the ground the Lord God "breathed into his nostrils the breath of life and man became a living soul "( Gen. 2: 7). The word "breath" (in Hebrew "neshama") is a synonym for "breath" or "spirit" ("ruah"), as shown by the parallelism with other texts instead of "breath of life" read "the breath of life "( January 6, 17). On the other hand, the action of "blowing", attributed to God in the creation account, is ascribed to the Spirit in prophetic vision of the resurrection ( Ezekiel 37: 9).
The Holy Scripture makes us understand that God then spoke through his breath or spirit of man to make a living being. In humans, there is a "breath of life", which comes from the "blow" of God himself. In humans, there is a breath or spirit that resembles the breath or spirit of God
When the Book of Genesis, Chapter 2, speaks of the creation of animals ( January 2, 19), no signs of such a close relationship with the breath of God From the previous chapter we know that man was created "in the image and likeness of God "( January 1, 26-27).
4. Other provisions, however, admit that animals also have a breath or breath of life, and that they have received from God From this point the man out of the hands of God, appears in solidarity with all living beings. Thus Psalm 104 poses no distinction between men and animals when he says, turning to God, the Creator: "All of you expect you to give them their food in due season. You give it, they gather it "( Ps. 104: 27-28). Then the Psalmist adds: "If you take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. When you send forth your spirit, they are created and renewed the face of the earth "( Ps. 104: 29-30). The existence of the creatures thus depends on the action of the breath and spirit of God, that not only creates but also maintains and continually renews the face of the earth.
5. The first creation, unfortunately, was devastated by sin. However, God did not abandon to destruction, but prepared salvation, which was to form a "new creation" (cf. Is 65, 17; Gal 6, 15, Ap 21, 5). The action of the Spirit of God for this new creation is suggested by Ezekiel's famous prophecy about the resurrection. In an impressive vision, the prophet has a vast plain under the eyes "full of bones," and is ordered to prophesy to these bones and proclaim: "O dry bones, hear the word of the Lord. The Lord says to these bones: Behold, I will let you in the Spirit, and you shall live. . . "( Ez 37: 1-5). The Prophet performs the divine order and sees "a movement between the bones, which approached one another, each to its corresponding" ( Ez 37, 7). Then appear the nerves, the flesh grows, the skin covering the body, and finally, the voice of the prophet, the spirit enters into the bodies, then returning to life and stand up ( Ez 37, 8-10).
The first meaning of this vision was to announce the restoration of the people of Israel after the destruction and exile: "These bones are the whole house of Israel," says the Lord. The Israelites were considered lost, hopeless. God promises them: "I will put my spirit in you and you will live" ( Ez 37, 14). However, in the light of the paschal mystery of Jesus, the prophet's words take on a stronger sense, to announce a real resurrection of our mortal bodies through the action of God's Spirit
The apostle Paul expresses this certainty of faith, saying, "If the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you "( Rom 8, 11).
The new creation, in fact, got its start thanks to the action of the Holy Spirit in the death and resurrection of Christ. In his Passion, Jesus has accepted fully the action of the Holy Spirit in his human being (cf. Heb 9: 14), which led through death to new life (cf. Rom 6, 10), that he is now able to communicate to all believers by sending them this same Spirit, first in a tentative way, in baptism, then fully in the final resurrection.
On the evening of Easter, the risen Jesus appeared to his disciples in the Upper Room, renews on them the same action that God the Creator had made about Adam. God had "blown" on the human body to give it life. Jesus "blows" on the disciples and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit" ( Jn 20, 22).
The human breath of Jesus serves as the implementation of a divine work still more wonderful than the initial one. This is not only to create a living man, as in the first creation, but to introduce men into the divine life.
6. With good reason, therefore, St. Paul makes an antithesis and parallelism between Adam and Christ, between the first and second creation, when he writes: "If there is an animated body (in greek psychikon , from psyche which means soul) , there is also a spiritual body ( pneumatikon , that is completely permeated and transformed by the Spirit of God), it is written, The first man Adam became a living soul ( January 2, 7), but the last Adam became spirit that gives life "( 1 Cor 15, 45). Risen Christ, the new Adam, is so permeated, in his humanity, the Holy Spirit, that he may be called "spirit."
In fact, this is not only his humanity the fullness of the Holy Spirit for herself, but also the ability to communicate the life of the Spirit to all men. "If anyone is in Christ, writes St. Paul, is a new creation" ( 2 Cor 5: 17).
It manifests itself so fully in the mystery of Christ dead and risen, and renewing the creative action of the Spirit of God, which the Church calls saying, "Veni Creator Spiritus", "Come, Creator Spirit."
