Common Grounds

The Evangelical Pope | Zionism: Going Back to God

February 13, 2023

Living Words from John Paul II

Edited by Abraham A. van Kempen

Published February 12, 2023

The Evangelical Pope | Zionism: Going Back to God

Each week we let Saint Pope John Paul II share meaningful signposts to spark socio-economic resolves through justice and righteousness combined with mercy and compassion; in short, love.

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 (and translated from Italian):

Visita Pastorale Alla Diocesi Di Torino, DISCORSO DI GIOVANNI PAOLO II AI CITTADINI TORINESI, Torino, 13 aprile 1980

https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/it/speeches/1980/april/documents/hf_jp-ii_spe_19800413_torino-cittadini.html