At his Wednesday General Audience, Pope Leo XIV reflected on how living the mystery of Christ’s death and resurrection should inspire believers to invest in hope and goodness, a spirituality that naturally leads to fraternity.
According to Vatican News, the Holy Father warned that true fraternity is “without a doubt one of the great challenges for contemporary humanity,” echoing concerns previously raised by Pope Francis. He emphasized that fraternity “comes from something deeply human.” As the Pope explained, “Without these relationships, we would not be able to survive, grow or learn.”
Pope Leo cautioned that when people withdraw into themselves, they risk becoming isolated and self-centered. “The other is then reduced to someone from whom we can take, without ever being truly willing to give,” he said. Despite global conflicts and divisions that may seem to make fraternity impossible, the Pope reassured the faithful that “fraternity is not a beautiful but impossible dream; it is not the desire of a deluded few.”
The Pope urged Christians to look to God as the source of strength that sustains brotherhood, explaining that fraternity “comes from an ancient root that means to care for, to have at heart, to support and sustain.” He encouraged everyone to follow the example of St. Francis of Assisi, who greeted all people with the words “Omnes fratres” — “all brothers” — recognizing the shared dignity of every human being.
Pope Leo also referenced Pope Francis’ encyclical Fratelli tutti, describing its message of universal brotherhood as “an essential feature of Christianity.” Quoting the Gospel, he reminded the faithful: “Thanks to Him, who loved us and gave Himself for us, we can in turn love one another and give our lives for others.”
Concluding his catechesis, Pope Leo called all believers to imitate Christ’s self-giving love. “The fraternity given by Christ frees us from the negative logic of selfishness, division, and arrogance,” he said, “and restores to us our original vocation, in the name of a love and a hope that are renewed every day.”
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