Brethren, as to the time and the moment, it is not necessary for me to write to you. You know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the middle of the night” (First letter of Saint Paul to the Thessalonians 5,1-2).
- With these words, the Apostle Paul invited the community of Thessalonica, which was awaiting an encounter with the Lord, to remain steadfast, with its feet and heart firmly planted on the ground, capable of an attentive gaze at reality and at the vicissitudes of history. For this reason, even if the events of our existence seem so tragic and we feel pushed into the dark and difficult tunnel of injustice and suffering, we are called to keep our hearts open to hope, trusting in God who makes himself present, accompanies us with tenderness, sustains us in our efforts and, above all, guides our journey.
In this spirit, Saint Paul constantly exhorts the community to be vigilant, to seek the good, justice and truth: “Let us not fall asleep, therefore, as others do: let us be awake and sober” (5:6). . It is an invitation to remain vigilant, not to withdraw into fear, pain or resignation, not to give in to distraction, not to get discouraged, but rather to be like sentinels capable of watching over and distinguishing the first light of dawn, especially at night , darkest hours
- Covid-19 has plunged us into the middle of the night, destabilizing our daily lives, upsetting our patterns and customs, disturbing the apparent tranquility of even the most privileged societies, generating disorientation and suffering, and causing the death of many of our brothers and sisters sisters.
Pushed into a whirlwind of unexpected challenges and in a situation that is not entirely clear, not even from a scientific point of view, the world of health has mobilized to alleviate the pain of many and try to remedy it; Likewise, the political authorities had to adopt drastic measures in terms of emergency organization and management.
Together with the physical manifestations, Covid-19 has caused – even with long-term effects – a general malaise that has penetrated the hearts of many people and families, with consequences to be taken into consideration, fueled by long periods of isolation and various restrictions on freedom .
Furthermore, we cannot forget how the pandemic has struck chords in the social and economic fabric, exposing contradictions and inequalities. It has threatened the job security of many and has aggravated the increasingly widespread loneliness in our societies, especially that of the weakest and poorest. We think, for example, of the millions of informal workers in many parts of the world who have been left without work and without any support during the entire confinement.
Rarely do individuals and society advance into situations that generate such a feeling of defeat and bitterness; as this weakens the efforts dedicated to peace and causes social conflicts, frustrations and violence of all kinds. In this sense, the pandemic seems to have shaken even the quietest areas of our world, bringing countless shortcomings to light.
- After three years, the time has come to take some time to question yourself, learn, grow and let yourself be transformed -in a personal and community way-; a privileged time to prepare for the “day of the Lord”.
I have already said several times that moments of crisis never come out the same: we come out better or worse. Today we are called to ask ourselves: what have we learned from this pandemic situation, what new paths must we take to free ourselves from the chains of our old habits, to be more prepared, to dare to do the new? What signs of life and hope can we take advantage of to move forward and try to make our world a better place?
Surely, after having felt the fragility that characterizes human reality and our personal existence, we can say that the greatest lesson that the Covid-19 leaves us as a legacy is the awareness that we all need each other; that our greatest treasure, though also our most fragile, is human brotherhood, founded on our common divine filiation, and that no one can save himself alone. For this reason it is urgent to seek and promote together the universal values which trace the path of this human brotherhood.
We have also learned that the trust placed in progress, technology and the effects of globalization has not only been excessive, but has turned into an individualistic and idolatrous intoxication, jeopardizing the hoped-for guarantee of justice, harmony and peace.
In our fast-paced world, pervasive issues of imbalance, injustice, poverty and marginalization all too often fuel unrest and conflict, leading to violence and even war.
If, on the one hand, the pandemic has brought all of this to light, on the other we have managed to make positive discoveries: a beneficial return to humility; a reduction in some consumer requests; a renewed sense of solidarity that pushes us to get out of our selfishness to open ourselves to the suffering of others and their needs; as well as a commitment, in some cases truly heroic, of many people who did their utmost to ensure that everyone could better overcome the drama of the emergency.
