“I am returning to my homeland”: Leo XIV returns to Peru with a message of fraternity
Pope Leo XIV returns to Peru with a message of listening, fraternity, and the common good. Friar Luis La Jara reflects on his first words.
Friar Luis La Jara, an Augustinian, reflects on the return of Pope Leo XIV to Peru and the words he has addressed to the authorities and the Peruvian people. An invitation to listen, serve the common good, and build a more fraternal society, based on love for one’s country and respect for human dignity.
Our ultimate homeland is heaven, but in this world, we make a home with those with whom we share the journey. Pope Leo XIV has arrived in our country and, in one of his first speeches, expressed with special affection that he has also returned to his homeland. The history woven between the Successor of Peter and Peru finds a significant reunion today. It has happened to all of us that, after a long trip or a prolonged absence from home, the heart is filled with joy and nostalgia—feelings that find their fulfillment in the encounter with our loved ones and those places that are part of our history.
Leo XIV in Peru: Listening as a path toward the common good
In the midst of that joy, the Pope also addressed a clear and hopeful word to the authorities and all Peruvians. He reminded us that public service is one of the great opportunities to exercise charity, as it is called to seek the common good. In this sense, he placed special emphasis on the importance of listening. In a country as diverse and plural as ours, and so often tempted by division, we need to learn to listen and recognize the concrete faces behind the needs and problems of our society.
The Pope also referred to various situations afflicting our nation that require timely and responsible attention. Security, environmental care, education, and opportunities for young people, as well as care for those who suffer, are some of the topics he pointed out. All of them remind us that development and progress only have true meaning when they are built on respect and care for the dignity of every person.
The Pope’s return to Peru, an invitation to build fraternity
May these days be an opportunity to open our hearts and receive the message of the Vicar of Christ. His return to Peru reminds us that loving a homeland also means being interested in it, caring for those who inhabit it, and being willing to offer something of ourselves for the good of all. May we know how to listen, encounter one another, and walk together, recognizing in every Peruvian a brother and a sister with whom we continue to build our common home.