“Just as there is personal pain, so too there is the collective pain in our own day. Entire populations are crushed by the weight of violence, hunger and war, and they cry out for peace”, said Leo XIV in his homily during the prayer vigil for the Jubilee of Consolation, celebrated in St. Peter’s Basilica. “This immense cry challenges us to pray, take action to end all violence, and bring peace to those who suffer”, the Holy Father remarked: “Above all, it pleads with God, whose heart trembles with compassion, to bring his Kingdom.” “The true consolation we must offer to those around us is showing that peace is possible, and that it grows within each of us, if we do not stifle it”, Leo’s exhortation:
“May the leaders of nations pay particular attention to the cries of so many innocent children and ensure them a future that protects and consoles them.”
“That pain must not give rise to violence, and that violence never has the final say, for it is conquered by a love that knows how to forgive”, the Pope’s plea. Addressing to the survivors of violence and abuse he said:
“Also to you, brothers and sisters, who have suffered injustice and violence, Mary repeats her message: ‘I am your mother.’
And the Lord says to you in the depth of your hearts: ‘You are my son; you are my daughter. No one can take away this personal gift offered to each of you.” Leo XIV’s mea culpa:
“The Church, some of whose members have unfortunately hurt you, kneels with you today before our Mother.”
“May we all learn from her to protect the most vulnerable with tenderness! May we learn to listen to your wounds and walk together. May we receive from Our Lady of Sorrows the strength to recognize that life is not defined only by the evil we suffer, but by the love of God, who never abandons us and guides the whole Church.”
“Our loved ones who have been separated from us by sister death are not lost and do not fade into the void.”
The Pope assured: “Their lives belong to the Lord, the Good Shepherd, who embraces them and holds them close. He will return them to us one day so that, together, we may enjoy eternal happiness.”
We are called “to share God’s consolation with so many brothers and sisters who are experiencing situations of frailty, sadness and pain”, the Pope said in the opening lines of his homily. “In times of darkness, even when all outward appearances suggest otherwise, God does not abandon us”, assured Leo XIV: “We seek for someone to console us, and often find no one. At times, we even experience difficulty listening to the voices of those who sincerely wish to share our pain.” There are situations in which “words are not helpful and become almost meaningless”, as Pope Francis said “calling to mind the tears” of Mary Magdalene: “tears are the glasses through which we see Jesus.”
“We should not be ashamed to cry”,
the Pope said to the faithful: “It is a way of expressing our sadness and our desire for a new world. Crying tells of our humanity, which is weak and tested, but destined for joy.” “Tears are a language that express the deep feelings of a wounded heart”, observed Leo XIV: “Tears are a silent cry for compassion and comfort. Moreover, they cleanse and purify our eyes, our feelings, and our thoughts.” “Sacred Scripture guides us on the journey from questioning to faith”, Prevost explained after having quoted from Saint Augustine: “There are, of course, questions that turn us in on ourselves, divide us internally and separate us from reality. There are thoughts that are not productive. If they isolate us and lead us to despair, they also demean our intelligence. It would be better, as in the Psalms, to turn our questions into pleas, lamentations and supplications for the justice and peace promised us by God. In this way, we build a bridge towards heaven, even when it seems we get no response.” The Pope’s guidance:
“Where pain is deep, the hope that comes from communion must be even stronger”,
“In the Church, we seek the open sky, which is Jesus, the bridge between God and man”, said Leo XIV: “Where there is evil, we must seek the comfort and consolation that can overcome it and give it no respite”, the proposal: “In the Church, this means never being alone. Resting your head on a comforting shoulder, finding someone who cries with you and gives you strength, is a medicine that we cannot do without, because it is a sign of love.”
