Pope Francis Homilies

Books of the Bible Index of Homilies

Matthew Mark Luke John The Acts Romans 1 Corinthians 2 Corinthians Galatians Ephesians Philippians Colossians 1 Thessalonians 2 Thessalonians 1 Timothy 2 Timothy Titus Philemon Hebrews James 1 Peter 2 Peter 1 John 2 John 3 John Jude Revelation Genesis Exodus Leviticus Numbers Deuteronomy Joshua Judges Ruth 1 Samuel 2 Samuel 1 Kings 2 Kings 1 Chronicles 2 Chronicles Ezra Nehemiah Tobit Judith Esther 1 Maccabees 2 Maccabees Job Psalms Proverbs Ecclesiastes The Song of Songs The Book of Wisdom Sirach Isaiah Jeremiah Lamentations Baruch Ezekiel Daniel Hosea Joel Amos Obadiah Jonah Micah Nahum Habakkuk Zephaniah Haggai Zechariah Malachi

Pope Leo Angelus 01.02.26

Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday!

Today’s liturgy proclaims a beautiful passage from the Good News that Jesus announces to all humanity: the Gospel of the Beatitudes (Mt 5:1-12). These are, in fact, lights that the Lord kindles in the darkness of history, revealing the plan of salvation that the Father accomplishes through the Son, with the power of the Holy Spirit.

On the mountain, Christ gives his disciples the new law, no longer written on stone. It is a law that renews our lives and makes them good, even when the world seems to have failed us and is full of misery. Only God can truly call the poor and afflicted blessed (cf. vv. 3-4), because he is the highest good who gives himself to all with infinite love. Only God can satisfy those who seek peace and justice (cf. vv. 6.9), because he is the just judge of the world and the author of eternal peace. Only in God do the meek, the merciful and the pure of heart find joy (vv. 5.7-8), because he is the fulfilment of their expectations. In persecution, God is the source of redemption; in falsehood, he is the anchor of truth. Therefore, Jesus proclaims: “Rejoice and be glad!” (v. 12).

These Beatitudes remain a paradox only for those who believe that God is other than how Christ reveals him. Those who expect the arrogant to always rule the earth are surprised by the Lord’s words. Those who are accustomed to thinking that happiness belongs to the rich may believe that Jesus is deluded. However, the delusion lies precisely in the lack of faith in Christ. He is the poor man who shares his life with everyone, the meek man who perseveres in suffering, the peacemaker persecuted to death on the cross.

In this way, Jesus illuminates the meaning of history. It is no longer written by conquerors, but rather by God, who is able to accomplish it by saving the oppressed. The Son looks at the world through the Father’s love. On the other hand, as Pope Francis said, there are “the experts in illusion. We should not follow them because they are unable to give us hope” (Angelus, 17 February 2019). Instead, God gives this hope primarily to those whom the world dismisses as hopeless.

Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, the Beatitudes become for us a measure of happiness, leading us to ask whether we consider it an achievement to be bought or a gift to be shared; whether we place it in objects that are consumed or in relationships that accompany us. It is in fact because of Christ (cf. Mt 5:11) and thanks to him that the bitterness of trials is transformed into the joy of the redeemed. Jesus does not speak of a distant consolation, but of a constant grace that always sustains us, especially in times of affliction.

The Beatitudes lift up the humble and disperse the proud in their inmost thoughts (cf Lk 1:51). Therefore, we ask for the intercession of the Virgin Mary, servant of the Lord, whom all generations call blessed.

Dear brothers and sisters,

I have received the greatly troubling news regarding an increase in tensions between Cuba and the United States of America, two neighbouring countries. I echo the message of the Cuban bishops, inviting all responsible parties to promote a sincere and effective dialogue, in order to avoid violence and every action that could increase the suffering of the dear Cuban people. May the Virgen de la Caridad del Cobre assist and protect all of the children of that beloved land!

Next Friday, the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Games will begin, followed by the Paralympic Games. I extend my best wishes to the organisers and all the athletes. These great sporting events send a powerful message of fraternity and rekindle hope for a world at peace. This is also the meaning of the Olympic truce, an ancient custom that accompanies the Games. I hope that all those who care about peace among peoples and are in positions of authority will take this opportunity to make concrete gestures of détente and dialogue.

Today in Italy is the “National Day for Civilian Victims of War and Conflict around the World.” Unfortunately this initiative is still tragically relevant. Every day there are more civilian victims of armed actions, actions that openly violate morality and the law. The dead and wounded of yesterday and today will truly be honoured when this intolerable injustice comes to an end.

