²⁵ Fear of man will prove to be a snare,
but whoever trusts in the Lord is kept safe.

Proverbs 29:25 (New International Version)

Science and technology, fruits of human genius, make life easier but also cast long shadows—from a wounded Earth to atomic and biomedical dangers. They may shape the world, but they cannot explain why we live or overcome evil, suffering, and death.

The modern person is each of us—heart and mind, walking between hunger and fracture. We seek love as homes break; security and worth as old roots loosen; and freedom as shared moral ground erodes. Without the light of what we ought to do, freedom becomes the shadow of selfishness and force.

These wounds call for a higher wisdom—one that renews the mind, heart, and will, teaching us to love truth and goodness and to journey from the seen to the unseen.

We are invited to write a new chapter in Christian life as our world continues to change. The Gospel nurtured Europe’s roots, affirming human dignity, family, rights, and moral life. Today, we must choose between Christ, who reveals God as the source of truth, goodness, and freedom, and a horizon closed to transcendence and guided by consensus alone. History reminds us that without a higher star to guide us, power can overshadow the person and freedom can fade.

The hour is here: let wisdom become our light.

Excerpted from the words of His Holiness, Saint Pope John Paul II
ECUMENICAL MEETING AT THE LUTHERAN CATHEDRAL OF NIDAROS
Trondheim, Norway – 2 June 1989
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¹⁴ But I trust in you, Lord;
I say, “You are my God.”

¹⁵ My times are in your hands;
deliver me from the hands of my enemies,
from those who pursue me.

Psalm 31:13-15 (New International Version)

In this place of memories, the mind, heart, and soul feel an extreme need for silence. Silence in which to remember. Silence in which to try to make some sense of the memories which come flooding back. Silence because there are no words strong enough to deplore the Shoah.

We wish to remember. But we want to remember for a purpose, namely to ensure that never again will evil prevail …

How could humankind have such utter contempt for humanity?

Because humankind had reached the point of contempt for God!

Only a Godless ideology could plan and carry out the extermination of [the other].

The Church rejects racism in any form as a denial of the Creator’s image inherent in every human being (Genesis 1:26).

Jews and Christians [and Muslims] share an immense spiritual patrimony, flowing from God’s self-revelation. Our religious teachings and our spiritual experience demand that we overcome evil with good. We remember, but not with any desire for vengeance or as an incentive to hatred. For us, to remember is to pray for peace and justice and to commit ourselves to their cause. Only a world at peace, with justice for all, can avoid repeating the mistakes and terrible crimes of the past.

Let us build a new future in which there will be no more anti-Jewish feeling among Christians or anti-Christian feeling among Jews [or anti-Muslim sentiments among Jews and Christians and vice-versa]. Let us move toward the mutual respect required of those who adore the one Creator and Lord and look to Abraham as our common father in faith.

“I hear the whispering of many – terror on every side! – But I trust in you, O Lord; I say, ‘You are my God.’” (Psalm 31:13-15).

Excerpted from the words of His Holiness, Saint Pope John Paul II
To the Holy Land, Visit to The Yad Vashem Museum
Jerusalem – Yad Vashem, Thursday, 23 March 2000
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“Your face, Lord, do I seek; hide not your face from me”

(Psalm 27: 8-9)

Men and women seek God. Young people realize that this quest is the inner law of their lives in the depths of their being. Human beings seek their way in the visible world and, through the visual world, they seek the unseen world at every stage of their spiritual journey. Each of us can repeat the words of the Psalmist: “Your face, Lord, do I seek; hide not your face from me” (Psalm 27: 8-9) [Editor’s note: This is the dream of all humankind.]

We all have our personal history and an innate desire to see God, a passion that makes itself felt simultaneous as we discover the created world. This world is wonderful and rich; it sets before us countless treasures; it enchants us; it attracts both our reason and our will. But in the end, it does not satisfy our spirit. Man realizes that this world, with its many riches, is superficial and precarious; in a sense, it is destined for death.

As regards man himself, each person comes into the world, is born from a mother’s womb, grows, and matures. We discover our vocation and develop our personality throughout our years of activity; then the moment comes when we must leave this world. The longer we live, the more we realize how precarious life is, and the more we wonder about immortality: what exists beyond the frontiers of death? Then, from the depths of our being, there arises the same question asked of the one who conquered death:

“Rabbi, where are you staying?”. Teacher, you who love and respect the human person, you who have shared in human suffering, you who illuminate the mystery of human existence, help us discover the true meaning of our life and vocation! “Your face, Lord, do I seek; hide not your face from me” (Psalm 27: 8-9).

The response to the question “Teacher, where do you live?” Christ dwells among his people. In the New Testament, God’s election has been extended to all the peoples of the earth. In Jesus Christ, God has chosen all humanity for his own. There is no longer Jew or Greek in Christ, nor slave or free; all are now one (Galatians 3: 28). Everyone is called to share in God’s life [Editor’s note: This is the dream of God].

Excerpted from the words of His Holiness, Saint Pope John Paul II
Apostolic Journey to Paris, Mass for 12th Youth Holiday
Paris, 24 August 1997
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⁹ We love because he first loved us.
²⁰ Whoever claims to love God yet hates a brother or sister is a liar. For whoever does not love their brother and sister, whom they have seen, cannot love God, whom they have not seen.

