By Bishop Emmanuel Adetoyese Badejo of Oyo Catholic Diocese (https://CatholicDioceseOyo.org).

The Holy Father, Pope Leo XIV, in his inaugural Mass homily told the entire world in thrall: “Let us walk towards God and love one another”. His Holiness had at his first appearance, greeted the world with the very words of peace spoken by Christ after his resurrection. No one would doubt the sincerity of his call, given his mien during his eventual inauguration. Not long afterwards he told religious leaders: “Now is the time for dialogue and building bridges”. Thereafter at the midday prayer Regina Caeli, the Pope declared: We cannot forget those suffering due to war”. In his opening magisterium the Pope pushed for unity, love harmony, peace and reconciliation, thereby maintaining coherence with the mission of the Church to unite all things in Christ. 

Pope Leo XIV’s method is also relatable to the late Pope Francis’ message for the 59th World Day of Social Communications entitled: Share with gentleness the hope that is in your hearts (cf. 1 Pet 3:15-16). Both Pontiffs thus reinforce the enduring validity of the risen Christ’s message when he said to his disciples right after his resurrection: “Peace be with you”! The valedictory message for the World Day of Communications of Pope Francis, deriving from the words of peace of Jesus Christ after his resurrection is a key benevolent tool that this fractured world needs to heal up and brighten up with hope for all humanity. The message noted that opposition, aggression and abrasions dominate today’s communication especially on social media. He therefore urged journalists and communicators to disarm, communication and purify it of aggression. Such a pungent message for a world in which intimidation and exploitation of others, even through the means of communication have attained normalcy status, is not easily accepted. Invoking the ongoing Jubilee Year of Hope, the late Pope denounced all communication that generates not hope, but fear and despair, prejudice and resentment, fanaticism and even hatred and invited Christian communicators to communicate such hope described as a hidden virtue, tenacious and patient.

He reaffirmed the duty of all communicators to carry out their task with the parameters recommended by the apostle Peter to “... always have your answer ready for people who ask you the reason for the hope that you have. But give it with courtesy and respect and with a clear conscience...” (1Pet. 3:15). Christian Communicators are called upon in this way to make companions, friends and co travellers of others on the road of life. This is a tall order in a hostile world but which is nonetheless, achievable and necessary. 

Jesus Christ urged his disciples to insist on the message of peace and not to let their hearts be troubled even when things turn awry and sour. “Peace I leave with you: my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give it to you. Do not let your hearts be troubled or afraid” (Jn 14 27). Now Pope Leo XIV has made that call operational calling us to love while we walk towards God, together. In other words, the paradigm of vengeance domination, exploitation, manipulation and aggressiveness which divide people and poising hearts against others must be jettisoned. This is what it means to make communication a gentle tool of peaceful coexistence and harmony. Jesus himself put this into practice when he rehabilitated the woman at the well, (Jn 4) pardoned the woman caught in adultery (Jn 8) and saved Peter from drowning in the sea (Mt. 14). He thus compelled his followers to engage interreligious, interracial and interclass matters with gentle and compassionate communication.

Professional journalists or communicators are not the only targets of the call to gentleness. Our world hungers for disarmed communication in homes, non aggressive communication among peoples and non exploitative communication in government and in society. The simplest of phrases like “excuse me”, “I am sorry”, “please’ and “thank you” can often be the miracle buttons that defuse destructive bombs of resentment, hatred, and violence among peoples. Additionally, the pope urges all to resist the counter values of the digital systems dominating today’s world which he calls the “atomization of interests”. These splinter us into interest groups and weaken our ability to pursue the common good and common interests, while impeding our ability to walk toward God together. Yet towards God we must walk, as Saint Augustine has said: Our hearts are restless oh Lord until they rest in thee”. In our struggle against the cankerworms of communication we are sure to enjoy the blessings of Jesus Christ who gifted the world the peace that the world cannot give or take away.