Pope Leo XIV addressed thousands in St. Peter's Square on December 6, 2025, emphasizing that no one saves the world alone. The Pope linked his message to the Advent season, urging believers to actively seek God in daily life rather than passively waiting. He called on the laity to actively engage in building the Kingdom of God by seeking the right path even if it means sacrificing personal security. The Pope cited Blessed Alberto Marvelli, a young engineer who served the wounded during WWII, as an example of joyful commitment and service. Leo XIV encouraged serving 'without complaining,' noting that a smile reflects inner grace.
9 days ago
Pope Leo XIV addressed thousands of pilgrims in St. Peter's Square during the Jubilee audience on December 6, 2025. He urged Catholics to actively prepare for Advent by seeking God in daily life.1
The Pope emphasized that Advent's waiting is not passive. Instead, it calls believers to "roll up their sleeves" and engage with intelligence and heart in everyday realities.1
He highlighted the laity's central role in building God's Kingdom. This involves recognizing Jesus in ordinary situations, as per the Second Vatican Council.1
To illustrate active hope, Pope Leo XIV recounted the life of Blessed Alberto Marvelli (1918-1946). Marvelli, an Italian engineer and Catholic Action member, served the wounded and displaced during World War II.1
Post-war, Marvelli worked on reconstruction as a city councillor. He died tragically at age 28, beatified by John Paul II in 2004.1
The Pope noted Marvelli's example shows that serving the Kingdom brings joy amid risks. "The world becomes a better place if we sacrifice a little security and tranquillity to choose what is right," he said.1
Leo XIV invited the faithful to reflect on their commitments. He asked if they are involved in initiatives using their talents for others.1
Serve "without complaining," the Pope advised, as a smile signifies inner grace. Hope is lived through generosity, not passive waiting.1
"No one saves the world alone," he concluded. God acts with us, making collective participation essential for a just, fraternal world.1
The pontiff will lead the final Jubilee audience of 2025 on December 20. These Saturday events are open to the public, similar to Wednesday general audiences.1
On January 6, 2026, Leo XIV will close the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica. This marks the end of the 2025 Jubilee.1
The next extraordinary Jubilee is set for 2033. It will celebrate the 2,000th anniversary of the Resurrection.1
Advent calls laity to active, sacrificial service in Christ
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ, as we gather on this Second Sunday of Advent, the flickering candles on our wreaths remind us that the light of the world is drawing near. In the quiet anticipation of these days, we hear the voice of John the Baptist echoing across the wilderness: "Prepare the way of the Lord!" This call isn't just for prophets or priests—it's for all of us, especially you, the lay faithful, whose everyday lives are the very soil where God's kingdom takes root. Advent beckons us to active, sacrificial service in Christ, transforming our ordinary moments into offerings of love that echo the Eucharist itself. Today, let's explore how this season invites you to live out your baptismal priesthood, offering your works, your struggles, and your joys as spiritual sacrifices that build up the Church and the world.
Imagine the early Church, where every baptized soul was seen not as a spectator but as a participant in Christ's own mission. The Second Vatican Council revives this truth, reminding us that through baptism, you share in Christ's priestly, prophetic, and kingly office. As Lumen Gentium teaches, your moral life—acts of temperance, charity, and mercy—becomes a priestly offering, a way to "proclaim the power of Him who has called [you] out of darkness into His marvelous light." This isn't abstract theology; it's the heartbeat of Advent. Just as John prepared the people through repentance and baptism, so too does Advent prepare us to offer ourselves fully to God.
In the readings today, we see this woven throughout. Baruch's vision of a path through the desert speaks to the laity's journey in the world—navigating trials with hope, aspiring to eternal riches while reforming the temporal order in a Christian spirit. Philippians urges us to rejoice in the Lord always, a joy born from union with Christ that fuels our service. And Luke's Gospel presents John as the forerunner, calling for fruits of repentance that mirror the self-denial Christ asks of us: "Deny yourself, take up your cross, and follow me." Here, the Council's wisdom shines: the laity's works, prayers, family life, daily labor—even hardships patiently borne—become "spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ," most fittingly offered in the Eucharist. Pope Pius XII echoed this in Mediator Dei, insisting that for the faithful's oblation to have full effect, we must add "the offering of [ourselves] as a victim." In Advent, this self-oblation isn't a burden but a grace, linking your baptismal consecration to the architectonic virtue of religion that orders all life toward worship.