1 John 4:19-20 (New International Version)

My presence here among you further signifies that the Catholic Church wants to engage in a deeper dialogue with the world’s religions. She sees this dialogue as an act of love with roots in God himself.

“God is love,” proclaims the New Testament, “and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him. . . Let us love, then, because he has loved us first. . . no-one who fails to love the brother whom he sees can love God whom he has not seen” (1 John 4:16, 19-20).

It is a sign of hope that the world’s religions are becoming more aware of their shared responsibility for the well-being of the human family. This is a crucial part of the globalization of solidarity, which must occur if the world’s future is to be secure. This shared responsibility increases as we discover what we share as religious men and women.

Which of us does not grapple with the mystery of suffering and death? Which of us does not hold life, truth, peace, freedom, and justice as fundamental values?

Which of us is not convinced that moral goodness is soundly rooted in the individual’s and society’s openness to the transcendent world of the Divinity?

Which of us does not believe that the way to God requires prayer, silence, asceticism, sacrifice, and humility?

Which of us is unconcerned that scientific and technical progress should be accompanied by spiritual and moral awareness?

Which of us does not believe that society’s challenges can only be met by building a civilization of love founded on the universal values of peace, solidarity, justice, and liberty?

And how can we do this, except through encounters, mutual understanding, and cooperation?

The path before us is demanding, and there is always the temptation to choose instead the path of isolation and division, which leads to conflict. This, in turn, unleashes the forces that make religion an excuse for violence, as we see too often around the world.

Recently, I was happy to welcome the Vatican representatives of the world religions who had gathered to build upon the achievements of the Assisi Meeting in 1986. I repeat here what I said to that distinguished Assembly:

“Religion is not, and must not become, a pretext for conflict, particularly when religious, cultural, and ethnic identity coincide.

Religion and peace go together: to wage war in the name of religion is a blatant contradiction”.

Religious leaders, in particular, must do everything possible to ensure that religion is what God intends it to be – a source of goodness, respect, harmony, and peace!”

This is the only way to honor God in truth and justice!

Our encounter requires that we strive to discern and welcome what is good and holy in one another so that together, we can acknowledge, preserve, and promote the spiritual and moral truths that guarantee the world’s future (cf. Nostra Aetate, 2).

Excerpted from the words of His Holiness, Saint Pope John Paul II,
Meeting with representatives of other Religions and other Christian Confessions,
New Delhi — Vigyan Bawan, 7 November 1999
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6 ^1-3 “Live creatively, friends. If someone falls into sin, forgivingly restore him, saving your critical comments for yourself. You might be needing forgiveness before the day’s out.

Stoop down and reach out to those who are oppressed. Share their burdens, and so complete Christ’s law.

If you think you are too good for that, you are badly deceived”

(Galatians 6:2-3 The Message Translation)

A conscientious person obeys all things and his or her conscience in every situation and does not silence the inner voice, even if it is sometimes severe and demanding.

One is committed to the good and increases goodness in himself and around him.

One never gives in to evil, in the spirit of the words of Saint Paul: "Do not be overcome by evil but overcome evil by good" (Romans 12:21)

To be a conscientious person means to be demanding of oneself. One rises again and again, as often as one has fallen, and to convert to the new.

Being a conscientious person means being committed to the kingdom of God. God's spiritual kingdom is the realm of truth and life, of justice, love, and peace - within our families, in the communities in which we live, and throughout the homeland.

It also means courageously taking responsibility for public affairs.

It means to work diligently for the common good and not close our eyes to our neighbor's misery and needs, in the spirit of the solidarity of the gospel, "Bear one another burdens" (Galatians 6: 2).

Excerpted from the words of His Holiness, Saint Pope John Paul II
Apostolic Journey to the Czech Republic and Poland: Eucharistic Celebration in honor of Saint Jan Sarkander on the Kaplicówka Esplanade.
Skoczów (Poland) — May 22, 1995
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¹³ “You are the salt of the earth. But how can the salt be made salty again if it loses its saltiness? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot.

¹⁴ “You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden.

¹⁵ Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead, they put it on its stand, giving everyone in the house light.

¹⁶ Similarly, let your light shine before others so they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven.

Matthew 5:13-16 (New International Version

The times in which God has granted us to live are in many ways dark and filled with difficulties, for they are times in which the very future of humanity is at stake in the new millennium opening up before us.

In many men and women today, fear and uncertainty prevail: Where are we going? What will humanity’s fate be in the next century? Where are the extraordinary scientific discoveries of recent years, especially in biology and genetics, leading us?

We are conscious of being merely at the beginning of a journey, but we do not know where it will take us and whether it will bring benefit or harm to the men and women of the twenty-first century.

As Christians living in these formidable yet beautiful times, we share in the fears, the uncertainties, and the questioning of our contemporaries.

Yet we are not pessimistic about the future, for we have the certainty that Jesus Christ is the Lord of history, and in the Gospel, we find the light that illuminates our way, even in moments of difficulty and darkness.

Excerpted from the words of His Holiness, Saint Pope John Paul II
Jubilee of Government Leaders, Members of Parliament and Politicians
The Vatican – 4 November 2000
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“... God is light, and in him there is no darkness at all.”

