蜜桃交友

By Christopher Wells

The Vatican Publishing House (Libreria Editrice Vaticana 鈥淟EV鈥�), with the Dicastery for Communication, has released a new volume of Pope Francis鈥檚 writings, focusing on the Holy Father鈥檚 reflections on human relationships 鈥� the relationships that exist between people created in the image of God.

Entitled 鈥淒iverse and United: I communicate, therefore I am鈥�, the new book is part of the 鈥�exchange of gifts鈥� series from LEV that gathers the Pope鈥檚 texts and speeches on various topics, together with never-before-published material. The series has an ecumenical focus, with most volumes including a preface written by a representative of one of the non-Catholic Churches or Ecclesial Communities.

The current volume is introduced by Dr Justin Welby, the Archbishop of Canterbury, the principle leader of the Anglican Communion.

In his preface, Welby writes, 鈥淢y brother in Christ, Pope Francis, lays before us in his words the promise of divine love and mercy: the love that God has for His people and the invitation that God gives to each of us to be in a relationship with Him鈥�. He adds, 鈥淭here is a great deal to learn from his words and writings contained in this book鈥�.

鈥淲ith the gaze of Christ鈥�

Diverse and United includes a never-before-published chapter entitled 鈥淲ith the gaze of Christ鈥�. In it, Pope Francis reflects on the Gospel account of Jesus鈥� encounter with the rich young man who asked Jesus how to obtain eternal life. The Gospel of Mark recounts a significant detail of their meeting: 鈥淛esus, looking upon him, loved him鈥�.

This, writes Pope Francis, reveals something about Jesus鈥� style: the Lord is not focused primarily on what the man is saying, but upon the man himself. This reveals how necessary it is, for truly human communication, 鈥渢o enter into contact with the world and with others, and to build relationships鈥�.

Contemplating the 鈥渙ther鈥�

The Holy Father explains that 鈥渨ithout this look of love, human communication鈥� can easily become only a dialectical duel鈥�. Instead, by opening ourselves up to the 鈥渙ther鈥�, we are able to approach the question of the meaning of existence, both our own, and that of our interlocutor.

Communication can then become not simply a means of exchanging information, but of building communion.

A predisposition to openness

This way of communicating involves a certain risk. Although it begins with a knowledge of our own identity, it must also be open to listening to the position of the other person. Effective dialogue means being secure in one鈥檚 own identity, but also recognizing the identity of the other and open to their freedom.

Here, Pope Francis notes the observation of Saint John Henry Newman, who taught that, oftentimes, human conversation does not depend primairy on the truth of the point in question (although this is necessary and important), but on one's predispositions of openness. Precisely because so much relies on the disposition of those with whom we speak, says Pope Francis, communication must be an encounter 鈥渃apable of disrupting and transforming鈥� those dispositions. In other words, it must be open to conversion 鈥� and 鈥渢his takes courage鈥�.

The importance of freedom

Pope Francis notes that, in the Gospel, the rich young man 鈥渨ent away sorrowful, for he had great possessions鈥�. The young man was sad because he was not truly free, but was enslaved by his possessions.

鈥淚t is precisely freedom that is the essential 鈥榮easoning鈥� for making people鈥檚 existence on earth fully human, and therefore every act of communication fully human鈥�, Pope Francis writes. 鈥淲ithout freedom there is no truth.Every relationship becomes fiction, hypocrisy, slips into superficiality, or worse, instrumentalization.鈥�

But the next words of Jesus suggest that the rich young man might not be lost. When the disciples ask, 鈥淭hen who can be saved,鈥� Jesus responds, 鈥淲ith man it is impossible, but not with God鈥�.

This, says Pope Francis, indicates an openness to prayer, to inviting God to be part of our conversations. The Pope notes that here, too, Jesus is looking at those with whom He is speaking.

Pope Francis concludes his reflection with a prayer that 鈥淕od鈥檚 gaze might always rest on our lives鈥�; and that, as we enter into relationships and communicate with others, we might have the same 鈥済aze of Jesus, who looks upon us with eyes of gratuitous and generous love to the point of total self-giving鈥�.