Vatican City, June 12, 2014 (Zenit.org)

During his morning Mass in Casa Santa Marta, Pope Francis today proposed a three-step plan for overcoming conflict and living in fraternal communion with one’s neighbor.

He addressed the question of how we ought to love one another, drawing from the Gospel reading of the day, which recounts the Lord’s conversation with His disciples about brotherly love (Mt 5:20-26).

The Pope first recommended a “criterion of realism: of sane realism.”

“If you have something against another and you cannot fix it, look for a [compromise] solution – at least,” he suggested.

The Pontiff acknowledged that a compromise might not be ideal but is at least a good thing and is “realism.”

In order to save many things, in fact, “one must make a deal – and one takes a step, the other takes another step and at least there is peace: a very [imperfect] peace, but a peace agreement [nevertheless].”

We face many difficult situations in life, and, “while we are on the road, we make compromises … and in this way we put a stop to hate and strife among us,” Francis said. Read more at http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/pope-in-morning-homily-gives-3-step-plan-for-overcoming-conflict