1 John 1:5

The new millennium opened with two contrasting images:

One, the sight of multitudes of pilgrims coming to Rome during the Great Jubilee to pass through the Holy Door, which is Christ, our Savior and Redeemer;

And the other, the terrible terrorist attack on New York, an image that is a kind of icon of a world in which hostility and hatred seem to prevail.

The question that arises is dramatic: on what foundations must we build the new historical era emerging from the great transformations of the twentieth century?

Is it enough to rely on the technological revolution now underway, which seems to respond only to criteria of productivity and efficiency, without regard for the individual’s spiritual dimension or any universally shared ethical values?

Is it right to be content with provisional answers to the ultimate questions and to abandon life to the impulses of instinct, to short-lived sensations, or passing fads?

The question will not go away: on what foundations, on what certainties should we build our lives and the life of the community to which we belong?

Christ alone is the cornerstone; only Christ—known, contemplated, and loved—is our faithful friend who never lets us down, becomes our traveling companion, and whose words warm our hearts (Luke 24:13-35).

Amid countless injustices, humanity hopes for a new civilization of freedom and peace. This requires a new generation of builders, driven by love, not fear or violence, to gradually build the city of God within the city of man.

God is entrusting you with the task of building the civilization of love.

Excerpted from the words of His Holiness, Saint Pope John Paul II

17th World Youth Day, Evening Vigil with Young People

Toronto, Downsview Park – July 27, 2002

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² Teach the older men to be temperate, worthy of respect, self-controlled, and sound in faith, in love and in endurance.

Titus 2:2 (New International Version)

In order to ensure that the new millennium now approaching will witness a new flourishing of the human spirit, mediated through an authentic culture of freedom, men and women must learn to conquer fear. We must learn not to be afraid; we must rediscover a spirit of hope and a spirit of trust. Hope is not empty optimism springing from a naive confidence that the future will necessarily be better than the past. Hope and trust are the premise of responsible activity and are nurtured in that inner sanctuary of conscience where “man is alone with God” (Gaudium et Spes, 16) and he thus perceives that he is not alone amid the enigmas of existence, for he is surrounded by the love of the Creator!

Hope and trust: these may seem matters beyond the purview of the United Nations. But they are not. The politics of nations, with which your Organization is principally concerned, can never ignore the transcendent, spiritual dimension of the human experience, and could never ignore it without harming the cause of man and the cause of human freedom. Whatever diminishes man — whatever shortens the horizon of man’s aspiration to goodness — harms the cause of freedom. In order to recover our hope and our trust at the end of this century of sorrows, we must regain sight of that transcendent horizon of possibility to which the soul of man aspires.

As a Christian, my hope and trust are centered on Jesus Christ, the two thousandth anniversary of whose birth will be celebrated at the coming of the new millennium. We Christians believe that in his Death and Resurrection were fully revealed God’s love and his care for all creation.

Jesus Christ is for us God made man and made a part of the history of humanity. Precisely for this reason, Christian hope for the world and its future extends to every human person. Because of the radiant humanity of Christ, nothing genuinely human fails to touch the hearts of Christians.

Faith in Christ does not impel us to intolerance. On the contrary, it obliges us to engage others in a respectful dialogue. Love of Christ does not distract us from interest in others, but rather invites us to responsibility for them, to the exclusion of no one and indeed, if anything, with a special concern for the weakest and the suffering.

Thus, as we approach the two thousandth anniversary of the birth of Christ, the Church asks only to be able to propose respectfully this message of salvation, and to be able to promote, in charity and service, the solidarity of the entire human family.

Excerpted from the words of His Holiness, Saint Pope John Paul II

Apostolic Journey of His Holiness John Paul II to the United States of America, The Fiftieth General Assembly of the United Nations Organization.

United Nations Headquarters (New York), Thursday, 5 October 1995

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⁶⁴ The earth is filled with your love, Lord;
teach me your decrees.

Psalm 119: 64 (New International Version)

United Nations Headquarters, New York – 5 October 1995

The world has yet to learn to live with diversity, as recent events in the Balkans and Central Africa have painfully reminded us.

The idea of “difference” and encountering “the other” can feel overwhelming. Past harms and manipulative actions can cause us to fear others’ humanity, fueling cycles of violence affecting everyone, including children.

Let’s cultivate understanding and compassion to break this cycle.

Our difficult experiences teach us that fear of “difference,” especially when it manifests as exclusive nationalism denying rights to “the other,” can lead to violence and terror. However, by examining these issues openly, we see that despite differences, we share a common human spirit that connects us.

Different cultures explore what personal existence truly means, earning our respect as sincere efforts to reflect on the wonder of the world and the human being. They express the transcendent aspects of our lives, with each culture’s core being its unique approach to the greatest mystery: the mystery of God.

We value other cultures as they explore human life; protecting freedom of religion and conscience is vital, as they are core to human rights and free societies.

No one can suppress rights by using coercive power to impose a single answer to humanity’s mystery.

Excerpted from the words of His Holiness, Saint Pope John Paul II

The Fiftieth General Assembly of the United Nations Organisation, Apostolic Journey of His Holiness John Paul II to the United States of America

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⁷ For the secret power of lawlessness is already at work;

2 Thessalonians 2:7 (New International Version NIV)

München, 19. November 1980

What will happen to our world, divided into military power blocs, poor and rich peoples, free and totalitarian states? Wars break out in this or that part of the world, bringing death and misery to the people.

