Pope Leo: True Humanity Depends on Fraternity and Shared Love

During his Wednesday General Audience at St. Peter’s Square, Pope Leo spoke about the vital importance of fraternity in human life, describing it as something deeply rooted in our nature. He said that without genuine brotherhood and compassion, humanity would not be able to “survive, grow, or learn.” His address focused on how fraternity, when lived out in daily life, becomes both a moral necessity and a spiritual calling.

Reflecting on the mystery of Christ’s death and resurrection, the Pope explained that embracing the paschal spirit, the movement from suffering to new life fills people with hope and inspires them to “invest in goodness.” This hope, he said, is what nurtures the bonds that hold communities together, even amid division and conflict.

“Fraternity is one of the greatest challenges of our time,” Pope Leo noted, referencing Pope Francis’ encyclical Fratelli tutti as a guide for renewing human solidarity. “It may seem difficult today because of wars, political tensions, and growing hatred, but it remains the only way forward if we wish to preserve our humanity.”

The Pope reminded listeners that fraternity is not a dream reserved for idealists but a natural expression of human life. “We are made for relationship,” he said. “When we live isolated from others, we wither. We risk becoming self-centered, unable to see beyond our own desires. The other person becomes someone from whom we take, not someone to whom we give.”

He urged the faithful to recognize that real fraternity cannot be taken for granted. It requires constant care, forgiveness, and openness to others. “In a world marked by division, fraternity may appear fragile,” he said. “But it is not an illusion. It is the antidote to the sicknesses that try to overpower our shared humanity.” The Pope added that only by returning to God, “the source of love and strength,” can people rediscover the power to sustain true brotherhood.

Pope Leo explained that the word fraternity has ancient roots, meaning “to care for” and “to support.” These meanings, he said, remind us of the role siblings play within a family, protecting, encouraging, and walking beside one another. “When we think of each person as a brother or sister, we begin to see beyond boundaries,” he said.

The Pope also recalled St. Francis of Assisi’s greeting “Omnes fratres,” meaning “all brothers,” which the saint used to address everyone equally, regardless of their background or status. “St. Francis placed everyone on the same level, recognizing the dignity that comes from being created by God,” Pope Leo explained. “This spirit is at the heart of the Gospel commandment to love one another as Jesus has loved us.”

Quoting the Gospel of John, he reminded the faithful that Jesus’ love was complete, extending to the very end of His earthly life. Even in His suffering and abandonment, He revealed a love that conquers death. “Through the Resurrection, the disciples became true brothers and sisters,” the Pope said. “They received the Spirit and were sent into the world as witnesses of a new humanity born of love.”

Pope Leo concluded his address with a call to live fraternity through concrete acts of compassion. “Brothers and sisters do not turn away from one another,” he said. “They share in each other’s pain and joy, and they build unity through trust and mutual support.”

“The fraternity given to us by Christ,” he added, “frees us from selfishness and division. It restores our true vocation to live in love, to build peace, and to renew hope each day. This is the path that leads us to God: to be, in truth, brothers and sisters all.”