He concludes with the words of Pope Francis, “we are all brothers”. Pope Leo, in his catechesis on the theme «The Resurrection of Christ and the challenges of the current world. Easter spirituality animates the fraternity. “Love one another as I have loved you”»as part of the cycle on Jesus Christ our hope, recalls the great intuition of his predecessor: «Believing in the death and resurrection of Christ and living Easter spirituality instills hope in life and encourages investing in good. In particular, it helps us to love and nourish brotherhood, which is undoubtedly one of the great challenges for contemporary humanity, as Pope Francis has clearly seen”, he says, addressing the numerous faithful present in the square.
«Fraternity», he underlines, «is born from a profoundly human fact. We are capable of relationships and, if we want, we know how to build authentic bonds between us. Without relationships, which support us and enrich us from the beginning of our lives, we would not be able to survive, grow, learn”. Yet it is not so easy to feel like brothers, we often turn in on ourselves and “the other is then reduced to someone to take from, without us ever really being willing to give, to give ourselves”.
Fraternity is not «to be taken for granted, it is not immediate. Many conflicts, many wars throughout the world, social tensions and feelings of hatred would actually seem to demonstrate the opposite. However, brotherhood is not a beautiful impossible dream, it is not a desire of a deluded few. But to overcome the shadows that threaten it, we must go to the sources, and above all draw light and strength from the One who alone frees us from the poison of enmity”, recalls Leone.
Explain the root of the word “Brother”. Which means «to take care of, to care about, to support and sustain. Applied to every human person it becomes an appeal, an invitation. We often think that the role of brother or sister refers to kinship, to being related by blood, to being part of the same family. In truth, we know well how disagreement, fracture, sometimes hatred can devastate relationships between relatives, not just between strangers.”
Precisely for this reason it is urgent to recover the words of Saint Francis and the greeting with which “he addressed everyone, regardless of geographical, cultural, religious and doctrinal origins: omnes fratres was the inclusive way with which the Saint placed all human beings on the same level, precisely because he recognized them in the common destiny of dignity, dialogue, welcome and salvation. Pope Francis re-proposed this approach of the Poverello di Assisi, valorising its relevance after 800 years, in the Encyclical Fratelli tutti”.
An all which, «for Saint Francis the welcoming sign of a universal brotherhood, expresses an essential trait of Christianity, which from the beginning has been the announcement of the Good News destined for the salvation of all, never in an exclusive or private form. This brotherhood is based on the commandment of Jesus, which is new in that it is fulfilled by Himself, the superabundant fulfillment of the Father’s will: thanks to Him, who loved us and gave Himself for us, we in turn can love each other and give our lives for others, as children of the one Father and true brothers in Jesus Christ.”
Jesus, continues the Pontiff, “loved us to the end” and “his Resurrection, on the third day, is the beginning of a new story”. It is there that “the disciples become fully brothers, after a long time of life together, not only when they experience the pain of Jesus’ death, but, above all, when they recognize him as the Risen One, receive the gift of the Spirit and become his witnesses. Brothers and sisters support each other in trials, they do not turn their backs on those in need: they cry and rejoice together in the active perspective of unity, trust and mutual entrustment. The dynamic is the one that Jesus himself gives us: “Love one another as I have loved you”. And therefore, he concludes, we must remember that «the brotherhood given by the dead and risen Christ frees us from the negative logic of selfishness, divisions, arrogance, and returns us to our original vocation, in the name of a love and hope that is renewed every day. The Risen One has shown us the path to follow together with Him, to feel and be “all brothers””.