To the faithful of the French language Chers Frères et Soeurs, En ce début d'année, j'offre tous mes voeux aux visiteurs et de langue française ici aux Pèlerins présents. Je leur de tout coeur women but Bénédiction Apostolique. For the English-speaking pilgrims Dear Brothers and Sisters, I wish to welcome the Inglese-speaking pilgrims and visitors present at today's audience. In a Particular way, my greetings go to the priests from the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, led by Their Archbishop, who are currently on pilgrimage in Rome. To all of you I cordially impart my Apostolic Blessing as a pledge of grace and peace in our Lord Jesus Christ. To the faithful of the German language Schwestern und Liebe Brüder! Mit dieser Betrachtung grüße ich sehr herzlich to anwesenden Pilger deutscher Sprache, besonders eine Gruppe von Ordensfrauen Kongregationen und aus verschiedenen Ländern, die zu einem Gebets-und sind versammelt Erneuerungskurs in The Retort. Moge Euch der Heilige Geist in EUREM Leben und sein Wirken ein ständiger Begleiter. Dazu erteile und ich Euch allen meinen pilgern besonderen Apostolischen Segen. To the faithful of the Castilian language Amadísimos hermanos y hermanas, I present ahora me more cordial saludo a todos los peregrinos y visitantes provenientes de los diversos países de América Latina y España. Doy me more cordial bienvenida Peregrinación at the Centre de disminuidos psíquicos "Casa Nostra", de Lerida. Deseo también saludar with afecto todo los católicos de Guinea Ecuatorial, siguen nuestro encuentro de los que a través de miércoles Vatican Radio, y les aliento Ser de paz y siempre CONSTRUCTORES itself matches, mientras les de corazón especial Bendición impart an Apostolic See. To the pilgrims of the Portuguese language Caríssimos irmãos and irmãs língua de portuguesa, Saúdo cordially quantos Estao to-me ouvir, desejando-lhes or todo bem com Favores de Deus, or give a minha-lhes Benção. To the faithful Poles Wszystkich pielgrzymów z Polski pozdrawiam serdecznie. Ks bpa Alojzego Orszulika serdecznie Witamy w Rzymie pierwszy raz bit konsekracji; prócz tego pozdrawiam wszystkich indywidualnych pielgrzymów zarówno z kraju, jak iz emigracji, w szczególności uczestników grupy Esperanto-Tour Bydgoszczy oraz z grupy Orbis. . . . Wszystkim zgromadzonym ici, calej naszej Ojczyźnie życz błogosławieństwa Bożego nowym roku w, w obecnych trudnych zmaganiach or to, ażeby wyjść z kryzysu the odzyskać właściwą Droge życia wspólnego we szystkich dziedzinach. For many Italian groups I am pleased to greet the participants in the Second National Conference on communitarian personalism, entitled "People and Development at the time of the Post-Liberalism" held recently in Teramo. They, led by Archbishop Monsignor Antonio Nuzzi, they asked to take part in this hearing, that fits in with international celebrations to mark the 40th anniversary of the death of the philosopher Emmanuel Mounier. I am glad for your conference, in a concrete way in which you wished to address the issues about the human person and Development, in this particular historical epoch, characterized by rapid and radical changes. I encourage you to continue in this research, which will provide an opportunity for an exchange of ideas between people working in the field of culture, in harmony with the Christian inspiration personalist ethics. Do well my welcome to the members of the Board of Directors and members of the Rural and Artisan Bank of Sannio, joints, numerous, pilgrimage to the tomb of the Apostles. We hope that the visit to Rome, the center of Christianity, makes it all the more firm the traditions of faith and Christian life that animate your peoples and of which he is eloquent testimony to the practical solidarity that is at the origin of the cooperative movement of your province . My greeting also goes to the members of the Central Council of the Italian Association Amici di Raoul Follereau which, together with the heads of the Brazilian MORHAN, wanted to testify, by their presence continued commitment in the fight against leprosy in Italy and in the world . This meeting takes place at a short distance from the World Day of Leprosy, concrete occasion of Christian brotherhood and solidarity among all men, which this year has the theme: "to live is to help you live." On that date I will, God willing, on a pastoral visit in West Africa, will turn to a leper colony on that continent a special message for the occasion, so that this day is really a brotherly "love date" with the sick of leprosy. To the young, the sick and newlyweds I would now like to extend my affectionate greeting to the young, the sick and the newlyweds, who have come to Rome as pilgrims, in these early days of the new year, still suffused with the joyful atmosphere of Christmas holidays. Dear young people, I hope you will always live in the enthusiasm that comes from faith, knowing continually seek in Christ, the Incarnate Word, your best friend and traveling companion. And you, dear sick people, who are experiencing the limitations and suffering caused by illness or physical disability, know to look at your present and your future with the confidence of one who knows that he is beloved by Christ and with the knowledge that your tests offerings to the Lord will help many brothers regain health of the soul. Finally, I wish you, dear newlyweds, to be more credible witnesses of the love of the Savior, living among us, has brought on the earth, and that, if realized, will make it so beautiful and fruitful of good fruits your nascent family community.
© Copyright 1990 - Libreria Editrice Vaticana
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