"Ten years later, a careful examination of the encyclical Fides et Ratio can reveal us its amazing topicality," said the Pope today to the people attending the meeting "Faith in Reason." He observed the encyclical is characterised to be widely open to reason, particularly in a time when it is said to be weak. On the contrary, John Paul II stressed the importance of conciliating faith and reason in their mutual relation" and by this teaching the Church "wanted to defend the power of reason and its capacity of reaching out for the truth," explained Benedict XVI. A reason that does not create the truth but "discovers" it according to the "teachings of Saint Augustine," he added. "Besides what it has already discovered and sized, there is a truth that reason can never discover by its own power, but can only be received as a free gift. The truth of Revelation does not overlap the truth seized by reason; it rather purifies and elevates it." Then the Pontiff noticed that it was a “providential coincidence” that the meeting was taking place at the same time as the Bishops’ Synod (which is still on) and pointed out that the "ultimate answer" to the question on the sense of human life is a "Word of Revelation which becomes life and asks to be welcomed as an endless source of truth." ” ” ” “
