78.WithoutGodmanneitherknowswhichwaytogo,norevenunderstandswhoheis.Inthefaceoftheenormousproblemssurroundingthedevelopmentofpeoples,whichalmostmakeusyieldtodiscouragement,wefindsolaceinthesayingsofourLordJesusChrist,whoteachesus:“Apartfrommeyoucandonothing”(Jn15:5)andthenencouragesus:“Iamwithyoualways,tothecloseoftheage”(Mt28:20).Aswecontemplatethevastamountofworktobedone,wearesustainedbyourfaiththatGodispresentalongsidethosewhocometogetherinhisnametoworkforjustice.PaulVIrecalledinPopulorumProgressiothatmancannotbringabouthisownprogressunaided,becausebyhimselfhecannotestablishanauthentichumanism.Onlyifweareawareofourcalling,asindividualsandasacommunity,tobepartofGod'sfamilyashissonsanddaughters,willwebeabletogenerateanewvisionandmusternewenergyintheserviceofatrulyintegralhumanism.Thegreatestservicetodevelopment,then,isaChristianhumanism[157]thatenkindlescharityandtakesitsleadfromtruth,acceptingbothasalastinggiftfromGod.OpennesstoGodmakesusopentowardsourbrothersandsistersandtowardsanunderstandingoflifeasajoyfultasktobeaccomplishedinaspiritofsolidarity.Ontheotherhand,ideologicalrejectionofGodandanatheismofindifference,oblivioustotheCreatorandatriskofbecomingequallyoblivioustohumanvalues,constitutesomeofthechiefobstaclestodevelopmenttoday.AhumanismwhichexcludesGodisaninhumanhumanism.OnlyahumanismopentotheAbsolutecanguideusinthepromotionandbuildingofformsofsocialandciviclife—structures,institutions,cultureandethos—withoutexposingustotheriskofbecomingensnaredbythefashionsofthemoment.AwarenessofGod'sundyinglovesustainsusinourlaboriousandstimulatingworkforjusticeandthedevelopmentofpeoples,amidsuccessesandfailures,intheceaselesspursuitofajustorderingofhumanaffairs.God'slovecallsustomovebeyondthelimitedandtheephemeral,itgivesusthecouragetocontinueseekingandworkingforthebenefitofall,evenifthiscannotbeachievedimmediatelyandifwhatweareabletoachieve,alongsidepoliticalauthoritiesandthoseworkinginthefieldofeconomics,isalwayslessthanwemightwish[158].Godgivesusthestrengthtofightandtosufferforloveofthecommongood,becauseheisourAll,ourgreatesthope.
79.DevelopmentneedsChristianswiththeirarmsraisedtowardsGodinprayer,Christiansmovedbytheknowledgethattruth-filledlove,caritasinveritate,fromwhichauthenticdevelopmentproceeds,isnotproducedbyus,butgiventous.Forthisreason,eveninthemostdifficultandcomplextimes,besidesrecognizingwhatishappening,wemustaboveallelseturntoGod'slove.Developmentrequiresattentiontothespirituallife,aseriousconsiderationoftheexperiencesoftrustinGod,spiritualfellowshipinChrist,relianceuponGod'sprovidenceandmercy,loveandforgiveness,self-denial,acceptanceofothers,justiceandpeace.Allthisisessentialif“heartsofstone”aretobetransformedinto“heartsofflesh”(Ezek36:26),renderinglifeonearth“divine”andthusmoreworthyofhumanity.Allthisisofman,becausemanisthesubjectofhisownexistence;andatthesametimeitisofGod,becauseGodisatthebeginningandendofallthatisgood,allthatleadstosalvation:“theworldorlifeordeathorthepresentorthefuture,allareyours;andyouareChrist's;andChristisGod's”(1Cor3:22-23).ChristianslongfortheentirehumanfamilytocalluponGodas“OurFather!”Inunionwiththeonly-begottenSon,mayallpeoplelearntopraytotheFatherandtoaskhim,inthewordsthatJesushimselftaughtus,forthegracetoglorifyhimbylivingaccordingtohiswill,toreceivethedailybreadthatweneed,tobeunderstandingandgeneroustowardsourdebtors,nottobetemptedbeyondourlimits,andtobedeliveredfromevil(cf.Mt6:9-13).
AttheconclusionofthePaulineYear,IgladlyexpressthishopeintheApostle'sownwords,takenfromtheLettertotheRomans:“Letlovebegenuine;hatewhatisevil,holdfasttowhatisgood;loveoneanotherwithbrotherlyaffection;outdooneanotherinshowinghonour”(Rom12:9-10).MaytheVirginMary—proclaimedMaterEcclesiaebyPaulVIandhonouredbyChristiansasSpeculumIustitiaeandReginaPacis—protectusandobtainforus,throughherheavenlyintercession,thestrength,hopeandjoynecessarytocontinuetodedicateourselveswithgenerositytothetaskofbringingaboutthe“developmentofthewholemanandofallmen”[159].
GiveninRome,atSaintPeter's,on29June,theSolemnityoftheHolyApostlesPeterandPaul,intheyear2009,thefifthofmyPontificate.
BENEDICTUSPP.XVI
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[157]Cf.PaulVI,EncyclicalLetterPopulorumProgressio,42:loc.cit.,278.
[158]Cf.BenedictXVI,EncyclicalLetterSpeSalvi,35:loc.cit.,1013-1014.
[159]PaulVI,EncyclicalLetterPopulorumProgressio,42:loc.cit.,278.