True freedom is not advanced in the permissive society, which confuses freedom with license to do anything whatever and which in the name of freedom proclaims a kind of general amorality. It is a caricature of freedom to claim that people are free to organize their lives with no reference to moral values, and to say that society does not have to ensure the protection and advancement of ethical values. Such an attitude is destructive of freedom and peace.
Love the family! Defend and promote it as the basic cell of human_x000D_ _x000D_ society; nurture it as the prime sanctuary of life. Give great care to the_x000D_ _x000D_ preparation of engaged couples and be close to young married couples, so_x000D_ _x000D_ that they will be for their children and the whole community an eloquent_x000D_ _x000D_ testimony of God's love.
Interpretation
What this quote means
This quote emphasizes the importance of the family unit as foundational to society and encourages support for its nurturing.
Pope John Paul II highlights the critical role of the family as the essential building block of human society. He urges individuals to defend and cherish their families, emphasizing that strong family relationships serve as a sanctuary for life and a testament to divine love. Furthermore, he encourages investing in the preparation of engaged couples and supporting young families to foster a loving and healthy environment for future generations.
Themes
In practice
Example use cases
In a speech about community values, one might reference this quote to highlight the importance of family.
More from Pope John Paul Ii
All quotes →Like so many pilgrims before us, we kneel in wonder and adoration before the ineffable mystery which. was accomplished here... In This Child - the Son who is given to us - we find rest for our souls and the true bread that never fails - the Eucharistic Bread foreshadowed even in the name of this town: Bethlehem, the house of bread. God lies hidden in the Child; divinity lies hidden in the Bread of Life
And everything else will then turn out to be unimportant and inessential except this: father, child, and love. And then, looking at the simplest things, we will all say, Could we have not learned this long ago? Has this not always been embedded in everything that is?
Do not abandon yourselves to despair. We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song.
Man matures through work which inspires him to difficult good.
United with the angels and saints of the heavenly Church, let us adore the most Holy Sacrament of the Eucharist. Prostrate, we adore this great mystery that contains God's new and definitive covenant with humankind in Christ.
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