“The theme you have chosen this year, #socially free, highlights some very current issues, especially for the digital culture that influences relationships between people and, consequently, society. The symbol @ in the word socially, which historically indicated a unit of measure and later took on an accounting value, has now become commonplace in email for the meaning ‘at’. From history, therefore, comes a guideline for living freedom in social media today. It points to that ‘at’ which indicates closeness, proximity, contact, an intimate expression of freedom, to be cherished in one's heart,” says the Pope in his message sent to the participants of the XIII edition of the Festival of the Social Doctrine of the Church, taking place in Verona until November 26th.

“The network we want,” explains Francis, “is not made to trap, but to liberate, to preserve a communion of free people. The Church itself is a network woven by Eucharistic communion, where union is not based on likes, but on truth, on the amen, with which each one adheres to the Body of Christ, welcoming others.”

“The amen,” the Pontiff reiterates, “is a kind of provocation to go beyond cultural flattening to give fullness to language, respecting each person. No one should promote a communication of discarding through the spread of messages of hate and distortion of reality online! Communication reaches its fullness in the total donation of oneself to the other person. In this reciprocal relationship, the fabric of freedom develops.”

The teaching of Jesus, the Pope continues, tells us that “the primary nourishment lies in the truth of which He is the narrator in history, of which He has become the living parable.” Jesus is listened to because “the crowd perceives the unparalleled authority of the Master of Nazareth. This undoubtedly comes from what He says: often these are teachings that are difficult to assimilate because they are very demanding. But, even more so, His authority comes from His personal involvement and from being the face and word of the Father in the twists of human existence: He has compassion for the people, feels the same as the people in front of Him, does not look down on them, takes their problems to heart, takes care of them.”

Jesus' communication “is true because it is inspired by love for those who listen to Him. Jesus is interested in the whole person, that is, the person in their entirety. Jesus is not a solitary leader, He asks for the collaboration of the disciples. They too must enter into His logic of personal involvement. There is no evangelical gift that does not also include a little of the giver himself. This is the freedom to which the disciple is called: that of one who is involved with intelligence and love to help the other grow.”

This article was originally published  on ACI Stampa