The Eucharist, the "fount and apex of the whole Christian life," draws us into this mystery. As you approach the altar, you don't just receive; you offer the Divine Victim and yourself along with it. Vatican II integrates this with active liturgical participation, where the laity's conscious offering transforms the liturgy into a school of sacrifice. Pope John Paul II built on this, urging the laity to live in "living union with Christ," for the success of your apostolate depends on it. Advent heightens this: as we await the Incarnation, we're called to make our lives a "living sacrifice, holy, pleasing unto God," crucifying the flesh and manifesting Christ's life in our bodies. This is the baptismal priesthood in action—not reserved for the ordained, but shared by all as a "kingly priesthood" offering gifts for sins on behalf of the world.
To bring this alive, consider the witness of Blessed Alberto Marvelli, a lay engineer from Rimini whose short life burned brightly with Advent's fire. Born in 1918, Alberto grew up in a family steeped in piety and charity, attending Salesian oratories and Catholic Action where he discerned his call: "My program is summed up in one word: holy." During World War II, amid German occupation and devastation, he didn't retreat into prayer alone. No, he pedaled his bicycle through danger to save Jews and others from deportation trains, prying open sealed wagons at Santarcangelo station to free those bound for camps. After liberation, at just 26, he joined the Committee of Liberation, tackling housing crises and reconstruction without party affiliation—purely out of love for Christ in the suffering.
Alberto's diary reveals the source: daily Eucharist as the center, where he sought inspiration for political commitment. "Jesus has enfolded me in his grace," he wrote; "I no longer see anyone but him." In the rubble of war, he founded cooperatives for workers, opened soup kitchens for the poor, and even served meals while listening to their needs—all while directing Catholic graduates and promoting popular universities. His death at 28, struck by a truck while campaigning, was a final offering; his mother stood strong in sorrow, as he had taught her through his life. Pope John Paul II beatified him in 2004, calling him a precursor of Vatican II's lay apostolate, animating society with Christ's redemption.
Alber Alberto's story mirrors John's cry in the wilderness: active service amid injustice, turning the Eucharist into force for liberation. Think of it in our own time—perhaps a parent sacrificing sleep for a child's needs, or a worker advocating justice in a tough office. Pope Paul VI praised such lay efforts, noting how organizations open doors to youth and spread the Gospel through diverse gifts of the Spirit. Even in Advent's quiet, these tales urge us: your sacrifices, big or small, humanize the earth, just as Christ did in Bethlehem's stable.
So how does this Advent call touch your world, dear friends? The Council declares this the "hour of the laity," opening perspectives for commitment in the Church's mission. You're called to seek God's kingdom in temporal affairs—family, work, politics—directing them according to His will. In marriage and family, the "domestic church," you witness to unity and love, planting seeds of faith where new lives enter the world. Pope John Paul II emphasized this: be "salt of the earth" and "light of the world," shining in education, culture, and peace-building.
Advent sharpens our gaze on the needy, as Christ the Shepherd shares His solicitude with us. "I was hungry... thirsty... a stranger..."—in serving them, we serve Him. Your daily work, relaxation, even trials, if done in the Spirit, consecrate the world to God. Impelled by divine charity, lay aside malice and envy, expressing the Beatitudes through humility and self-denial. In this season of preparation, let Advent's light reveal how your apostolate—whether in charitable acts or renewing society—participates in the Church's saving mission. As the laity, you're not passive; you're essential, living Paul's words: "The life I now live... I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me."
Now, let's make this concrete. This Advent, commit to one act of sacrificial service rooted in the Eucharist. Start by attending Mass with intention: as you receive Communion, consciously offer your week ahead—your family stresses, work challenges, or community needs—as a spiritual sacrifice. Join or revive a lay group, like Catholic Action or a parish ministry, to serve the vulnerable—perhaps volunteering at a food pantry or mentoring youth, echoing Alberto's zeal.
Daily, pray the Liturgy of the Hours or a simple Advent reflection, asking: How can I deny myself today for Christ? Fast from a small comfort—social media, an extra purchase—and redirect it to almsgiving for the Church's works, like seminaries or schools. In family life, gather for prayer, discussing how to live the Beatitudes amid holiday bustle. And remember John Paul II's exhortation: return to Vatican II's documents, letting them fuel your involvement. These steps aren't heroic feats but faithful responses, bearing fruit as you "worship everywhere by [your] holy actions."
Brothers and sisters, Advent calls you, the laity, to active, sacrificial service in Christ—not as a distant ideal, but as the fulfillment of your baptismal dignity. From the Council's revival of your priestly role to the self-oblation in the Eucharist, from John's wilderness cry to Alberto Marvelli's courageous witness, we're invited to offer our lives as living sacrifices, transforming the world through charity and hope. In union with Christ, your everyday apostolate becomes the leaven of the Gospel, preparing the way for His coming.
Let us rise now, recommitted to this call. May the Blessed Virgin, model of sacrificial fiat, and all the saints intercede for us. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen. Go forth and prepare His way—in your homes, your workplaces, your hearts.