Vatican City, Jan 27, 2008 / 11:02 am
Before his weekly Sunday Angelus, the Pope noted that the kingdom of God announced by Jesus Christ is manifested in the integral healing of man.
Commenting on the Sunday reading of St. Matthew the Evangelist, the Pontiff recalled that the public mission of Jesus consists primarily of preaching the Kingdom of God and healing the sick.
The Pope recalled that in Jesus’ time, the term 'gospel' was used by Roman emperors for their own proclamations… Applying this word to the teachings of Jesus sent a critical message, it was like saying: God, not the emperor, is the Lord of the world.
The "good news," continued the Holy Father, "announces that God is the one that prevails, that God is the Lord and that his lordship is present, current, being done."
"The novelty of the message of Christ is that God is at hand in Christ who has come. That God rules in our midst as Christ’s healing miracles testify,” he added.
“The dominion of God manifests itself in the integral healing of human being.”
"The kingdom of God…affirms life over death, the light of truth that dispels the darkness of ignorance and lies," he concluded.