The Pope's first Encyclical letter was released. I was so excited waiting for it since early December. The rumors of its release have hit my ears last year and with each possible date for its release come and gone my excitement just grew. This week it is finally here.
For some reason a lot of people have found the Encyclical a bit surprising. The theme it deals with is love. A purification of love in society and a return to a very fundamentally Christian concept of loving our neighbor. Many people say that there is nothing new in this letter. That it simply restates what the church always believed. This is true, but what it does restates is very badly needed today. The pope knows this and maybe thats why he chose this theme for his first Encyclical.
The world needs love. It needs Christian love. It needs Christians to live their Christian lives in truth and not in shame. Love must be a part of every action of a Christian.
Here is the link to the Encyclical
"It is terrible how much harm we can do if we allow ourselves to be carried away by the fear or the shame of being seen as Christians in ordinary life. "
St. Josemaría Escrivá