Acta Apostolicae Sedis - Commentarium Officiale392

should not be seen as a law imposing itself from without and demanding

obedience, but rather as an expression of God's own wisdom to which human

freedom readily submits.1 As human beings we find our ultimate fulfilment in

reference to that Absolute Reality whose reflection is so often encountered in

our conscience as a pressing invitation to serve truth, justice and love.

At a personal level, you as public servants know the importance of truth,

integrity and respect in your relationships with others. Personal relationships

are often the first steps towards building trust and - in due course - solid

bonds of friendship between individuals, peoples and nations. This is an

essential part of your role, both as politicians and diplomats. In countries

with delicate political situations, such honest and open personal relationships

can be the beginning of a much greater good for entire societies and peoples.

Let me encourage all of you, present here today, to seize the opportunities

afforded you, both personally and institutionally, to build these relationships

and, in so doing, to foster the greater good of the concert of nations and the

true good of those whom you represent.

The ancient Greek philosophers also teach us that the common good is

served precisely by the influence of people endowed with clear moral insight

and courage. In this way, policies become purified of selfish interests or

partisan pressures and are placed on a more solid basis. Furthermore, the

legitimate aspirations of those whom we represent are protected and fostered.

Moral rectitude and impartial respect for others and their well-being are

essential to the good of any society since they establish a climate of trust

in which all human interactions, whether religious, or economic, social and

cultural, or civil and political, acquire strength and substance. But what does

it mean in practical terms to respect and promote moral truth in the world of

politics and diplomacy on the national and international levels? How can the

pursuit of truth bring greater harmony to the troubled regions of the earth?

I would suggest that it can be done in three ways.

Firstly, promoting moral truth means acting responsibly on the basis of

factual knowledge. As diplomats, you know from experience that such knowl-

edge helps you identify injustices and grievances, so as to consider dispassion-

ately the concerns of all involved in a given dispute. When parties rise above

their own particular view of events, they acquire an objective and compre-

hensive vision. Those who are called to resolve such disputes are able to make

1 Cfr. Veritatis Splendor, 41.