In a deeply symbolic gesture early in his pontificate, Pope Leo XIV journeyed to the Papal Basilica of St. Paul Outside the Walls on Tuesday afternoon, where he spent time in prayer before the tomb of the Apostle to the Gentiles. There, in the sacred stillness of one of Rome’s most revered churches, the Holy Father entrusted his new mission to God, praying: “May the Lord grant me the grace to respond faithfully to His call.”
Following a private moment of prayer at St. Paul’s tomb, Pope Leo presided over a brief liturgical service in the basilica. During his homily, he drew inspiration from St. Paul’s Letter to the Romans, meditating on three pivotal themes—grace, faith, and justification—which he said shed light on the essence of Christian discipleship and his own role as the successor of Peter.
Beginning with “grace,” Pope Leo reflected on how St. Paul’s encounter with Christ was not something he sought, but a divine initiative. “Paul was called when he was still far from the Gospel,” the Pope explained. “His mission began not with his own efforts, but with God’s love reaching out to him first.”
Quoting St. Augustine, the Pope underscored this truth: “We cannot choose unless we have first been chosen.” This, he said, is the foundation of every Christian vocation—we can only respond to God because He has already acted out of love.
The second theme Pope Leo explored was faith. Reflecting on Paul's transformative experience on the road to Damascus, the Pope noted, “God did not override Paul’s will—He invited, not compelled.” The encounter became a turning point, not through force, but through a decision freely made.
“Faith is not magic,” the Pope said. “It arises from the dynamic between God’s initiative and our willing response. Grace opens the door, but faith steps through it.”
Finally, Pope Leo turned to the theme of justification—what he described as the journey of sanctification. Paul, once a persecutor of Christians, became their tireless advocate. His dramatic transformation revealed what happens when a soul yields to divine love and is gradually reshaped by it.
“Justification,” the Pope said, “is the ongoing process of being conformed to Christ, and it begins the moment we say yes to His call.”
Encouraging the faithful to imitate Paul’s radical generosity, Pope Leo invited all Christians to “compete in love”—to pour themselves out in service as Paul did, even unto death. “Such love is the beating heart of every mission,” he said.
To conclude, the Pope echoed the words of Pope Benedict XVI: “God loves us. This is the great truth of our life; it is what makes everything else meaningful.” This, Pope Leo affirmed, is the foundation of his own ministry and the source of his strength as he takes up the Petrine office.
He ended his homily with a personal prayer, simple yet profound: “May the Lord grant me the grace to respond faithfully to His call.”
In this quiet act of devotion at the tomb of St. Paul, Pope Leo XIV set a tone of humility, dependence on divine grace, and a clear commitment to apostolic mission.