Most important thing to know is God and his saving grace, pope says

Published: 2006-01-11

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- In a world marked by enormous discoveries and intellectual achievements, people must not overlook that the most important thing to know is God and his saving grace, said Pope Benedict XVI. There are so many things to know and learn in today's information age, but all that knowledge can become "problematic, indeed dangerous, if the fundamental knowledge that gives us meaning and direction" -- an awareness of God -- is missing, the pope said in his Jan. 11 general audience. What makes humans different from beasts and other animals is that they are able to recognize the truth and know that awareness of God will become "a relationship and friendship," said the pope in remarks apart from his text. "It is important in this age that we do not forget God" among all the many things there are to know and discover, he said. Pope Benedict delivered his Jan. 11 catechesis inside the Vatican's Paul VI hall as morning temperatures outside hovered above freezing.

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