I assure you of my prayers for the dead and for those who are suffering as a result of the storms that have struck Portugal and southern Italy in recent days. Let us also not forget the people of Mozambique who have been severely affected by flooding.

I greet all of you, dear Romans and pilgrims from various countries!

In particular, I am pleased to welcome the members of the Luce-Vita movement of the Diocese of Siedlce, Poland, accompanied by their Auxiliary Bishop. I greet the groups of faithful from Paraná in Argentina, from Chojnice, Warsaw, Wrocław, and Wagrowiec in Poland, from Pula and Sinj in Croatia, from Guatemala City and San Salvador, as well as the students from the Rodríguez Moñino Institute in Badajoz and those from Cuenca, Spain. I also greet the devotees of Our Lady of Miracles of Corbetta, near Milan.

I thank you from my heart for your prayers and wish everyone a happy Sunday!

01.02.26

Pope Leo General Audience 28.01.26

Excerpt below, for the full transcript click on the picture link above

Dear brothers and sisters, good morning and welcome!

Continuing our reading of the Conciliar Constitution Dei Verbum on divine Revelation, today we will reflect on the relationship between Sacred Scripture and Tradition. We can take two Gospel scenes as a backdrop. In the first, which takes place in the Upper Room, Jesus, in his great discourse-testament addressed to the disciples, affirms: “These things I have spoken to you, while I am still with you. But the Counsellor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, he will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I have said to you. … When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth” (Jn 14:25-26; 16:13).

The second scene takes us instead to the hills of Galilee. The risen Jesus shows himself to the disciples, who are surprised and doubtful, and he advises them: “Go therefore and make disciples of all nations … teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you” (Mt 28:19-20). In both of these scenes, the intimate connection between the words uttered by Christ and their dissemination throughout the centuries is evident.

It is what Vatican Council II affirms, using an evocative image: “There exists a close connection and communication between sacred tradition and Sacred Scripture. For both of them, flowing from the same divine wellspring, in a certain way merge into a unity and tend toward the same end” (Dei Verbum, 9). Ecclesial Tradition branches out throughout history through the Church, which preserves, interprets and embodies the Word of God. The Catechism of the Catholic Church (cf. no. 113) refers, in this regard, to a motto of the Church Fathers: “Sacred Scripture is written principally in the Church’s heart rather than in documents and records”, that is, in the sacred text.

In the light of Christ’s words, quoted above, the Council affirms that “the Tradition which comes from the Apostles develops in the Church with the help of the Holy Spirit” (DV, 8). This occurs with full comprehension through “contemplation and study made by believers”, through “a penetrating understanding of the spiritual realities which they experience” and, above all, with the preaching of the successors of the apostles who have received “the sure gift of truth”. In short, “the Church, in her teaching, life and worship, perpetuates and hands on to all generations all that she herself is, all that she believes” (ibid.).

In this regard, the expression of Saint Gregory the Great is famous: “The Sacred Scriptures grow with the one who reads them”. [1] And Saint Augustine had already remarked that “there is only one word of God that unfolds through Scripture, and there is only one Word that sounds on the lips of many saints”. [2] The Word of God, then, is not fossilised, but rather it is a living and organic reality that develops and grows in Tradition. Thanks to the Holy Spirit, Tradition understands it in the richness of its truth and embodies it in the shifting coordinates of history.

28.01.26

FAMINE

Pope Francis

Hunger

Hunger is an injustice that destroys men and women because they have nothing to eat, even if there is a lot food available in the world. Human exploitation; different forms of slavery; recently I saw a film shot inside a prison where migrants are locked up and tortured to turn them into slaves. This is still happening 70 years after the Declaration of Human Rights. Cultural colonization. This is exactly what the Devil wants, to destroy human dignity – and that is why the Devil is behind all forms of persecution.

01.06.18

Pope Leo General Audience 28.01.26

Pope Leo Angelus 25.01.26

Brothers and sisters, happy Sunday!

After his baptism, Jesus began his preaching and called his first disciples: Simon, who is called Peter, his brother Andrew, and James and John (cf. Mt 4:12-22). Reflecting more closely on this scene from today’s Gospel, we can ask ourselves two questions. The first concerns the timing of Jesus’ mission, and the second regards the place he chose to preach and to call his apostles. We may ask: When did he begin? And where did he begin?

First of all, the Gospel tells us that Jesus began his preaching “when he heard that John had been arrested” (v. 12). He began, therefore, at what might appear to be an inopportune moment. John the Baptist had just been imprisoned, and the leaders of the people were seemingly reluctant to embrace the newness of the Messiah. Apparently, it was a time that called for caution. Yet, it was precisely in this dark situation that Jesus began to bring the light of the Good News: “The kingdom of heaven has come near” (v. 17).

