Sydney, Australia, Jul 17, 2008 / 09:51 am
In his welcoming address to the young pilgrims at World Youth Day, the Holy Father spoke of the majesty of creation: the sparkle and vastness of the oceans, the beauty of the sunset before reinforcing that while nature is “truly wonderous,” man is the “apex of God’s creation.”
After greeting those present, the Pontiff recalled the evangelization of the Apostles and those who had brought the Gospels to Australia to inspire new generations. The Holy Father then said that now it is his turn to announce the Gospel, “Today, it is my turn. For some of us, it might seem like we have come to the end of the world! For people of your age, however, any flight is an exciting prospect. But for me, this one was somewhat daunting!”
After describing the aerial views from the plane as “truly wondrous,” Benedict commented how “the sparkle of the Mediterranean, the grandeur of the north African desert, the lushness of Asia’s forestation, the vastness of the Pacific Ocean, the horizon upon which the sun rose and set, and the majestic splendor of Australia’s natural beauty which I have been able to enjoy these last couple of days; these all evoke a profound sense of awe.”
Humanity is the apex of Creation