Pope highlights ‘Fraternal Correction’ in his Lenten Message
February 07, 2012: Pope’s Lenten message was released by Vatican on Tuesday at a
press conference on the theme drawn from the Letter to the Hebrews: “Let us be concerned
for each other, to stir a response in love and good works.
Presenting the message,
Cardinal Robert Sarah, President of the Pontifical Council "Cor Unum" said that it
helps to keep alive in the faithful a sense of attention to the welfare of others,
of communion, of caring, compassion and brotherly sharing of suffering.’ He drew special
attention to ‘fraternal correction’ an aspect of Christian life highlighted in this
year’s message. The Lenten season offers us once again an opportunity to reflect
upon the very heart of Christian life: charity. This is a favorable time to renew
our journey of faith. This journey is one marked by prayer and sharing, silence and
fasting, in anticipation of the joy of Easter, said the Pontiff in his message. The
theme this year reflects on the three aspects of Christian life: concern for others,
reciprocity and personal holiness. This first aspect is an invitation to be “concerned”.
It exhorts us to look at others, first of all at Jesus, to be concerned for one another,
and not to remain isolated and indifferent to the fate of our brothers and sisters,
the Pope said. All too often, the Pope continued, our attitude is just the opposite:
an indifference and disinterest born of selfishness and masked as a respect for “privacy”.
The great commandment of ‘love one another’ demands that we acknowledge our responsibility
towards those who, like ourselves, are creatures and children of God. “Being
concerned for each other” also entails being concerned for their spiritual well-being.
The Church’s tradition has included “admonishing sinners” among the spiritual works
of mercy. It is important to recover this dimension of Christian charity. A
society like ours can become blind to physical sufferings and to the spiritual and
moral demands of life. This must not be the case in the Christian community, the
Pope cautioned. Sadly, there is always the temptation to become lukewarm, to
refuse to invest the talents we have received, for our own good and for the good of
others. In a world which demands of Christians a renewed witness of love and
fidelity to the Lord, all of us feel the urgent need to anticipate one another in
charity, service and good works, the Pope added.