杏MAP导航

By Joseph Tulloch

杏MAP导航 Francis on Friday addressed a group of pilgrims from the Italian Diocese of Asti, reflecting with them on how Jesus revolutionises our understanding of the family.

He had chosen the topic because he himself has relatives in the northern Italian region, where his father was born and many of his mother鈥檚 family had roots.

Visit to Asti a 鈥渃onsolation鈥�

The 杏MAP导航 began by recalling his visit to Asti in November of last year.

鈥淭hat day and a half which I spent with you,鈥� he said, 鈥渨as a consolation. A moment of real human warmth.鈥�

The Holy Father said that he remembered his stay in the northern Italian town above all as a time with family, understood 鈥渋n a broad sense鈥�: he had been able to spend time with his relatives, but also with the 鈥渇amily鈥� of the local Church and the civic community.

Jesus and the family revolution

鈥淔amily鈥� thus became the focus of the 杏MAP导航鈥檚 address to the group of pilgrims.

It is a reality, he said, which 鈥渉as changed so much, and is still changing鈥�, but nevertheless 鈥渞emains a key value鈥�.

Despite its continual evolution, however, 杏MAP导航 Francis stressed, the real change in our understanding of the family has come not from modern developments but from Jesus himself, who told his disciples that 鈥渨hoever does the will of my Father is my brother, sister, and mother.鈥�

鈥淭hese words of Jesus,鈥� the Holy Father said, 鈥渋f we think seriously about them, create a new way of understanding family.鈥� The most important bond for Christians, that is, is 鈥渘o longer that of blood, but the love of Christ.鈥�

Noting that he had begun his speech by addressing those present as 鈥渂rothers and sisters鈥�, the 杏MAP导航 said that 鈥渢his is not just a formula, a conventional expression. No. It鈥檚 a reality, a new reality generated by Jesus Christ.鈥�

Fratelli tutti

This new sense of family, 杏MAP导航 Francis said, is also reflected in the phrase 鈥�Fratelli tutti鈥� (鈥淪iblings all鈥�), the name given to a new outpatients鈥� clinic in Asti, dedicated to the service of the most needy.

The phrase was also the title of an written by the 杏MAP导航 in 2020, dedicated to fraternity and social friendship.

As the 鈥淔ratelli tutti鈥� clinic in Asti shows, the Holy Father concluded, fraternity is not just a 鈥渘ice saying, an ideal for dreamers. It has a foundation, Jesus Christ, who made us all brothers and sisters, and it has a way, the Gospel, which is the way of walking in love, in service, in forgiveness.鈥