The Monday Edition

The Evangelical Pope | Even If Only One

April 07, 2025

Living Words from John Paul II

Edited by Abraham A. van Kempen

Published Sunday, January 23, 2022

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.

⁵If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you. (James 1: 5)

The Vatican, 29 October 1991 | Instead of planning and creating a new brave world, we should heal the old one. To change humanity, we must learn and recover from our mistakes. We must redesign human society, bring back those left out, and protect their lives by any means necessary.

It takes a lot of courage today to take these small healing steps. They are essential to fulfill these existential tasks, which serve the actual renewal of people and our world. And it takes courage to feel personally called and empowered by God's grace to start on your narrow path in life.

If we can't change the whole world, we should change the small piece of the world within our reach.

If we cannot do great things for all of humanity, we must not abandon those we can save, even if it is only one.

We should start where there is room for something new.

Excerpted from (translated from German):

ANSPRACHE VON JOHANNES PAUL II. AN DIE PILGER, DIE ZUR SELIGSPRECHUNG VON ADOLPH KOLPING NACH ROM GEKOMMEN SIND, Audienzenhalle - Dienstag, 29. Oktober 1991

https://www.vatican.va/content/john-paul-ii/de/speeches/1991/october/documents/hf_jp-ii_spe_19911027_pellegrini-kolping.html