Pope Leo XIV emphasized the significance of the "Our Father" prayer during his Angelus address. The Pope highlighted that the prayer unites all Christians and allows them to address God as "Abba", or "Father", with childlike trust. Pope Leo stated that the more one prays with confidence to the Father, the more they discover they are beloved children and understand God's love. The Pope used Gospel images to describe God's fatherhood, emphasizing that God is always present and attentive to our needs.
5 months ago
Pope Leo XIV, in his recent Angelus message delivered from St. Peter's Square, emphasized the profound significance of the "Our Father" prayer, describing it as the prayer that unites all Christians 1 2 3. He highlighted that this prayer invites believers to address God as "Abba," or "Father," with a profound sense of childlike simplicity, filial trust, and the certainty of being loved 1 2 3. The Pope referenced the Catechism of the Catholic Church, which states that the Lord's Prayer "reveals us to ourselves at the same time that it reveals the Father to us" 1 2 3. This means that the more confidently one prays to the heavenly Father, the more one discovers their identity as beloved children and understands the greatness of God's love 2 3.
Pope Leo XIV used vivid Gospel images to illustrate the characteristics of God's fatherhood 1 2 3. These images include a man who rises in the middle of the night to help a friend welcome an unexpected visitor and a parent concerned with providing good things for their children 1 2 3. These portrayals underscore that God never abandons those who come to Him, even if they approach Him late, after mistakes, or missed opportunities 1 3. The Pope assured the faithful that God always listens to prayers, and even if His responses are sometimes difficult to comprehend, it is because He acts with wisdom and providence beyond human understanding 1 2 3. In such moments, continued prayer with confidence is essential to find light and strength 1 3.
A central theme of the Pope's message was the reciprocal commitment implied by reciting the "Our Father" 1 2 3. Beyond celebrating the grace of being God's children, the prayer expresses a commitment to love one another as brothers and sisters in Christ 1 3. Pope Leo XIV strongly asserted that one "cannot call the God of all kindness your Father if you preserve a cruel and inhuman heart" 1 2 3. He cited Saint Cyprian of Carthage and Saint John Chrysostom, stressing that calling God "our Father" necessitates behaving as children of God and reflecting His kindness 1 3. Therefore, believers are called to allow themselves to be transformed by God's goodness, patience, and mercy, so that His face may be mirrored in their own actions 1 3.
The liturgy of the day, according to Pope Leo XIV, invites the faithful to feel loved by God and, in turn, to love others as God loves 1 2 3. This love should be characterized by openness, discretion, mutual concern, and sincerity 1 3. He concluded by asking for Mary's intercession to help believers respond to this call and manifest the sweetness of the Father's face 1 2 3. Beyond the primary message, the Pope also addressed the Fifth World Day for Grandparents and the Elderly, praying for those suffering from global conflicts and violence, and renewing his appeal for a ceasefire and humanitarian aid in Gaza 2.
How does the Church define and teach true Christian love?
The Catholic Church defines true Christian love, also known as charity or agape, as a theological virtue infused by God into the human will . It is the greatest of the theological virtues, surpassing faith and hope .
Jesus made charity the new commandment and the fullness of the law . It is the "bond of perfection" (Colossians 3:14) and the foundation of all other virtues, giving them life, inspiration, and order . Without charity, all other actions and gifts are meaningless . St. Paul states that "faith working through love" is what truly counts, and that "love is the fulfilment of the law" . The entire law is summed up in the commandment to love one's neighbor as oneself .
Christian love is particularly demanding because it springs from Christ's total love for us . It calls us to love as Christ loves, even our enemies, to be a neighbor to those farthest away, and to love children and the poor as Christ Himself . This love compels believers to no longer live for themselves but for Christ, who died and was raised for them .
The universality of fraternal charity flows from its high motive: seeing fellow human beings not for their peculiarities but for their God-given and God-like privileges . This means extending love without distinction to all people, including social outcasts and enemies .
St. Paul provides an incomparable description of charity, often called the "hymn to love":
The love of God is not only a precept but also the principle and goal of moral perfection . As the principle of moral perfection in the supernatural order, with faith as its foundation and hope as its incentive, the love of God ranks first among the means of salvation . St. Paul indicates that charity "never falleth away," signifying that it is the necessary beginning of the God-like life that reaches its fullness only in heaven . We are called to live in the love of Christ for our neighbor, as this is the criterion by which we will be judged at the end of our lives .