We trust in your merciful love!

Any punishment inflicted from on High is only just because of our sins, but our loving God will always heal those with contrite, humble hearts

At the General Audience of Wednes­day, 14 May, in St Peter's Square, the Holy Father reflected on the canticle from the Book of Daniel. Azariah and his companions have been bound and thrown into the fiery furnace and Azariah raises a fervent prayer of sup­plication to God. The Holy Father said that we too are invited to approach God with a contrite heart and a humble spirit, never losing faith. The following is a translation of the Pope's Catechesis, which was the 73rd in the series on the Psalms and Canticles and was given in Italian.

1. The Canticle that has just been pro­claimed is part of the Greek text of the Book of Daniel, presented as a fervent and sincere supplication raised to the Lord. It is the voice of Israel, experienc­ing the harsh trial of exile and of the di­aspora among the peoples. Indeed, it is an Israelite, Azariah, who intones the Canticle, set in the Babylonian panora­ma at the time of the exile of Israel af­ter the destruction of Jerusalem by King Nebuchadnezzar.

Azariah, with two other faithful Is­raelites, is "in the midst of the fire" (Dn 3:25), like a martyr ready to suffer death in order not to betray his con­science and his faith. He was con­demned to death for refusing to worship the imperial image.

A penitential prayer that leads to hope, not discouragement

2. The persecution is considered in this Canticle as a just punishment with which God purifies his sinful people: "In truth and justice you have brought all this upon us", Azariah confesses, "be­cause of our sins" (v. 28). We are there­fore in the presence of a penitential prayer that does not give way to dis­couragement or fear but to hope.

Of course, the starting point is sor­rowful, the despair deep, the trial bur­densome, and the divine judgment on the people's sin severe: "At this time there is no prince, or prophet, or lead­er, no burnt offering, or sacrifice, or oblation, or incense, no place to make an offering before you or to find mercy" (v. 38). The temple of Zion is destroyed and it seems as though the Lord no longer dwells among his people.

God is faithful and will always be true to his promises

3. In the present tragic situation, hope seeks its roots in the past, that is, in the promises made to the fathers. It goes back, therefore, to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob (cf. v. 35), to whom God as­sured blessings and fruitfulness, a land and importance, life and peace. God is faithful and will not be untrue to his promises. Even if justice demands that Israel be punished for its sins, the cer­tainty that mercy and pardon will al­ways have the last word endures. The Prophet Ezekiel previously mentioned these words of the Lord: "Have I any pleasure in the death of the wicked... and not rather that he should turn from his way and live?...  For I have no plea­sure in the death of anyone" (Ez 18:23, 32). Now, of course, is the time of hu­miliation: "For we, O Lord, have be­come fewer than any nation and are brought low this day in all the world be­cause of our sins" (Dn 3:37). Yet we do not have an expectation of death, but of new life, after purification.

The most precious sacrifice: a 'contrite heart' and 'humble spirit'

4. The man praying approaches the Lord, offering him the most precious and acceptable sacrifice: a "contrite heart" and "humbled spirit" (v. 39; cf. Ps 51 [50]:19). Indeed, it is the centre of existence, the "I" renewed by the trial that it offers to God, so that he might accept it as a sign of conversion and dedication to do good.

By this inner disposition, fear is over­come, confusion and shame are put to flight (cf. Dn 3:40), and the spirit opens to confidence in a better future, when the promises made to the fathers will be fulfilled.

The last sentence of Azariah's en­treaty, as it is proposed by the liturgy, has a strong emotional impact and deep spiritual intensity: "now with all our heart we follow you, we fear you and seek your face..." (v. 41). In these words lingers an echo of another Psalm: "My heart says to you, 'Your face, Lord, do I seek'" (Ps 27[26]:8).

The time has now come when our journey is leaving behind the perverse routes of evil, the crooked paths and de­vious ways (Prv 2:15). We are beginning to follow the Lord, moved by the desire to find his face. And his face is not an­gry but filled with love, as was the mer­ciful father's for his prodigal son (cf. Lk 15:11-32).

We trust in God's mercy in order to come close to his holy glory

5. Let us conclude our reflection on the Canticle of Azariah with the prayer written by St Maximus the Confessor in his Discorso Ascetico (37-39), inspired by the text of the Prophet Daniel. "For your name's sake do not abandon us forever, do not break your covenant, nor withdraw your mercy from us (cf. Dn 3:34-35), through your mercy, O, Our Father in Heaven, through the compassion of your Only-begotten Son and the mercy of your Holy Spirit….  Do not be deaf to our plea, O Lord, and do not abandon us for ever.

"Let us not trust in our own works of justice but in your mercy, through which you preserve our race…. Do not despise our unworthiness, but have pity on us in accordance with your great mercy, and take away our sins through the fullness of your mercy, so that, without condemnation, we may come close to your holy glory and be deemed worthy of the protection of your Only-­begotten Son".

St Maximus ends: "Yes, O Lord, Almighty Master, hear our plea, for we recognize none other than you" (Umanità e Divinità di Cristo, Rome 1979, pp. 51-52).

L'Osservatore Romano May 21, 2003
Reprinted with permission