In this 1989 discussion of Pope John Paul II’s Apostolic Exhortation Christifideles Laici, Cardinal Bevilacqua emphasizes the essential point of the influence we can have on others. Any honorable human occupation can be a path toward God and an effective means for helping others find Christ who is passing by. The enemies of Christ pointed to his life of manual work and the simplicity of his background as a supposed contradiction of his claim to teach in God’s name. We can fall into the same trap if we fail to take advantage of opportunities to speak with others about the Person without whose friendship life on earth is puzzling and even tedious.
