During his Sunday Angelus in St. Peter's Square, Pope Francis focused on a core message of the Christian faith: that love is the foundation of everything. Reflecting on the Gospel of St. Mark, where Jesus is asked about the greatest commandment, Pope emphasized that this question is not merely historical; it remains deeply relevant to our daily lives and faith journey. “This question,” he said, “is essential for us too, for our life and for the journey of our faith.”
In our busy lives, we often find ourselves caught up in tasks, to-do lists, and responsibilities. But amid this whirlwind, Pope Francis asked, “Where can we find the center from which all the rest radiates?” He shared the answer Jesus gave the scribe in the Gospel: that the foundation lies in loving God and loving our neighbor—commandments that together form what he described as “the heart of Christian life.”
Pope encouraged the crowd gathered in St. Peter’s Square to reconnect with “the heart of life and faith.” He explained that the heart is not just a metaphor but is “the radical source of our strengths, convictions, passions, and decisions.” He reminded them that love, rather than exterior rituals, is what truly matters in the Christian life. "What counts are not the exterior practices,” he emphasized, “but the readiness of heart with which you open yourself to God and to brethren in love.”
Pope Francis noted that when we reach the end of our lives, we will be accountable not for our outward actions alone, but for the love we showed to others and the love we may have held back. In a powerful call to action, he encouraged those in attendance to perform a daily examination of conscience, urging them to reflect on how they show love to God and their neighbors.
This theme of returning to the heart echoes Pope Francis' latest encyclical, "Dilexit Nos", a document devoted to the love found in the Sacred Heart of Jesus. In "Dilexit Nos", Pope Francis calls for a renewed devotion to the Sacred Heart, emphasizing that a transformation of the world begins with a transformation of our hearts. His message invites all Christians to embrace this love as a source of personal and social change.
In this Angelus reflection, Pope Francis leaves us with a clear reminder: it is not our actions or rituals alone that define us as followers of Christ, but our willingness to love deeply, with a heart open to both God and neighbor. As we take on this daily challenge, we are encouraged to look within, to connect with our deepest convictions, and to let the love of God radiate through our lives.