Progress: Work Toward the Closeness of Men Towards Christ

Pope Benedict XVI's message at today's weekly audience is reported by P.I.M.E. Asia News - Italy here and by Vatican Information Service here.  His topic was the canticle in Col. 1:3, 12-20.  Here are a couple of excerpts:

"There are so two movements in the canticle. In the first, Christ is presented as begotten before all other beings: He is “the firstborn of all creation” (v. 15). He is “the image of the invisible God” and this expression fully embodies the meaning the ‘icon’ has in the culture of the East. The stress is not so much on similarity but on the profound intimacy with the represented subject.” (P.I.M.E.)

"St. Paul shows us something of great importance, history has a goal, it has a direction, history moves towards a humanity united in Christ. (...) In other words, St. Paul tells us yes, there is progress in history, there is one if we strive for evolution in history, progress is everything that allows us to come closer to Christ, thus bringing us closer to a united humanity, to true humanism; and behind these indications is also hidden an imperative for us, to work for progress, something we all want: all of us can work towards the closeness of men towards Christ, we can personally conform to Christ, going along the line of true progress".  (V.I.S.)