In history, He cannot do the job alone, because He gave us freedom. And the whole hope of messianic redemption depends on God and on man. We must help Him. And by each deed we carry out, we either retard or accelerate the coming of redemption. Our role in history is tremendous. I mean, our human role.

A.J. Heschel, The Carl Stern Interview, in MGSA, FSG, p. 397