And then, in many parts of the world, near and far, acts of brute force and bloody terror. Even in this place of our Eucharistic celebration, we also must commemorate before God the victims who were recently wounded by an explosive device or killed on the outskirts of this large square.

It is hard to understand what man can do when his mind and heart have gone astray.

It is against this background that we hear the call of the Good News: “Don’t be easily disconcerted!”.

These hardships and difficulties are among the obstacles against which we must nurture and test our growth in fundamental truth.

This gives us the strength to help build a fairer, more humane world, and we grow willingness and courage to take on more and more responsibility in the life of society, the state, and the church.

It is indeed no small consolation that, despite many shadows and glooms, there is also very good. It is not missing because it is not talked about enough.

Often one must want to discover and acknowledge the many good things at work in secret that perhaps only later become radiantly visible. For example, what did Mother Teresa of Calcutta first have to do in small and hidden ways before a surprised world became aware of her and her work?

So don’t get discouraged so easily!

Excerpted from the words of His Holiness, Saint Pope John Paul II

APOSTOLISCHE REISE IN DIE BUNDESREPUBLIK DEUTSCHLAND, MESSE FÜR DIE JUGEND

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²⁷ So God created mankind in his own image,
in the image of God he created them;
male and female he created them.

Genesis 1:27 (New International Version)

St. Peter’s Basilica, 30 December 1987

When we look upon the face of the earth, we see not one simple landscape, but a world marked by valleys of want and mountains of abundance, by nations clothed in plenty and peoples still waiting at the threshold of hope.

Across the human family there run invisible frontiers—between the developed and the developing, between those who possess and those who are deprived, between voices that are heard and voices that rise like prayer from the margins. Thus people speak of a first world, a second world, a third world, and even a fourth; yet no such name can contain the full mystery of a people, nor measure the sacred dignity placed by God in every human heart, for the human person is created in the image and likeness of the Creator (Genesis 1:27).

These words are poor vessels, but they carry a grave truth: the one family of mankind, created for communion, is wounded by divisions that reach deeper than bread, deeper than borders, deeper than the calculations of power. They touch the soul. Behind these categories stand men and women with faces, children with unspoken dreams, elders bearing the memory of suffering, communities longing not for pity but for justice, not for charity alone but for fraternity. The Church, mother and servant, listening to the joys and hopes, the griefs and anguish of all peoples, cannot pass by on the other side, for the Lord has taught us in the wounded traveler and the Good Samaritan that every suffering person is our neighbor (Luke 10:25–37).

She must lift her voice like a bell in the morning air and proclaim that every nation is called to the banquet of human dignity; that development is not the cold accumulation of riches, but the flowering of the whole person and of every person; that peace is born where justice is sown, where the weak are defended, where the forgotten are brought near, and where nations learn again the ancient and holy art of becoming neighbors.

For the prophet cries, “Let justice roll down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream” (Amos 5:24), and the Lord Himself says that what is done for the least of His brethren is done for Him (Matthew 25:40). Therefore, the divided map of the world becomes a mirror held before conscience. It asks whether we shall remain prisoners of indifference or pilgrims of solidarity; whether creation’s gifts shall be hoarded by a few or shared as bread for all; whether the poor shall be left at the roadside or welcomed as brothers and sisters.

The Gospel commands us to love our neighbor as ourselves (Matthew 22:39), and the Apostle reminds us to bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ (Galatians 6:2). And so, in truth, in charity, and in peace, we are summoned to build a civilization where no people is cast into shadow, where every human life is honored as a living icon of God, and where the scattered children of the earth may discover once more that they belong to one another.

“May the Lord open our eyes to the wounds of the world, strengthen our hands for the work of justice, and make of us one human family, gathered in truth, sustained by charity, and led along the path of peace.”

¹⁹ Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and strangers, but fellow citizens with God’s people and also members of his household...(Ephesians 2:19)

Excerpted from the words of His Holiness, Saint Pope John Paul II

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¹³ ... for it is God who works in you to will and to act to fulfill his good purpose.

Philippians 2: 13 NIV

Building a culture of solidarity is challenging. Is it paradoxical that the world’s spirit impacts our natural desire to help others selflessly?

Deep inside, everyone feels a longing to connect with others. Each individual finds purpose in giving themselves to others.

³⁵ “In everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus himself said: ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’” (Acts 20: 35, New International Version NIV).

Everyone naturally tends to acquire and keep more. It’s normal for people to earn what they need through talents and efforts. However, an insatiable craving for possessions can hinder genuine connection with our Creator and others.

¹⁰ For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (1 Timothy 6: 10 NIV).

1) Exploiting others, 2) disregarding our brothers’ and sisters’ suffering, and 3) breaking core moral principles are outcomes driven by the thirst for selfish gain.

The relentless pursuit of profit without regard for the common good has concentrated resources in the hands of a few, while many others continue to struggle with poverty and neglect.

Our goal is to genuinely improve the living conditions for everyone. When we do this, we can create an international order rooted in justice and solidarity that benefits all.

I call on believers to follow Jesus Christ, true God and man, who, in obedience to the Father, emptied himself (Philippians 2:6) and selflessly gave himself to us in love, even unto death on a cross.

