Although not well known, Cardinal Karol Wojtyla collaborated significantly with Pope Paul VI in the backstory to “Humane Vitae.” When Cardinal Wojtyla was elected as Pope John Paul II, the issue of human life, marriage and family became a key topic of his teaching. The time to dive deeper into that teaching, of the now canonized “St. JPII,” could be right now.

“Humanae Vitae” was a short encyclical supporting “human life” (per the title). It covered the basics of the Church’s prohibition against contraception. Note that Pope Paul VI (now canonized) covered his topics of spouses, children, marriage, and family mainly from the standpoint of tradition and what we call “natural law morality.” That standpoint should have sufficed to shine light on Christ’s path for family life. But the lamentable disfunctions of the modern world, about which Pope Paul VI warned, came about nonetheless. A breakdown of family life and of the Sacrament of Matrimony has occurred in the world and even in the Church. The sexual revolution has set the family adrift among chaos.

So, maybe we go to the backstory with Pope John Paul II. He was aware that core realities in marriage and family stood in need of new, redeeming influences. His collection of papal audiences from September 1979 to November 1984 spoke to this need, now published as “The Theology of the Body” (often abbreviated “TOB”). Many Catholics who know of this masterpiece know that the pope brought a very nuanced, philosophical analysis to the reality of human sexuality. What is lesser known is how intensely “biblical” the TOB is simultaneously. “Humanae Vitae” was about 7,000 words, with a scripture citation for about every 450 words. TOB contains a scripture citation at least every 150 words, despite being 190,000 words long!

When Pope Paul VI wrote “Humane Vitae,” a kind of summary moral analysis was needed. But a deeper theological vision and Biblical reading of the realities of marriage and family — of all human relationships — were also needed. Thanks to Pope John Paul II (and to God!), we now have a great start on building this “reading.” The need becomes more and more evident, and it will be pertinent 100 years from now. Cardinal Wojtyla and Pope Paul VI worked in the face of the first widespread application of chemical technologies attempting to change radically the nature of human sexuality. The pill was revolutionary.

Now, our society’s current manias of “transgenderism” and “A.I. panaceas” are hardly more than a continuation of the same trope; we have technologies and drugs surpassing our wildest dreams, and so we think we can re-create human nature to be whatever we feel like it should be. The results will be emptiness, not peace, unless we return to the biblical vision.

Last of all, here is a biblical takeaway. Let us be encouraged by the depth of scripture’s meaning on the matter. Let us not get overwhelmed but pray and walk with Christ in patience. Pope John Paul II may have delved deeper into Genesis 1-3, Mattew 19, Romans 8, and Ephesian 5 than we ever will. These scriptures will never be exhausted in their meaning. And even for beginners they have helped us grow in holiness, and holiness in turn opens their meaning even more. With St. JPII, and St. Paul VI, let us keep Christ at the center, as the Redeemer of Man, and the model and fulfillment of all human life.