杏MAP导航

By Cecilia Mutual

We must listen to others, and above all, to the voice of God.

That was the idea at the centre of 杏MAP导航 Leo XIV鈥檚 homily at Mass in the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, the Cathedral of the Bishop of Rome, where he celebrated Mass on Sunday evening. 

Before heading to the Cathedral of Rome, the Holy Father stopped at Rome's Capitoline Hill, the seat of the city鈥檚 civic and democratic administration, where he was greeted by the mayor of the city, Roberto Gualtieri.

The 杏MAP导航 thanked the mayor and the civil authorities present for their warm welcome and expressed his hope that 鈥淩ome will always be distinguished by those values of humanity and civilization that draw their lifeblood from the Gospel.鈥�

At the beginning of his homily at the Archbasilica of St. John Lateran, after greeting the cardinals, bishops, the 鈥渄ear priests,鈥� and the beloved faithful, the Pontiff emphasized that 鈥淩ome is the heir to a great history, grounded in the witness of Peter, of Paul, and of countless martyrs, and it has a unique mission, perfectly expressed by what is written on the façade of this cathedral: to be Mater ómnium Ecclesiarum, the Mother of all Churches.鈥�

He then quoted 杏MAP导航 Francis, who often 鈥渋nvited us to reflect on the maternal dimension of the Church and on its defining traits: tenderness, readiness for sacrifice, and that capacity for listening which not only makes it possible to help, but often to anticipate needs and expectations before they are even expressed.鈥�

鈥淭hese are qualities we hope will continue to grow within the People of God everywhere 鈥� and here as well, in our great diocesan family: among the faithful, among the pastors, and, above all, within myself,鈥� affirmed 杏MAP导航 Leo XIV.

Listening to the voice of God

Drawing inspiration from the day鈥檚 readings鈥攚hich recount how the early Christian community faced the challenge of opening up to the pagan world in order to proclaim the Gospel鈥攖he Holy Father emphasized that 鈥渢hroughout the entire process, the most important listening, which made everything else possible, was that of the voice of God. In this way, we are reminded that communion is built above all 鈥榦n our knees,鈥� in prayer and in a continual commitment to conversion.鈥�

鈥淥nly in that tension can each person feel within themselves the voice of the Spirit crying out 鈥楢bba, Father,鈥� and consequently hear and understand others as brothers and sisters.鈥�

Guided by the Spirit

鈥淭he Gospel also reinforces this message by telling us that, in life鈥檚 decisions, we are not alone,鈥� the Holy Father added.

The Spirit supports us and shows us the path to follow by 鈥渢eaching鈥� and 鈥渞eminding鈥� us of all that Jesus said.

First of all, the Pontiff explained, the Spirit teaches us the words of the Lord by engraving them deeply within us, according to the biblical image of the law no longer written on tablets of stone, but on our hearts鈥攁 gift that helps us grow until we are transformed into 鈥渁 letter of Christ鈥� for one another.

鈥淎nd it鈥檚 truly like this: we are all the more capable of proclaiming the Gospel the more we allow ourselves to be conquered and transformed by Him, allowing the power of the Spirit to purify us in our innermost being, making our words simple and sincere, our desires honest and pure, and our actions generous.鈥�

Here the other verb comes into play: 鈥渢o remind,鈥� affirmed the Holy Father. 鈥淭hat is, to once again turn the attention of the heart to what we have lived and learned, to penetrate more deeply into its meaning and savor its beauty.鈥