The love of God filling our hearts should motivate and change our identity and actions. Offering ourselves to others is a gift that comes from God’s grace.

¹³ for it is God who works in you to will and to act to fulfill his good purpose. (Philippians 2: 13 NIV).

Excerpted from The Message of His Holiness, John Paul II,
For Lent 2003, The Vatican, 7 January 2003.

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“¹² Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved,

clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.”

Colossians 3: 12

Kamuzu Stadium, Blantyre, Malawi, Friday, 5 May 1989

Yes, my dear young friends of Malawi, you are called to holiness. God has specially chosen you out of love to be his saints. He is calling you now as students, young workers, or seminarians.

Even if you are unemployed and have little prospect of getting work, you are still chosen in love to be a saint.

Even if you have experienced the darkness of great sin and have wandered into the desert of hopelessness, God is still calling you.

He, better than anyone else, knows that there is a vast reserve of goodness in each of you. He created you in his image and likeness.

But only you can say “Yes” to God, “Yes” to his love, and “Yes” to holiness.

The path to holiness is not easy, but that should not prevent us from facing difficulties with courage. The way to holiness is a journey, sometimes an arduous journey involving an inner struggle against selfishness and sin. We must be adequately equipped to make this journey. Saint Paul gives us a list of the “clothing” – the attitudes – necessary; he says: “You should be clothed in sincere compassion, kindness and humility, gentleness and patience“ (Colossians 3: 12).

My dear young friends of Malawi: you want to see justice and tolerance extended to all. Cultivate these qualities yourselves! Allow the seeds of goodness and mercy to grow in your own lives first. Allow your gentleness and patience to develop to the full. To all young people, Christ says: “learn from me; for I am gentle and lowly in heart“ (Matthew 11: 29).

Do not see present problems as the end of hope and the death of enthusiasm. God speaks to you and calls on you to contribute to the well-being of your country in a lasting way. Malawi now needs people who are strong in character, know the value of self-help, and yet have the humility to turn to Christ for the graces they need.

You have a word, “Chitukuko,” meaning “self-help.” The Lord has blessed you with youth’s strength, vitality, and creativity. He has blessed you with ways and means of achieving higher standards of living and education that were not available to your parents and grandparents. Use these talents to develop your character and what is best in life.

Excerpted from Apostolic Journey to Madagascar, La Réunion, Zambia, and Malawi;
Meeting with the Young People of Malawi;
Address of His Holiness John Paul II

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¹⁵ “The time has come,” he said. “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news!”

Mark 1: 15

Hülsparkstadion, Kevelaer, Germany - Samstag, 2. Mai 1987

The natural centers of world and salvation history are not the bustling capitals of politics and economy, money and earthly power.

The true centers of history are the silent places of prayer of the people.

Here, the encounter between the earthly world and the supernatural world takes place in a particularly dense way: the pilgrim Church on earth with the eternal and victorious Church in heaven.

Bigger things are happening here, and more decisive for life and death, than in the big capitals, where you think you have your finger on the pulse and turn the wheel of world history.

Excerpted and Translated from the writings of Pope John Paul II
Apostolic Journey to the Federal Republic of Germany
Lauds and Homily at Hülsparkstadion

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¹⁷ May the favor^[a] of the Lord our God rest on us;
establish the work of our hands for us—
yes, establish the work of our hands.

Psalm 90:17 (New International Version)

Sydney, Australia – 26 November 1986

There’s no quick fix for all the challenges of human labor, but I’d like to share two fundamental principles to consider.

First, it’s important to remember that the ultimate goal of work is always the human being. Work exists to serve people, not the other way around, and it’s worth emphasizing this point again and again. The value of work should always be measured by how well it benefits humanity, and solutions to social issues should prioritize the human person over material concerns.

Second, addressing these problems isn’t the responsibility of just one group. We can’t rely only on governments, big businesses, small enterprises, union leaders, or individual workers to solve everything. Instead, everyone has a part to play — all individuals and groups need to be involved in understanding the issues and working together to find solutions.

My dear friends, let’s remember that work isn’t just about transactions, managing schedules, or producing goods. It’s a space to reveal the mystery entrusted to us by the Creator. Work isn’t about disappearing into progress but about growing, serving, loving, and creating a more human and compassionate world.

We must boldly state: the economy, technology, institutions, markets, policies, and systems exist for the person. Reversing this order treats humans as mere instruments, costing society its core. Labor dignity isn’t just about better methods but a vision shift — seeing every worker as a face, story, family, hope, and destiny.

No one can escape this duty, friends. Justice isn’t the responsibility of just one office, class, leader, or institution. Governments must serve the common good with wisdom and firmness. Employers should see that profit is morally judged by the dignity of workers. Unions must advocate for workers while staying united with the community. Workers need honesty, creativity, and responsibility. Families, schools, churches, and communities must foster consciences that prioritize the human person over selfish gains.

Let us not be afraid, then, to build together.

Let us not be afraid to ask what kind of society we are shaping by the way we work, hire, pay, produce, consume, and rest.

The question of labor transcends economics, reflecting our spirit, morals, and humanity. It urges us to view each other as brothers and sisters on a shared journey, not as marketplace competitors.

When work is driven by love, it shifts from necessity to a graceful act of teamwork, becoming a daily heartfelt bridge to a civilization that truly honors the human spirit.

