J.P. II's Catholic Laity - 4 - Take an Interest in world

J.P. II’s Catholic Laity – 4- Take an interest in the world

Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2008
Christians, and especially you members of the laity, are called by God to become interested in the world in order to transform it according to the Gospel. Your personal commitment to truth ands honesty occupies an important position in the fulfillment of that task, because a sense of responsibility to truth constitutes one of the fundamental meeting points between the Church and society, between the Church and each man or woman.
The Christian Faith does not provide ready-made solutions to the complex problems of contemporary society, but it does provide a deep understanding of human nature and its needs, calling you to tell the truth in charity, to take up your responsibilities as good citizens, and to work, along with you neighbor, to construct a society in which genuine human values are fostered and intensified through a shared Christian vision of life. 43

The above from The Private Prayers of Pope John Paul II A life in Prayer, Atria Books, N.Y. – London – Toronto – Sydney - 2005

But he came into the world, ‘and the world did not accept him.’
He said: ‘I am the way, the truth and the life.’ The world neglects this way, denies the truth and destroys life. What can it expect?
“To start with, one small remark. The words of Christ that you have just quoted have given rise to different interpretations. The history of commentaries on this text shows that the Greek fathers, and with them St. Ambrose and St. Leo, saw in Jesus the way and the truth leading to eternal life.
In the view of Clement of Alexandria, Augustine and most of the Latin fathers, Jesus as way leads to eternal truth and eternal life. Thomas Aquinas and the medieval commentators saw Christ as way in so far as he was man, truth and life in so far as he was God.
That is also the view of some modern scholars like Lagrange. Others: Christ is way, that is, truth and life. The notion of way essential here, means that Christ alone is the mediator of salvation, the norm and model in the moral sense and access to the Father.
He is the way as the Father’s revelation of this truth man reaches life – or Christ again. Christ is thus way and at the same time the end of this way; it is to him that it leads. Now you say, ‘The world neglects this way, denies the truth and destroys life.’ And you added, ‘What can it expect?’
This question has already received its answer. First of all, when Jesus, on the fortieth day of his life, was taken to the temple in Jerusalem for the rite of purification, the old man Simeon greeted him with these words: ‘Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against.’ Yet these words of Simeon only herald the answer. The essential answer to your question is also to be found in Gospel: it is the Cross.
In the Cross the words of Simeon are completely accomplished. 188-9

The above is the from the book: “Be Not Afraid” Pope John Paul II Speaks Out on his Life, his Beliefs and his Inspiring Vision for Humanity, by Andre Frossard and Pope John Paul II, the Bodley Head Ltd. Great Britain, 1984
George H. Kubeck,