In our lives, both individually and as a Church, interior struggles or circumstances we deem unfavorable can lead us to believe that it is not the right time to proclaim the Gospel, to make a decision, to make a choice, or to change a situation. In this way, however, we risk becoming paralyzed by indecision or imprisoned by excessive prudence, whereas the Gospel calls us to dare to trust. God is at work at all times; every moment is “God’s time,” even when we do not feel ready or when the situation seems unfavourable.

The Gospel also offers us insight into the specific place where Jesus began his public mission. We are told that he “left Nazareth and made his home in Capernaum” (v. 13). By doing so, he remained in Galilee – a predominantly pagan territory that trade had transformed into a crossroads and a place of encounter. We might describe it as a multicultural region, traversed by people of diverse origins and religious affiliations. In this sense, the Gospel reveals that the Messiah, while coming from Israel, transcends the borders of his own land to proclaim a God who draws close to everyone. He is a God who excludes no one, and who comes not only for the “pure,” but enters fully into the complexity of human situations and relationships. As Christians, therefore, we too must overcome the temptation toward isolation. The Gospel must be proclaimed and lived in every setting, serving as a leaven of fraternity and peace among all individuals, cultures, religions and peoples.

Brothers and sisters, like the first disciples, we are called to embrace the Lord’s invitation with joy, knowing that every time and every place in our lives is permeated by his presence and his love. Let us pray to the Virgin Mary, that she may obtain for us this inner trust and accompany us on our journey.

Dear brothers and sisters,

This Sunday, the third Sunday in Ordinary Time, is the Sunday of the Word of God. Pope Francis instituted it seven years ago to promote throughout the Church knowledge of Sacred Scripture and greater attention to the Word of God in the Liturgy and in the life of communities. I thank and encourage all those who are committed with faith and love to this priority.

Even in these days, Ukraine is being hit by continuous attacks, leaving entire populations exposed to the cold of winter. I am following the situation with sorrow, and I am close to and pray for those who suffer. The continuation of hostilities, with increasingly serious consequences for civilians, widens the rift between peoples and pushes further back the opportunity for a just and lasting peace. I invite everyone to intensify their efforts to end this war.

Today is World Leprosy Day. I express my closeness to all those affected by this disease. I offer a word of support to the Italian Association of Friends of Raoul Follereau and all those who care for leprosy patients, especially their commitment to protecting the dignity of patients.

I welcome all of you, faithful of Rome and pilgrims from various countries! In particular, I greet the parish choir of Rakovski, Bulgaria, the group of Quinceañeras from Panamá, the students of the Zurbarán Institute in Badajoz, Spain; as well as the confirmands from the parish of San Marco Vecchio in Florence, the school community of the Erodoto Comprehensive Institute in Corigliano-Rossano, and the Cuori Aperti Volunteer Association in Lecce.

I warmly greet the young people of Catholic Action of Rome, together with their parents, educators and priests, who have organised the Caravan for Peace. Dear children and young people, I thank you because you help us adults to look at the world from another perspective: that of cooperation between people and among diverse peoples. Thank you! Be peacemakers at home, at school, in sports, everywhere. Never be violent, neither with words nor with gestures. Never! Evil can only be overcome with good.

Together with these young people, let us pray for peace: in Ukraine, in the Middle East, and in every region where, unfortunately, there is fighting going on for interests that are not those of the people. Peace is built on respect for peoples!

Today concludes the Week of Prayer for Christian Unity. In the afternoon, as is tradition, I will celebrate Vespers in the Basilica of Saint Paul Outside the Walls together with representatives of other Christian denominations. I thank all those who will participate, including through the media, and I wish everyone a happy Sunday.

25.01.26 a

Pope Francis Message for the 58th World Day of Peace 01.01.25

The Gospel in your pocket

How do we receive the Word of God? The response is clear: As one receives Jesus Christ. The Church tells us that Jesus is present in the Scripture, in His Word.

Always carry a small Gospel with you in your purse, in your pocket, and read a passage from the Gospel during the day. Not so much to learn something, but mostly to find Jesus, because Jesus actually is in His Word, in His Gospel. Every time I read the Gospel, I find Jesus. - Pope Francis 01.09.14

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Thank you, Francis

Every month, you have invited us to pray with you for the challenges of humanity and the mission of the Church, teaching us to learn compassion for others from the heart of Christ. Thank you, Francis, for your life and your witness.

Your Worldwide Prayer Network.

Pope Francis Easter Message and Urbi et Orbi Blessing 20.04.25

Easter Sunday