Excerpted from the writings of John Paul II
Address to the Workers in the Factory "Transfield Limited"
Sydney, Australia

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A song of ascents.

¹ When the Lord restored the fortunes of^[a] Zion,
We were like those who dreamed.

Psalm 126: 1

Torino, Italy, 13 April 1980

We live in an age of tremendous material progress, but it is also a time of unprecedented denial of God. Humankind allows God to “die” in himself and others. Entire philosophical systems and social, economic, and political programs serve this purpose.

Why is humanity afraid?

Perhaps precisely because, as a result of that denial of God, one ultimately remains alone: ​​metaphysically alone, inwardly alone.

Why fear?

If humankind lets God die, he may also lose the solid inhibition to kill another.

Excerpted from the writings of Pope John Paul II

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Editor’s Note

Zion’s meaning extends beyond a single entity, simply meaning ‘fortification’ and serving as the seat of power for both the ancient Kingdom of Israel and the [Spiritual] Kingdom of God.

· It also refers to Jerusalem, the ‘City of David,’ often overshadowed by its title as ‘the City of God.”

· Isaiah 52:1-2 calls it the “City of God,” where God’s people become the “Light among nations.”

· Jeremiah 31:6 says, “Arise, and let us go up to Zion, to the Lord our God.” Mount Zion symbolizes the spiritual Kingdom of God, as Hebrews 12:22 states: “you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem” — the New Jerusalem that will descend from heaven (Revelation 21:10-26), representing a ‘heaven on earth.’

van Kempen, Abraham A. Christian Zionism ... Enraptured Around a Golden Calf - 2nd Edition: Evangelicals Rediscovering New Testament Revelations (p. 16). (Function). Kindle Edition.

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²⁵ the Lord make his face shine on you
and be gracious to you;

Numbers 6: 25 (New International Version)

The Vatican – 11 October 1998

Because she was Jewish, Edith Stein was taken, along with her sister Rosa and many other Catholic Jews from the Netherlands, to the Auschwitz concentration camp ...

Today we remember them all with deep respect.

For the love of God and humanity, once again I raise an anguished cry:

May such criminal deeds never be repeated against any ethnic group or race in any corner of this world! It is a cry to everyone: to all people of goodwill; to all who believe in the Just and Eternal God.

We must all stand together: human dignity is at stake.

There is only one human family.

Our recently canonized saint, Edith Stein, lived in faith and hope:

“Our love for our neighbor mirrors our love for God.

No one is a ‘stranger.’

The love of Christ goes beyond borders.”

Edith Stein was caught by this fire. She devoted herself to freedom. Edith Stein was a seeker. Her mind never tired of searching and her heart always yearned for hope. Eventually she was rewarded: she seized the truth. Or better: she was seized by it. ...

She wrote to a Benedictine nun:

“Whoever seeks the truth is seeking God, whether consciously or unconsciously.”

Excerpted from the writings of Pope John Paul II

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¹⁰ Many are the woes of the wicked,
but the Lord’s unfailing love
Surrounds the one who trusts in him.

Psalm 32:10 (New International Version – NIV)

Saint Peter’s Basilica, The Vatican, 30 December 1987

It is timely to mention - with no exaggeration – that a leadership role among nations can only be justified by the possibility and willingness to contribute widely and generously to the common good.

If a nation were to succumb more or less deliberately to the temptation to close in upon itself and fail to meet the responsibilities following from its superior position in the community of nations, it would fall seriously short of its clear ethical duty. This is readily apparent in the circumstances of history, where believers discern the dispositions of Divine Providence, ready to use the nations to realize its plans to render “vain the designs of the peoples” (cf. Psalm 33: 10).

When the West gives the impression of abandoning itself to forms of growing and selfish isolation, the East, in its turn, seems to ignore, for questionable reasons, its duty to cooperate in alleviating human misery.

We are up against not only a betrayal of humanity’s legitimate expectations - a betrayal that is a harbinger of unforeseeable consequences - but also an absolute desertion of a moral obligation.

24. If arms production is a severe disorder in the present world concerning actual human needs and the employment of the means capable of satisfying those needs, the arms trade is equally to blame.

Indeed, regarding the latter, it must be added that moral judgment is even more severe. As we all know, this is a trade without frontiers capable of crossing even the barriers of the blocs.

It knows how to overcome the division between East and West. Above all, the one between North and South pushes its way into the different sections of the southern hemisphere.

We are thus confronted with a strange phenomenon: while economic aid and development plans meet with the obstacle of insuperable ideological barriers and with tariff and trade barriers, arms of whatever origin circulate with almost total freedom worldwide.

And as the recent document of the Pontifical Commission Iustitia et Pax on international debt points out, ⁴² everyone knows that in some instances, the capital lent by the developed world has been used in the underdeveloped world to buy weapons.

If to all this, we add the tremendous and universally acknowledged danger represented by atomic weapons stockpiled on an incredible scale. The logical conclusion seems to be this: in today’s world, including the world of economics, the prevailing picture is one destined to lead us more quickly towards death rather than one of concern for actual development which would lead all towards a “more human” life, as envisaged by the Encyclical Populorum Progressio.⁴³

The consequences of this state of affairs fester a wound that typifies and reveals the imbalances and conflicts of the modern world.

The millions of refugees who have war, natural calamities, persecution, and discrimination have been deprived of home, employment, family, and homeland.

