Pope Francis Homilies

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Pope Leo Holy Mass, Lourdes 27.09.26

Apostolic Journey to France

Brothers and sisters, pilgrims from France and from throughout the world, in seeing you gathered here this morning in our Mother’s home, I see the universal face of the Church. Some of you have crossed continents, travelled far, and brought your joys and burdens to this sacred grotto. What a joy it is to be together, as one heart and one family.

I would especially like to greet the pilgrims who have come from every province and diocese of France. Today you stand on this blessed ground that has received so many graces. May this pilgrimage rekindle the flame of faith in your homes and parishes. Take the consolation of Lourdes back to your neighbours, your loved ones and the whole French people.

This Sunday’s readings touch on a central part of the message that the Virgin Mary entrusted to Saint Bernadette: the call to conversion, both tender and urgent. In the Gospel, Jesus looks with truth and deep sorrow upon hearts that have remained closed, “you did not repent” (Mt 21:32). Why does this wound the heart of Christ? Because God does not want his children to be lost. The prophet Ezekiel reminds us, “When a righteous man turns away from his righteousness and commits iniquity, he shall die for it.” However, since “he considered and turned away from all the transgressions which he had committed, he shall surely live, he shall not die” (Ez 18:26, 28). This is why the call to repentance runs through Sacred Scripture and the preaching of the Gospel down the centuries. Its gravity reminds us of the urgency and necessity of conversion. It is today, not tomorrow, that we must repent. Indeed, now is the acceptable time, now is the day of salvation (cf. 2 Cor 6:2). God wants us to live, to open our eyes and return to him. To repent is to leave the paths on which we lost our way, and to follow the way of life, opening our hearts to the sole joy that never passes away.

Jesus himself is quite direct in calling us to repentance. As Saint Luke tells us, “Unless you repent, you will all perish” (Lk 13:5). But he also extends our horizon beyond this earthly life to the horizon of eternal life. For while happiness in this world is fleeting and relative, and sadly sometimes out of reach for some, true happiness is promised to everyone in hope, and this is what we should seek above all else, in all our efforts and choices. Did not the Virgin Mary say to Saint Bernadette, “I do not promise to make you happy in this world but in the next”?

This promise, made right here, has a particular force in this land of France, and it challenges the way we think today. In an age and society that seek progress and material wellbeing, but can sometimes forget the horizon of eternity, Mary comes to remind us of the greatness and richness of our calling to life, to eternal life. In the face of current trends that seek to redefine the value of human life in illness, suffering and old age, the grotto of Massabielle stands as a place of Christian hope. Here, no one is turned away due to their frailty. Your crutches, your wheelchairs and your hidden tears are not obstacles; instead, they are the very place where you are fully respected and welcomed, and where you can experience a transforming encounter with the infinite love of God. Lourdes is blessed as a place for professing the beauty and sanctity of life, for life is welcomed here as a precious gift from God, and is called to flourish for ever in the love of the Father.

“I promise you!” Indeed, eternal life is a firm and certain promise that the Lord makes to us. He has already won it for us by his death on the cross and his resurrection, and through the grace of baptism he is bringing it to fulfilment in us each day. It is within our reach, but we must freely welcome it, take hold of it and not stand in its way. For the obstacle to grace and eternal life — the only obstacle to this love — is sin, whereby we turn in upon ourselves, refusing God and shutting ourselves up in our own darkness. Our personal responsibility therefore comes into play, and a great responsibility it is. God has made us free, since freedom is necessary for love; no one can be forced to love. We must therefore use our freedom to say yes to Christ, relying on his grace, like Mary. This is a yes that we renew until our final breath — “now and at the hour of our death” — as we say in the Hail Mary.

We hear the same urgent call to conversion in the words which Mary spoke right here, “Penance! Penance! Penance!” She repeats the word three times. And she asks Bernadette to perform certain acts of penance. Why? Are we slow to understand? Do we too easily think of ourselves without sin? Do we not practice penance enough? The Virgin asks us to do penance not only for ourselves, because we too need it, but also “for sinners,” for a world that is going astray. How can our hearts not be moved by the conflicts that are spreading and destroying so many innocent lives? Yet the evil of our time comes from the human heart. God is not responsible for it. As he says to the Israelites, “Is my way not just? Is it not your ways that are not just?” (Ez 18:25). It is therefore human hearts that must change, beginning with our own.

Penance is an act of love, carried out in solidarity with the human family. It is an act of love for God, because we want to make amends for the wounds our sins have dealt to his heart. It is also an act of love for those brothers and sisters of ours who do not heed this call to conversion, and whose sins lead them towards death. This call to conversion also concerns the Church herself as she makes her earthly journey. She must have the courage to begin with herself. In order to heal the deep wounds, infidelities and painful errors that have occurred within her, we must humbly place ourselves under the Lord’s purifying gaze. Recognizing our own faults is essential to our spiritual growth. As Saint Augustine wrote, “Do not be content with what you are, if you want to become what you are not yet” (Disc. 169, 15, 18).

