the Holy Spirit is the true
hope of the world
H. H.
John Paul II
General Audience
August 19, 1998
1. In the eighth
chapter of his Letter to the Romans, as he explains the action of
the Holy Spirit who makes us sons of the Father in Christ Jesus (cf.
Rom 8:14-16), the Apostle Paul introduces the theme of the world’s
path towards its fulfilment according to the divine plan. Indeed the
Holy Spirit, as we have already explained in previous catecheses, is
present and active in creation and in the history of salvation. We
could say that he enfolds the cosmos in God’s love and mercy, and
thus directs humanity’s history towards its definitive goal.
The cosmos is created by God as the dwelling place of man and the
theatre of his adventure of freedom. In the dialogue with grace,
every human being is called to accept responsibly the gift of divine
sonship in Jesus Christ. For this reason, the created world acquires
its true significance in man and for man. He cannot, of course,
dispose as he pleases of the cosmos in which he lives, but must,
through his intelligence, consciously bring the Creator’s work to
completion.
“Man”, teaches Gaudium et spes, “was created in God’s image and was
commanded to conquer the earth with all it contains and to rule the
world in justice and holiness: he was to acknowledge God as maker of
all things and relate himself and the totality of creation to him,
so that through the dominion of all things by man the name of God
would be majestic in all the earth” (n. 34).
2. For the divine plan to be fulfilled, man must use his freedom in
harmony with God’s will and overcome the disorder introduced into
human life and into the world by sin. Without the gift of the Holy
Spirit, this twofold achievement cannot occur. The prophets of the
Old Testament put great stress on this. Thus the prophet Ezekiel
says: “A new heart I will give you, and a new spirit I will put
within you; and I will take out of your flesh the heart of stone and
give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and
cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to observe my
ordinances ... you shall be my people, and I will be your God” (Ez
36:26-28).
This profound personal and community renewal, awaited in the
“fullness of time” and brought about by the Holy Spirit, will to
some extent involve the whole cosmos. Isaiah writes: “Until the
Spirit is poured upon us from on high, / and the wilderness becomes
a fruitful field... / Then justice will dwell in the wilderness, /
and righteousness abide in the fruitful field. / And the effect of
righteousness will be peace, / and the result of righteousness,
quietness and trust for ever. / My people will abide in a peaceful
habitation” (Is 32:15-18).
3. For the Apostle Peter, this promise is fulfilled in Christ Jesus,
crucified and risen. In fact, through the Spirit Christ redeems and
sanctifies whoever accepts his Word of salvation in faith,
transforming his heart and consequently social relations.
Through the gift of the Holy Spirit, the world of men becomes a
“spatium verae fraternitatis”, a place of true brotherhood (cf.
Gaudium et spes, n. 37). This transformation of man’s behaviour and
of social relations is expressed in ecclesial life, in the
commitment to temporal realities and in dialogue with all people of
goodwill. This witness becomes a prophetic sign and leaven in
history towards the advent of the kingdom, overcoming everything
that prevents communion among men.
4. The cosmos is also called, in a mysterious but real way, to
participate in this newness of life in the building up of universal
peace through justice and love. As the Apostle Paul teaches, “the
creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of
God; for the creation was subjected to futility, not of its own will
but by the will of him who subjected it in hope; because the
creation itself will be set free from its bondage to decay and
obtain the glorious liberty of the children of God. We know that the
whole creation has been groaning in travail together until now; and
not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the first fruits
of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait for adoption as sons, the
redemption of our bodies” (Rom 8:19-23).
Creation, given life by the presence of the Creator Spirit, is
called to become “a dwelling place of peace” for the entire human
family. Creation achieves this goal by means of the freedom of man
whom God has appointed as its guardian. If man selfishly withdraws
into himself, through a false conception of freedom, he fatally
involves creation itself in this perversion.
On the contrary, through the gift of the Holy Spirit which Jesus
Christ pours out upon us from his side pierced on the Cross, man
acquires the true freedom of a son in the Son. He can thus
understand the true meaning of creation and work to make it a
“dwelling place of peace”.
In this sense, Paul can say that creation is groaning and awaiting
the revelation of the sons of God. Only if man, enlightened by the
Holy Spirit, recognizes himself as a son of God in Christ and looks
at creation with fraternal sentiment, can the whole cosmos be set
free and redeemed in accordance with the divine plan.
5. The consequence of these reflections is truly comforting: the
Holy Spirit is the true hope of the world. Not only does he work in
the hearts of men into which he introduces that wonderful
participation in the filial relationship which Jesus Christ lives
with the Father, but he exalts and perfects human activities in the
world.
As the Second Vatican Council teaches, they “must be purified and
perfected by the Cross and Resurrection of Christ. Redeemed by
Christ and made a new creature by the Holy Spirit, man can, indeed
he must, love the things of God’s creation: it is from God that he
has received them, and it is as flowing from God’s hand that he
looks upon them and reveres them. Man thanks his divine benefactor
for all these things, he uses them and enjoys them in a spirit of
poverty and freedom: thus he is brought to a true possession of the
world, as having nothing yet possessing everything: 'All [things]
are yours; and you are Christ’s; and Christ is God’s' (1 Cor
3:22-23)” (Gaudium et spes, n. 37).
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To the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors, the Holy Father said:
I cordially welcome the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors
present, especially those from Ireland, Hong Kong, Japan and the
United States of America. I gladly invoke the joy and peace of our
Lord Jesus Christ upon you and your families.
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