The tragedy of these multitudes is reflected in the hopeless faces of men, women, and children who can no longer find a home in a divided and inhospitable world.

Nor may we close our eyes to another painful wound in today’s world: the phenomenon of terrorism, understood as the intention to kill people and destroy property indiscriminately and to create a climate of terror and insecurity, often including the taking of hostages.

Even when some ideology or the desire to create a better society is adduced as the motivation for this inhuman behavior, acts of terrorism are never justifiable. Even less so when, as happens today, such decisions and actions, which sometimes lead to real massacres, and to the abduction of innocent people who have nothing to do with the conflicts, claim to have a propaganda purpose for furthering a cause.

It is still worse when they are an end in themselves so that murder is committed merely for the sake of killing. In the face of such horror and suffering, the words I spoke some years ago are still valid, and I wish to repeat them:

“What Christianity forbids is to seek solutions...by the ways of hatred, by the murdering of defenseless people, by the methods of terrorism.” ⁴⁴

Excerpted from the writings of Pope John Paul II

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⁴ He will judge between the nations
and will settle disputes for many peoples.
They will beat their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will not take up sword against nation,
nor will they train for war anymore.

Isaiah 2:4 (New International Version)

Hiroshima, Wednesday, February 25, 1981

War is the work of man. War is the destruction of human life. War is death.

Nowhere do these truths impose themselves on us more forcefully than in this city of Hiroshima, at this Peace Memorial. Two cities will forever have their names joined together, two Japanese cities, Hiroshima and Nagasaki, as the only cities in the world that have had the misfortune of standing as a warning that man is capable of destruction beyond belief. Their names will always remain the names of the only cities of our time singled out as a warning to future generations that war can destroy humanity’s efforts to build a world of peace.

Mr. Mayor, dear friends present here, and all who hear my voice and whom my message will reach:

1. I have come here today with deep emotion as a pilgrim of peace. I have wished to make this visit to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial out of the profound personal conviction that to remember the past is to commit oneself to the future.

Together we remember that it is one of humanity’s sad achievements that across the face of the earth the names of so many—too many—places are remembered chiefly because they have witnessed the horror and suffering produced by war: war memorials that, while commemorating the victory of one side, also recall the suffering and death of countless human beings; cemeteries where those who sacrificed their lives in the service of their country or of a noble cause rest, and cemeteries where the innocent civilian victims of war’s destructive fury lie; the memories of concentration and extermination camps, where contempt for man and his inviolable rights reached its lowest and cruelest expression; battlefields where nature has mercifully healed the scars of the earth, yet without being able to erase the human history of a past of hatred and enmity. Hiroshima and Nagasaki stand out above all other places and monuments as the first victims of nuclear war.

I bow my head as I recall the thousands of men, women, and children who lost their lives in that terrible moment, or who for many years carried in their bodies and minds those seeds of death that inexorably continued their process of destruction. The final toll of human suffering that began here has not been fully assessed, nor has the total human cost been calculated, especially when we consider what nuclear war has produced—and may still produce—in our ideas, our attitudes, and our civilization.

2. To remember the past is to commit oneself to the future. I cannot but honor and applaud the wise decision of the authorities of this city that the memorial of the first nuclear bomb should be a monument to peace. In doing so, the city of Hiroshima and all the people of Japan have powerfully expressed their hope for a peaceful world and their conviction that the man who makes war can also successfully build peace. From this city, and from the events its name recalls, there has arisen a new world consciousness against war, and a vigorous determination to work for peace.

Some people, even among those who were alive at the time of the events we remember today, might prefer not to think about the horror of nuclear war and its dreadful consequences. Among those who have never personally experienced the reality of armed conflict between nations, some would like to dismiss the real possibility of nuclear war. Others would wish to regard nuclear capability as an unavoidable instrument for maintaining a balance of power through a balance of terror. But there is no justification for not raising the question of the responsibility of every nation and every individual in the face of possible wars and the nuclear threat.

3. To remember the past is to commit oneself to the future. I call before you the memory of August 6, 1945, so that we may better understand the meaning of the present challenge. Since that fateful day, nuclear arsenals have increased in quantity and destructive power. The manufacture, testing, and deployment of nuclear weapons continue. It is impossible to predict the full consequences of a large-scale nuclear war; but even if only a portion of the available weapons were used, we must ask ourselves whether we are truly aware of the spiral this could unleash and whether the sheer and simple destruction of humanity is not a real possibility. I therefore wish to repeat here what I said before the General Assembly of the United Nations: “The continued preparations for war, as proved by the production of ever more numerous, more powerful, and more sophisticated weapons in several countries, testify that there is a desire to be prepared for war, and to be prepared means being in a position to provoke it. It also means running the risk that at any moment, in any place, in any way, the terrible mechanism of general destruction may be set in motion” (Address to the United Nations General Assembly, October 2, 1979, no. 10; L’Osservatore Romano, Spanish-language edition, October 14, 1979, p. 13).

