AAS 80 - La Santa Sede

Acta Ioannis Pauli Pp. II 685
of the Church assembles in prayer to reflect on the word of God, the
Holy Spirit himself pours out Ood's love on his people and gives them
that hope which does not disappoint. 8 With this hope and this love,
and with reliance on the word of God, it is possible to achieve what
human means never can succeed in achieving. Dear Brothers : Jesus
assures us: "What is impossible with men is possible with God". 9
5. Ali the efforts which the Church makes to help promote the
Christian transformation of society are within the context of her obédience
to the Gospel of Christ. They are conditioned by her understanding
of evangelization as the proclamation of the gift of salvation given to
humanity through the Paschal Mystery of Christ. The Church wishes
all her members to understand "the profound links that exist between
evangelization and human advancement". 10
Human advancement on its part includes both integrai human development
and Christian libération. In this sense Paul VI asked :
"How in fact can one proclaim the new commandment without promoting
in justice and peace the true, authentic advancement of man?" 11
The human being who is created and redeemed by God is worthy
of a total and radical libération—libération not only from structures
that violate human dignity, but libération from sin itself. It is extremely
necessary to make sure that when it is a question of dismantling
those structures they are not replaced by other structures that
would perpetuate, in a différent form, conditions unworthy o f the
children of God, deny freedoms necessary for Christian libération,
and be opposed to the fundamental values of the Gospel. The triumph
o f the Gospel is the universal triumph o f love over hatred, through
the conversion of hearts. In this triumph is found the true Christian
transformation of society according to the Gospel. Intransigence,
the prospect of inevitable conflict, old and new violence—all this must
yield before "the s word of the Spirit, which is the word of God".
The Church in your région is very clearly called at this time to place
all her trust in the word of God and in the power of him who "is able
to do far more abundantly than ali that we ask and think". 12
6. Regarding the mission o f the laity in your locai Churches, I am
convinced that the recent Synod of Bishops has furnished you with
8 Cf. Rom 5:5.
9 Lk 18:27.
10 Evangelii Nuntiandi, 31.
11 Ibid.
12 Eph 3:20.