Our Mother’s reminder of our duty to pray and repent fills us with great hope, because she shows us that the way to change the course of things is by uniting ourselves to the passion of Christ. Dear friends who are sick, so many of you here in Lourdes are familiar with suffering. You can live your trials and pains in this spirit of offering, and so take part in the redemptive work that the world so greatly needs. In this way, you are truly at the heart of the Church, and your role is irreplaceable.

Pilgrims, brothers and sisters, you will not leave Lourdes as you arrived. You will leave as missionaries of hope. Indeed, the miracle of Lourdes is that it can awaken the joy of hope in the very midst of suffering and hardship. The Virgin Mary heals our outlook and changes our hearts, giving them peace. In your countries, dioceses and families, become living witnesses to this divine strength and tenderness, which help us to persevere towards our goal. Sustained by the prayers of the sick and the love of our Mother, walk with confidence into the future. Do not be afraid of the storms of the world, for the holy Mother of God watches over your journey, she shelters the Church beneath her mantle of tenderness and, as the radiant Morning Star, guides your steps, so that with joy she may bring you to new birth in the very life of her Son Jesus. Amen.

27.09.26 m

Pope Leo Holy Mass, Paris 26.09.26

Apostolic Journey to France

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

Dear brothers and sisters,

I give thanks to God for the grace of being here with you today, in the Place de la Concorde, to celebrate the Eucharist. It is truly good and pleasant when brothers and sisters dwell together in unity (cf. Ps 133:1) to proclaim God’s greatness. Indeed, I hope that my visit will strengthen you in faith and encourage you to shine forth ever more brightly, by sharing the life, peace and love of our Lord Jesus Christ.

“If anyone thirst, let him come to me and drink” (Jn 7:37). Brothers and sisters, in our thirst, we turn toward Christ, the source of living water: water that quenches our thirst and makes life flourish, the water of God’s love “poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us” (Rom 5:5).

The desire for God dwells deep within our hearts, and we cry out with the psalmist: “My soul thirsts for God, for the living God” (Ps 42:2). This is the cry of a humble and passionate heart whose deepest, most existential thirst continues to grow. And it is Jesus Christ, through his Incarnation, who comes to meet every person in the midst of his or her own story, and reveals himself as the true source of living water capable of quenching our thirst. This thirst that dwells in every human heart is not so much a thirst for material things, but a thirst for meaning, for truth and fulfilment. Jesus responds to our profound desire for relationship, for communion with God, in whom the fullness of life forever resides.

In the first reading, the prophet Ezekiel saw water flowing out from the Temple and spreading through the desert, purifying and bringing life to everything it touched (cf. Ezek 47:1-2, 8-9, 12). Later, Saint John would see water flowing from the pierced side of Jesus as he gave up his spirit (cf. Jn 19:30-34). Everyone can now drink from this fountain, so as to receive the gift of the Spirit and be born anew, becoming children of God, a new creation.

Brothers and sisters, we must acknowledge that nothing in this world can ever fully satisfy us. When we think that our work is finished at last and our efforts have been rewarded, that inner emptiness often returns, deeper than before. And so, in an attempt to fill it, we may seek new pleasures, want to possess more and more things, or do everything we can to distract ourselves in order to numb that inner restlessness.

Today’s Liturgy of the Word invites us to look into our hearts and ask, what is my deepest thirst? What am I really seeking in life? We all long for happiness, love and fulfilment. But from what source do we seek to quench our thirst? Are we content with material goods, immediate satisfactions, the countless little idols that promise us everything but leave our hearts empty? We have been baptized and received the living water of which the Gospel speaks, but have we truly encountered Christ personally? In essence, the human person is a being of desire, and only God can fill the emptiness within us.

26.09.26 m

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 Prayer Vigil with Young People, Paris 25.09.26

Apostolic Journey to France

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

Question from Chloé

Holy Father, we thank you for your presence among us this evening and for this opportunity for dialogue that you are giving us.

My name is Chloé. I am 25 years old, and I am finishing my studies in pharmacology. I am part of a group of young Catholics from working-class neighborhoods in the Île-de-France region called La Cité Céleste. Among other things, we organize events such as evenings of adoration and worship, which bring together many young people from the neighborhood who are eager to live out and share their faith with others. I am also active in my parish, working in particular with high school students. Through these various commitments, I am passionate about using my energy and skills to serve others, creating connections between faith, youth and the realities of daily life in our neighborhoods.

As Saint Paul says, “For me, to live is Christ.” However, the society in which we live is founded on different principles and sometimes even seems to have no regard for the question of God. We wish to proclaim Christ to those around us with strength and perseverance, but also with respect and sensitivity. How can we combine our strong missionary zeal with authentic fraternity toward those who do not share our faith?

