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A light for life in society
54.âÂÂAbsorbed and deepened in the family, faith
becomes a light capable of illumining all our re-
lationships in society. As an experience of the
mercy of God the Father, it sets us on the path
of brotherhood. Modernity sought to build a
universal brotherhood based on equality, yet we
gradually came to realize that this brotherhood,
lacking a reference to a common Father as its
ultimate foundation, cannot endure. We need to
return to the true basis of brotherhood. The his-
tory of faith has been from the beginning a his-
tory of brotherhood, albeit not without conflict.
God calls Abraham to go forth from his land and
promises to make of him a great nation, a great
people on whom the divine blessing rests (cf.
Gen
12:1-3). As salvation history progresses, it be-
comes evident that God wants to make everyone
share as brothers and sisters in that one bless-
ing, which attains its fullness in Jesus, so that all
may be one. The boundless love of our Father
also comes to us, in Jesus, through our brothers
and sisters. Faith teaches us to see that every man
and woman represents a blessing for me, that the
light of GodâÂÂs face shines on me through the fac-
es of my brothers and sisters.
How many benefits has the gaze of Chris-
tian faith brought to the city of men for their
common life! Thanks to faith we have come to
understand the unique dignity of each person,
something which was not clearly seen in antiq-
uity. In the second century the pagan Celsus
