personal identity and is capable of entering into dialogue with others and with God himself. Our
capacity to reason, to develop arguments, to be inventive, to interpret reality and to create art, along
with other not yet discovered capacities, are signs of a uniqueness which transcends the spheres of
physics and biology. The sheer novelty involved in the emergence of a personal being within a
material universe presupposes a direct action of God and a particular call to life and to relationship on
the part of a “Thou” who addresses himself to another “thou”. The biblical accounts of creation invite
us to see each humanbeing as a subjectwho cannever be reduced to the status of an object.
82.
Yet it would also bemistaken to view other living beings asmere objects subjected to arbitrary
human domination. When nature is viewed solely as a source of profit and gain, this has serious
consequences for society. This vision of “might is right” has engendered immense inequality, injustice
and acts of violence against the majority of humanity, since resources end up in the hands of the first
comer or themost powerful: the winner takes all. Completely at odds with this model are the ideals of
harmony, justice, fraternity and peace as proposed by Jesus. As he said of the powers of his own age:
“You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and their great men exercise authority over
them. It shall not be so among you; but whoeverwould be great among youmust be your servant” (
Mt
20:25-26).
83.
The ultimate destiny of the universe is in the fullness of God, which has already been attained
by the risenChrist, themeasure of thematurity of all things.
53
Here we can add yet another argument
for rejecting every tyrannical and irresponsible domination of human beings over other creatures. The
ultimate purpose of other creatures is not to be found in us. Rather, all creatures are moving forward
with us and through us towards a common point of arrival, which is God, in that transcendent fullness
where the risen Christ embraces and illumines all things. Human beings, endowed with intelligence
and love, anddrawn by the fullness ofChrist, are called to lead all creatures back to theirCreator.
IV.
THEMESSAGEOFEACHCREATURE INTHEHARMONYOFCREATION
53
Against this horizon we can set the contribution of Fr Teilhard de Chardin; cf. PAULVI,
Address in a Chemical and
Pharmaceutical Plant
(24 February1966):
Insegnamenti
4 (1966), 992-993; JOHNPAUL II,
Letter to theReverendGeorge
Coyne
(1 June 1988):
Insegnamenti
11/2 (1988), 1715; BENEDICTXVI,
Homily for the Celebration of Vespers in Aosta
(24 July2009):
Insegnamenti
5/2 (2009), 60.
