“We live immersed in a culture of speed, immediacy and haste – a culture of ‘discard’ and indifference that prevents us from pausing along the way and drawing near to acknowledge the needs and suffering that surround us”. Pope Leo XIV writes this in his message for the World Day of the Sick, which this year will be solemnly celebrated in Chiclayo, Peru, on 11 February, on the theme: “The compassion of the Samaritan: loving by bearing another’s pain”. In the text, the Pope returns to the biblical passage of the Good Samaritan, which is key to interpreting “the Encyclical Fratelli Tutti, written by my beloved predecessor Pope Francis. There, compassion and mercy towards those in need are not reduced to a merely individual effort, but are realized through relationships: with our brothers and sisters in need, with those who care for them and, ultimately, with God who gives us his love”. “Jesus does not merely teach us who our neighbor is, but rather how to become a neighbor; in other words, how we can draw close to others”, Saint Augustine affirmed commenting on the parable, which for Pope Leo XIV teaches us that
“love is not passive; it goes out to meet the other. Being a neighbor is not determined by physical or social proximity, but by the decision to love. This is why Christians become neighbors to those who suffer, following the example of Christ, the true divine Samaritan who drew near to a wounded humanity”.
“These are not mere gestures of philanthropy”, the Pope stresses. “Saint Francis expressed this beautifully when, speaking of his encounter with lepers, he said: ‘The Lord himself led me among them’, because through them he had discovered the sweet joy of loving”.
“No” to rhetoric. Compassion “is neither theoretical nor merely sentimental, but manifests itself through concrete gestures”. This is, in a nutshell, the Christian style outlined by the Pope, who drew on his pastoral experience as a missionary and bishop in Peru: “I have personally witnessed many who show mercy and compassion in the spirit of the Samaritan and the innkeeper. Family members, neighbors, healthcare workers, those engaged in pastoral care for the sick, and many others stop along the way to draw near, heal, support and accompany those in need. By offering what they have, they give compassion a social dimension. This experience, occurring within a network of relationships, transcends mere individual commitment”. In this perspective, as Pope Leo XIV observed in the Apostolic Exhortation Dilexi te, care for the sick is not only an “important part” of the Church’s mission, but an authentic
“ecclesial action” which “serves as a measure of a society’s health”.
“The pain that moves us to compassion is not the pain of a stranger; it is the pain of a member of our own Body, to whom Christ our Head commands us attend, for the good of all”, the Pontiff writes further. “In this sense, our service is identified with Christ’s own suffering and, when offered in a Christian spirit, hastens the fulfillment of the Savior’s prayer for the unity of all”.
From compassion to personal ethics. We must set aside “any attempt to base our self-esteem or sense of dignity on worldly stereotypes – such as success, career, status or family background” and recover “our proper place before God and neighbor” is the Pope’s appeal. According to him, “the primacy of divine love implies that human action is carried out not for self-interest or reward, but as a manifestation of a love that transcends ritual norms and find expression in authentic worship. To serve one’s neighbor is to love God through deeds”. Benedict XVI said that “as a spiritual being, the human creature is defined through interpersonal relations”, Pope Leo XIV recalls. “The more authentically he or she lives these relations, the more his or her own personal identity matures. It is not by isolation that man establishes his worth, but by placing himself in relation with others and with God”.
“The true remedy for humanity’s wounds is a style of life based on fraternal love, which has its root in love of God”, the Pontiff reiterates, echoing Pope Francis. “I genuinely hope that our Christian lifestyle will always reflect this fraternal, ‘Samaritan’ spirit – one that is welcoming, courageous, committed and supportive, rooted in our union with God and our faith in Jesus Christ. Enkindled by this divine love, we will surely be able to give of ourselves for the good of all who suffer, especially our brothers and sisters who are sick, elderly or afflicted”.
