Pope Points to a Paradox: Yes to the Bible, No to Morality

VATICAN CITY, APRIL 29, 2003 (Zenit.org).- John Paul II thinks modern man is living a paradox: The latter feels attracted to the Bible's message but rejects the Gospel values presented by the Church.

The Pope pointed out this phenomenon when he met today with members of the Pontifical Biblical Commission, which is marking its centenary year. The commission is holding its annual session this week, under the presidency of Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger.

The theme of the annual meeting, which was the main focus of the Pope's address, is "The Bible and Morals."

"Everyone can see that there is a paradox," the Holy Father said in his address. "Man today, disillusioned by so many unsatisfactory answers to the basic questions about life, seems to open himself to the voice that comes from the Transcendent Being and is expressed in the Bible message."

"At the same time, however, man seems to be more and more intolerant of being asked to behave in harmony with the values that the Church has forever presented as founded on the Gospel," the Pope said.

"We thus see the most varied attempts to unlink biblical revelation from the most binding proposals of life," he added. An "answer to this situation can be found in carefully listening to the Word of God, which has its fullest expression in the teaching of Christ."