In this second chapter of Pope Francis’ latest encyclical, Dilexit Nos, the love of Christ is explored in depth, not only through his words, but fundamentally through his gestures, his gaze and his compassion. The Pope begins by reminding us that, although Christ did not explain in depth the mystery of his love, he showed it in a tangible way, approaching us with simplicity, like someone who leaps over distances and becomes close, as expressed in the name “Emmanuel”, which means “God with us”.
The gestures of Jesus
Pope Francis highlights that the gestures of Jesus were fundamental to manifest his love. Jesus allowed himself to be touched, he healed the lepers with a simple gesture, he touched the eyes of the blind man and allowed a public woman to clean his feet. In a society that considered it impure to touch lepers or the excluded, Jesus did not hesitate to draw near, show compassion and offer healing. This closeness of Christ continues today, although no longer in the form of direct physical gestures, but in the way he presents himself to us through everyday circumstances, the people and events that permeate our lives.
Every moment, every encounter, every person can be a manifestation of divine love: the consolation of a friend, a gesture of affection from a child, the compassionate look of a stranger, or even reflection on an object that reminds us of Christ. The Pope points out that it is not a question of asking ourselves “why” but “for what” the events in our lives occur, since they are all an opportunity to perceive God’s message.
The gaze of Christ
The second great theme of the chapter is the gaze of Jesus. The Pope explains that Christ’s gaze is not superficial, but deep, capable of seeing the depths of the human heart. Jesus does not see only external appearances; He sees the soul, the most intimate desires, the repentance and goodness hidden in people’s hearts. An example of this is the call of Matthew, the publican, or the two fishermen brothers whom Jesus chose. It was not because of what they did, but because of what Christ saw in their hearts.
This gaze is still valid today, and the Pope invites us to live under the constant gaze of God, which is always a gaze of love, understanding and mercy. When we are aware that we are always under God’s gaze, our perspective changes. We stop worrying about material achievements or external recognition, and we focus on living to please God and serve others.
The compassion of Christ
Finally, Pope Francis speaks to us of the compassion of Christ. The Lord not only saw the needs of human beings, but also suffered for them. His compassion led him to share the suffering of others, to be with those who were marginalized, sick or weak. Christ was not oblivious to human pain; he took it on and joined it to redeem it. This compassion is still present in us today through the invitation to accompany those who suffer, to see suffering through the eyes of Christ, and to take action to alleviate it.
The Pope stresses that compassion is not just a feeling of sadness at the suffering of others, but an active response that translates into concrete actions of help and love. In our daily lives, being compassionate means being willing to share the burdens of others, as Christ did, who carried the weight of our weaknesses and sins.
This second chapter of the encyclical Dilexit Nos invites us to contemplate the love of Christ not only as an abstract concept, but as a living and tangible reality that manifests itself in everyday gestures, in looks full of understanding and in a deep compassion that calls us to be more human and supportive. Pope Francis reminds us that Christ continues to live among us today, showing us his love in a simple and close way, inviting us to be witnesses of that love in our daily lives.
Chapter 1: Dilexit Nos. The heart
