General Intention
Scholars. That scholars and intellectuals, by sincere search for the truth, may come to know the one true God.
Pope John Paul II wrote of faith and reason as the two wings by which the human spirit can find truth (Fides et Ratio). Himself a prominent scholar, Pope Benedict XVI laments the trend toward relativism among today's intellectuals. He asks us to pray this month that intellectuals will seek truth sincerely and, by so doing, come to know God.
The union of Christian faith and classical reason, the Pope has said, led to the flourishing of the gospel in the first and second millennia. Faith and reason worked together as scholars and scientists expanded the world's knowledge. They built an intellectual tradition on the idea that all truth is God's truth. But that view of truth has weakened in our secular age (Benedict XVI, Address to Academic Community, Prague, Sep. 27, 2009).
The relativism the Holy Father deplores holds that truth is not absolute (true for everyone at all times), but is only true for some people some of the time. Under relativism, truth is no longer objective like a hard fact of physics or math, but is subjective, personal and changeable, like a feeling. (Absurdly, their assertion that truth is relative is itself a claim to absolute truth.)
Benedict says that relativistic scholars tend toward partial and temporary conclusions. Relativists tend to assign the same importance to every idea and be swayed by what is fashionable, convenient, or well-funded.
Meanwhile humans yearn for truth, "and it is to this yearning that religious faith, the various arts, philosophy, theology, and other scientific disciplines, each with its own method, should seek to respond" (Benedict XVI, Sep. 27, 2009).
We pray that scholars and teachers will again seek truth and come to know the one true God.
Reflection:
How will you open yourself to ongoing learning that will help you share your faith with others?
Reading:
Romans 1: 19-23 For what can be known about God is evident to them... Ever since the creation of the world, his invisible attributes of eternal power and divinity have been able to be understood and perceived in what he has made. As a result, they have no excuse; for although they knew God they did not accord him glory as God or give him thanks. Instead, they became vain in their reasoning, and their senseless minds were darkened. While claiming to be wise, they became fools and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for the likeness of an image of mortal man or of birds or of four-legged animals or of snakes.
Links
Pope Benedict's Address to Members of the Academic Community during his September 2009 visit to the Czech Republic
Pope Benedict's Address to Catholic educators during his April 2008 visit to the U.S.
Pope John Paul II's encyclical "Faith and Reason"
Go to the Apostleship website for the reflections on the Missionary Intention.
Posts