The Holy Father’s Response

Dear friends, the first thing I would like to say is very simple: thank you. Thanks be to God, and to you — thank you for your courage, thank you for your presence, thank you for your faith. You are the saints of France!

Thank you, Chloe, for your question. The phrase from Saint Paul that you quoted is not just a statement. It is truly the essence of his life. In these few but decisive words, he utters a prayer of praise, an act of faith, and he points to the path of holiness that led to martyrdom. “For me, to live is Christ” (cf. Phil 1:21). By repeating this declaration of love, we seek to share in the Apostle’s experience. He testifies that God was never absent from his life. God came to meet him, calling him to himself, thereby transforming him from within, and sending him out into the world.

25.09.26 pv

Pope Leo Vespers, Paris 25.09.26

Apostolic Journey to France

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

Dear brothers and sisters,

We are gathered for Evening Prayer in this place which, more than any other, has invited the people of Paris for centuries to lift their eyes towards heaven. Seven years have passed since the whole world, holding its breath, watched as the cathedral was engulfed in a terrible fire. At that time, we also watched anxiously, conscious of how powerless humans are in the face of the unforeseen. That pain was felt not only by Catholics, nor only by believers. Indeed, in that tragic moment we came to realize that Notre-Dame is more than a monument. The collective effort to rebuild it, and the splendour of the result reveal that the heart of a people beats here, and that here we stand at the living center of a civilization, where past and future embrace, where heaven and earth meet.

It was my wish to meet you here, in this symbolic place of the Church in France. It is a joy for me to have crossed its threshold a short while ago, as thousands of brothers and sisters do each day, coming here from every corner of the world. Simply entering this place brings us face to face with a beauty that speaks to our restless hearts and calls them to peace. Following the restoration of this sacred space for all humanity, it is rightly recognized how each visitor can be renewed by what he or she sees, hears and experiences. The public, private and ecclesial institutions involved in the restoration of Notre-Dame have each contributed, in their own way, to reawakening the cultural, existential and spiritual journeys that the cathedral opens up before us. In this context, the Church has understood her mission not only in terms of preservation but also of creativity, by keeping tradition alive with the boldness of those who have faith and are guided by hope. I wish to thank the Archbishop, his co-workers and the diocesan community of Paris, who have also developed a pastoral pathway of initial proclamation and Christian initiation open to all. The baptismal font is a sign of this, situated at the entrance as a blessing and an invitation.

The rebuilding of the Cathedral was an opportunity for an encounter that has expanded horizons of welcome and participation beyond the boundaries of ecclesial affiliation. Dear bishops, priests, deacons, consecrated men and women, seminarians of France, let yourselves be inspired by what has happened here! Make the vision of Evangelii Gaudium your priority, namely the missionary conversion which Pope Francis spoke of in his first Apostolic Exhortation.

In the Letter to the Galatians, we heard the reason why we should not be afraid: “God sent forth his Son” (Gal 4:4). He sent him among us, into our world. In Saint Paul’s words, the verb describes a real, historical event, not some ideal set of circumstances. Christians do not flee from complexity, for God himself has called them to follow his Son in a world that is already inhabited, already in motion, already marked by both human misery and goodness. The way of the Cross certainly reveals the darkness that runs through our world, but even more profoundly, it reveals the love of God that triumphs over death.

The Cathedral’s cruciform layout, where stone and light come together, evokes the meeting of earth and heaven. It gathers and orders the events of history, woven with human joys and sufferings. It holds them together in a symbolic dynamic that transforms these diverse expressions into a living language, uniting them into a whole.

Dear friends, it is from the Incarnation — “God sent forth his Son” — that the identity of the Church flows, for she is called always to be a Church “going forth”. As disciples of Christ, you know well that the Christian community is not a refuge into which we withdraw in order to protect ourselves from our age. On the contrary, like the cathedrals of old, the Church is a place of welcome, respect, revelation and meaning for everyone. The strength of a living Church lies in welcoming those on the peripheries who already have a place in her heart; welcoming those who are far away but in reality are already near; welcoming the stranger, in whom Christ is already knocking at the door.

If Notre-Dame is a sign of this encounter at the heart of Paris, then the other cities and regions of France, even the most remote and rural, can be transformed all the more by a simple and welcoming missionary presence. Such a presence can help to bring cultural differences into harmony and to heal the wounds present in our societies. From the northern coasts to the Mediterranean, from the inland regions to the overseas departments, be a living, diverse and close Church. A lack of material resources does not prevent mission, for it is the grace of God that gives rise to interior freedom and simplicity of life, enabling us to reflect an evangelical way of life. In all this, confidently value the missionary presence of the lay faithful, who are the living front line of the Church at the crossroads of everyday life.

At the same time, brothers and sisters, we must not forget that this Cathedral, like every other church, was built for the purpose of prayer and the worship of God. It is the place where the Christian community celebrates the highest form of prayer and worship, renewing in the Eucharist the redemptive sacrifice of Christ.

25.09.26 v

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