4. To remember the past is to commit oneself to the future. To remember Hiroshima is to abhor nuclear war. To remember Hiroshima is to commit oneself to peace. To remember that the people of this city have suffered is to renew our faith in man, in his capacity to do good, in his freedom to choose what is right, in his determination to turn disaster into a new beginning. In the face of the calamity for humanity that every war represents, it must be affirmed and reaffirmed, again and again, that making war is not inevitable or unchangeable. Humanity is not destined for self-destruction. Clashes between ideologies, aspirations, and needs can and must be regulated and resolved by means other than war and violence. Humanity is obliged to resolve differences and conflicts by peaceful means. The broad range of problems that place many peoples at different stages of cultural, social, and economic development gives rise to international tension and conflict. It is vital for humanity that these problems be solved according to the ethical principles of equity and justice, safeguarded by major agreements and institutions. The international community should thus provide itself with a system of laws to regulate international relations and maintain peace, just as legal norms protect national order.

5. Those who value life on earth must encourage governments and decision-makers in the economic and social fields to act in harmony with the demands of peace, rather than with narrow individual interest. Peace must always be the goal: peace pursued and protected in every circumstance. Let us not repeat the past, a past of violence and destruction. Let us embark on the arduous and difficult path of peace, the only path suited to human dignity, the only path that leads to the true fulfillment of human destiny, the only path toward a future in which equity, justice, and solidarity are realities and not merely distant dreams.

6. And so, in this place where, 35 years ago, the lives of so many people were extinguished in a searing instant, I wish to make an appeal to the whole world in the name of life, in the name of humanity, in the name of the future:

To Heads of State and Government, who hold political and economic power, I say: Let us commit ourselves to peace through justice; let us make a solemn decision from this moment onward that war will never be tolerated or sought as a means of resolving differences; let us promise our fellow human beings that we will work tirelessly for disarmament and the outlawing of nuclear weapons; let us replace violence and hatred with trust and respect.

To all men and women of this country and of the world, I say: Let us assume responsibility for one another and for the future, without the limitations of borders or social distinctions; let us educate ourselves and others in the ways of peace; may humanity never become the victim of a struggle between competing systems; may there never be another war.

To young people everywhere, I say: Unite to create a new future of fraternity and solidarity; attend to our brothers and sisters in need, feed the hungry, welcome those who have no home, bring freedom to the oppressed, bring justice where injustice reigns and peace where only weapons speak. Your young hearts have an extraordinary capacity for goodness and love: place them at the service of your fellow human beings.

To everyone I repeat the words of the Prophet: “They shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks. Nation shall not lift up sword against nation, neither shall they learn war anymore” (Isaiah 2:4).

To those who believe in God, I say: let us be strong in His strength, which infinitely surpasses us; let us unite, knowing that He calls us to unity; let us be aware that loving and sharing are not distant ideals, but the path of lasting peace, the peace of God.

7. And to the Creator of nature and of man, of truth and of beauty, I pray:

Hear my voice, for it is the voice of the victims of all wars and of violence between individuals and nations.

Hear my voice, for it is the voice of all children who suffer and will suffer when people place their trust in weapons and war.

Hear my voice as I beg You to instill in the hearts of all people the wisdom of peace, the strength of justice, and the joy of fraternity.

Hear my voice, for I speak for the multitudes of all countries and all periods of history who do not want war and are prepared to walk the paths of peace.

Hear my voice and grant us discernment and strength so that we may always respond to hatred with love, to injustice with total dedication to justice, to need by sharing what is our own, to war with peace.

O God! Hear my voice and grant throughout the whole world Your eternal peace.

Excerpted from the writings of Pope John Paul II

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⁷ But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.

2 Corinthians 4:7 (New International Version)

Unity is a great gift, a gift that we bear in fragile and breakable vessels of clay.

At the Last Supper, Jesus prayed for his disciples

“that they all might be one as you Father are in me and I in you“ (John 17: 20-21).

Unity is the “treasure” he gave them, embodying two qualities: fidelity to the Gospel and belief that he is sent by the Father, as the Lord indicated.

Many Christian denominations claim to be the true inheritance of Jesus Christ. Though all see themselves as His followers, their beliefs often conflict, creating diverging paths as if Christ were divided among them.

We must sincerely pursue this evangelical duty. The Week of Prayer for Christian Unity reminds us and offers a chance to pray together—within our Churches or with Catholics, Orthodox, and Protestants. Our hope is to pray with one voice and heart for unity.

St. Paul describes the apostolic ministry as having a ‘treasure in vessels of clay‘ (II Corinthians 4:7), emphasizing that its purpose is to reveal the glory of the Gospel to humanity. He clarifies that they do not focus on preaching themselves but on Christ Jesus the Lord, and that their role is to serve for the sake of Jesus Christ (2 Corinthians 4:5).

Yes, unity depends on “vessels of clay” that are fragile and need careful handling. Christians must foster love that overcomes differences through persistent prayer, dialogue, and sincere cooperation to help the poor and vulnerable.

“Holy Father, despite our weakness, you have made us witnesses of hope and faithful disciples of your Son. We carry this treasure in vessels of clay, and we fear we may fail in the face of suffering and evil.”

At times, we even doubt the power of the word of Jesus, who said, “that they all may be one.”

Give us again the experience of the glory that shines on the face of Christ, so that in all our actions, our dedication, and our lives we may proclaim to the world that He is alive and at work among us.

Amen.”

Excerpted from the writings of Pope John Paul II
General Audience
Week of Prayer for Christian Unity
The Vatican — Wednesday, 22 January 2003

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