Regarding the first, Pope Francis lamented that, at times, “the arms become rigid and the hands tighten threateningly, becoming no longer vehicles of fraternity, but of rejection, of opposition, even violent at times, a sign of distrust.” towards others, near and far, until conflict.”
“When the hug turns into a fist, it is very dangerous. At the origin of wars there are usually lost or rejected hugs, followed by prejudices, misunderstandings, suspicions, to the point of seeing the other as an enemy,” he noted.
Regarding the hug that saves, he stated that “hugging means expressing positive and fundamental values such as affection, esteem, trust, encouragement, reconciliation, but it becomes even more vital when we experience it in the dimension of faith.”