Vatican City (AsiaNews) "History is not in the hands of dark forces, of chance, or of merely human choice" because "God is not indifferent to human affairs, but penetrates them creating His 'ways,' in other words His projects and His efficacious 'works'."
Pope Benedict XVI spoke of God's presence in history in light of the canticle of the Lamb in the Apocalypse to the 17,000 present at the Wednesday's general audience.
The Pope began talking about the Apocalypse as "the book of judgement, salvation and especially hope" that inspires fear, which is not the same as being afraid, but "is the recognition of the mystery of divine transcendence" and "the foundation of faith", and which is intertwined with love.
Divine intervention in history has a precise purpose; it is a sign inviting all the peoples of the earth to convert. "The nations must learn to 'read' God's message in history," the Pope said.
Humanity's adventure is neither confused and meaningless, as it may seem, nor hopelessly condemned to the reign of the overbearing and the perverse.
It is therefore possible to see divine action hidden in history. For this to happen, we must examine the signs of the time in the light of the Gospel to see them as the "manifestation of God's actions" as the Second Vatican Council recommends in the Guadium et spes constitution.
"This attitude of faith brings man to recognise God's power at work in history and to open himself up to fearing the name of the Lord".
"Thanks to fear in the Lord, we have no fear of the evil that rages in history. Thus, we can resume with vigour our march on the path of life" accompanied by the words Jesus uttered on his last day: "Be of good cheer; I have overcome the world!"