From this experience a stronger conscience has emerged which invites everyone, peoples and nations, to put the word “together” back at the center. Indeed, it is together, in fraternity and solidarity, that we can build peace, guarantee justice and overcome the most painful events.
In fact, the most effective responses to the pandemic have been those in which social groups, public and private institutions, international organizations have come together to face the challenge, leaving aside particular interests. Only the peace born of fraternal and selfless love can help us overcome personal, social and global crises.
- At the same time, just as we dared to hope that the worst night of the Covid-19 pandemic had passed, a new and terrible disaster has befallen humanity. We have witnessed the beginning of another scourge: a new war, in part comparable to that of Covid-19, but driven by reprehensible human decisions.
The war in Ukraine reaps innocent victims and spreads insecurity, not only among those directly involved, but in a generalized and indiscriminate way throughout the world; it also affects those who, even thousands of kilometers away, suffer the side effects – just think of the shortage of wheat and fuel prices.
This is certainly not the post-Covid era we expected or anticipated. In fact, this war, together with all the other conflicts on the planet, represents a defeat for all of humanity and not just for the parties directly involved. Although a vaccine against Covid-19 has been found, no effective solutions have yet been found to end the war. Indeed, the virus of war is more difficult to defeat than those that strike the body, because it does not come from the outside, but from within the human heart, corrupted by sin (cf. Gospel according to St. Mark 7:17-23).
- What, then, are we being asked to do? In the first place, let us let our hearts be changed by the emergency we have experienced, that is, let God transform our usual criteria for interpreting the world and reality through this historical moment. We can no longer think only of preserving the space of our personal or national interests, but we must conceive ourselves in the light of the common good, with a sense of community, that is, as a “we” open to universal brotherhood. We can’t just try to protect ourselves; It is time for all of us to commit ourselves to the healing of our society and our planet, creating the foundations for a more just and peaceful world, seriously committed to the pursuit of a true common good.
To achieve this goal and live better after the Covid-19 emergency, we cannot ignore a fundamental fact: the various moral, social, political and economic crises we are experiencing are all interconnected, and what we consider autonomous problems are actually one cause or consequence of others. Therefore, we are called to face the challenges of our world with responsibility and compassion.
We have to go back to the issue of ensuring public health for all; promote peace actions to put an end to conflicts and wars that continue to generate victims and poverty; take care of our common home together and apply clear and effective measures to tackle climate change; fight against the virus of inequality and guarantee everyone food and decent work, supporting those who do not even have a minimum wage and experience great difficulties. The scandal of starving cities hurts us. We must develop, with adequate policies, reception and integration, above all of migrants and those who live as discarded in our societies.
Only by investing in these realities, with an altruistic desire inspired by God’s infinite and merciful love, can we build a new world and help build the Kingdom of God, which is the Kingdom of love, justice and peace.
By sharing these reflections, I hope that in the new year we can walk together, treasuring what history can teach us.
I express my best wishes to the heads of state and government, to the directors of international organizations and to the heads of various religions. I wish all men and women of good will a happy year in which you can build peace day by day as craftsmen. Mary Immaculate, Mother of Jesus and Queen of Peace, intercede for us and for the whole world.
Vatican, 8
December 2022.
In first person
After three years, the time has come to take some time to question yourself, learn, grow and let yourself be transformed -in a personal and community way-; a privileged time to prepare for the “day of the Lord”.
I have already said several times that moments of crisis never come out the same: we come out better or worse.
TO EMERGE
Surely, after having felt the fragility that characterizes human reality and our personal existence, we can say that the greatest lesson that the Covid-19 bequeaths us is the awareness that we all need each other.
The world of healthcare has mobilized to alleviate the pain of many and try to remedy it; Likewise, the political authorities had to adopt drastic measures in terms of emergency organization and management.
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