By Deborah Castellano Lubov
Pope Leo XIV addressed participants in the 47th “Meeting for Friendship Among Peoples” on Saturday afternoon at the Rimini Exhibition Centre.
The Pope’s visit to the week-long event, organized annually by the Communion and Liberation Movement at the end of August, takes place in the context of his Pastoral Visit to the Republic of San Marino and to the city of Rimini.
In his remarks to the Meeting, the Pope encouraged those present in their faith and urged them to learn from Jesus’ example of promoting peace in times of conflict and injustice.
“Today too, peace is fostered and spread by people who love to encounter one another and are not afraid to engage with one another. In his Encyclical Fratelli Tutti, Pope Francis taught us to cultivate social friendship, which is the public, dynamic and concrete expression of fraternity.”
“When we recognize one another in the dignity of being children of God,” Pope Leo observed, “we come into contact with that which fundamentally unites human beings, beyond every difference, division or conflict.”
‘Evil is not fought with evil’
The Pope reminded those present that “love moves” and reflected on how Jesus described the perfection of God, revealing the gulf between the generosity of his action and the narrowness of human thoughts.
Reality, he noted, suffocates within our calculations and breathes in God’s gratuitousness.
The Holy Father said it is “no coincidence” that my predecessors—Saint John Paul II, Benedict XVI and Francis—all pointed to divine mercy as the point of impact between the Gospel and the “new things” of this dramatic and wonderful age.
“To follow Jesus Christ in the wake of the tragedies and new beginnings of the twentieth century,” Pope Leo underscored, “requires a clear awareness that evil is not overcome by evil.”
“As in heaven, so on earth,” he insisted, “love is the law of life and the means of redemption — the way of the crucified Messiah.”
Christ’s love commits and purifies us
“Catholic culture must counter the false realism that rearms minds, words and nations, with the realism of mercy which recognizes that there can be no enemies, and that everyone, even those who oppose us, is a brother or sister to be looked in the eye and encountered in truth.”
While he acknowledged that sin certainly exists, he said Christ’s redeeming love is stronger.
Christ’s love, he emphasized, “commits us to purifying our thoughts, interests, habits, associations, plans and investments — indeed, every aspect of our lives – from all that the culture of power has tainted.”
Glory of God must shine forth, unjust power relationships must be ‘unmasked’
The Pope observed that there is no shortage of expertise, responsibility and resources among those gathered at the meeting to place at the service of an authentic conversion of a people.
“Obsession with preserving one’s glory, one’s ‘dignity’, one’s influence,” he said, “must not play a part in our sentiments. We must seek the glory of God, and this does not coincide with our own.”
He said that the glory of God that shines forth in the humility of the cave of Bethlehem or in the dishonour of Christ’s cross always surprises us.
Accordingly, he urged all faithful to join in freeing “our lives from suspicion, culture from arrogance, education from ideology, work from the idolatry of profit, and technology and finance from the business of death.”
“Beginning with the organizations that we have created and in which we work,” the Pope invited, “let us expose unjust structures of power that lie at the root of poverty, inequality, war and environmental disasters.”
Need for courageous pioneers
In this context, Pope Leo also called for disarming technological development when it becomes pervasive and destructive.
“We need courageous pioneers who, by first changing course in their own lives,” he insisted, “can make the transformation required of everyone convincing and credible.”
“Let there not be only those who fan the flames of weariness and despair; let there also be those who rekindle dreams and visions!” Pope Leo said, recognizing the two paths are incompatible, “because one feeds upon division, alienation and despair, while the other serves the Kingdom of God and his justice.”
The Holy Father acknowledged the great participation of young people present, many of whom are volunteers.
“You are a sign that the future is promising, and not a threat!” he insisted, despite the many who, he said, no longer believe this, both among adults and among young people.
“Silently, “the love that moves the sun and the other stars” still inspires hope,” the Pope said, stressing how intensely he experienced this meeting with young people during his Apostolic Journeys to Lebanon, Africa and Spain.
‘Young people, put yourselves on the line!’
“Love moves us, urges us on, awakens us from our slumber,” and “inspires new vocations and calls us to take risks,” Pope Leo said.
Thus, he appealed, “do not be afraid to give yourselves fully! Open yourselves to a truly catholic spirit, broadening your networks beyond every overly narrow sense of belonging. Let your Movement, your groups and your communities be a springboard from which you can dive into the whole of reality.”
With this sentiment, he said, “resist whatever would separate you from brothers and sisters of different cultures, sensibilities and backgrounds, especially the poorest among them. Instead, go forth to meet everyone!”
“In every corner of the world, especially on the margins and among those who suffer,” he said, “you will find people who are ready to help build the civilization of love.”
Do not allow anyone to diminish that God is love
The Pope cautioned against this love being diminished, and stressed that in love there is never coercion, indoctrination; never seduction, deception or recruitment.
“Love exists only in freedom, in genuine encounter and in the generous gift of self.” he said.
Young people’s adherence to Christ
The Holy Father observed to young people how the world today seems astonished by their adherence to Christ, by the attraction you feel towards Him and his Word, and by your belonging to the Church.
“For many today, the very fact that you are Christians comes as a surprise! Yet, without fanfare, ‘the word of the Lord sounded forth from you’,” he said, quoting Saint Paul’s letter to the community of Thessalonica, where he also told them: “Your faith in God has gone forth everywhere, so that we need not say anything.”
“This is not a matter of numbers, although it is moving to see thousands of your peers seeking Baptism in societies considered among the most secularized in the world,” but, he said, “a matter of freedom because the truth can be encountered only in freedom.”
The Church grows by attraction
The Holy Father recalled that his predecessors have repeated on several occasions, “the Church does not engage in proselytism. Instead, she grows by ‘attraction’.”
Pope Leo acknowledged that we are human, and often marked by limitation and sin. “Yet,” he encouraged, “it is the Lord who always raises us up, both as individuals and as communities!”
With this encouragement, Pope Leo told those gathered, “always love the Church” and “love and safeguard the unity of the “community” through which Christ has reached you and draws you to himself.”
The Pope closed reminding everyone present that a fundamental element in every Christian community is prayer, before inviting those present to join in praying the Lord’s Prayer. – Vatican News
