God's Plan Is to Unite All Things in Christ

VATICAN CITY, NOV. 23, 2003 (Zenit.org).- Here is the address John Paul II delivered Sunday at noon, before praying the Angelus with pilgrims gathered in St. Peter's Square.

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Dear Brothers and Sisters!

1. Today, the last Sunday of the Liturgical Year, we celebrate the solemnity of Jesus Christ, King of the Universe. In the course of the months we contemplated him in all his mysteries, from his birth to his Ascension into heaven, placing at the center the Pasch of his Death and Resurrection. Now, with the Apostle Paul, we acknowledge that God's plan is "to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth." (Ephesians, 1:10)

2. Gazing on him whom the Eastern liturgy calls the "Pantokrator," the mission of believers assumes full importance, called to cooperate in the variety of ministries and charisms, in the building of his Kingdom. Against this background I am also pleased to place a particular ecclesial event that is taking place these days in Rome. I am referring to the Congress of Sacred Music of the St. Cecilia Association, organized on the centenary of the Motu proprio "Tra le sollecitudini," with which Pope St. Pius X gave an important instruction on sacred music.

I express my cordial greetings to the numerous participants and my gratitude to all those who put their talents and musical competence at the service of the liturgy.

3. Together with Jesus, King of the Universe, we contemplate Mary, Mother of the King, whom we thus invoke as Queen of Heaven and Earth. May she help us to make of our life a song of praise and fidelity to God, holy and merciful.


[After the Angelus, the Holy Father greeted pilgrims in several languages.]

I greet the participants in the International Festival of Sacred Music and Art, especially the friends of sacred music from Germany, the Wiener Philarmoniker of Austria, the musicians of St. Petersburg, and the members of the choir of the United States.

I cordially greet the Spanish-speaking pilgrims, especially the faithful of San Lorenzo and San Andres of Murcia. May Christ, Lord of the Universe, reign always in your hearts!

I greet the Italian-speaking pilgrims, in particular the Religious Association of the Socio-Health Institutes, who in the next few days will meet to celebrate forty years of activity.

I wish all a good Sunday.
[Translation by ZENIT]