Vatican City: Speaking to thousands of pilgrims at the Jubilee Audience of Migrants and the Missionary World in St. Peter’s Square on Saturday, Pope Leo XIV reflected deeply on the nature of Christian hope, emphasizing that hope is inseparable from courageous personal choice.
Drawing from the day’s Gospel reading (Luke 16:13–14), Pope Leo highlighted the enduring challenge of serving God rather than wealth. He observed that many listeners mocked Jesus’ teaching on poverty because it confronted their attachment to material security. “To hope is to choose,” the Pope said, stressing that authentic hope requires a decisive orientation of the heart. He warned that refusal to make such choices can lead to spiritual stagnation, describing acedia spiritual laziness as “worse than death.”
The Pope framed the Jubilee as a “time of concrete hope,” a moment for forgiveness, mercy, and the renewal of hearts. “In this year, we must choose whom we will serve: justice or injustice, God or money,” he stated, underscoring that personal decisions are the cornerstone of spiritual life.
Turning to the life of St. Clare of Assisi, Pope Leo praised her as a “courageous and countercultural young woman” who made a decisive choice to embrace the Gospel. Inspired by St. Francis of Assisi, Clare chose a life of radical poverty and freedom, breaking with societal expectations and family pressures.
“Even in a city that considered itself Christian, Clare’s radical embrace of the Gospel appeared revolutionary,” the Pope noted. He highlighted the enduring fruits of her decision: inspiring countless young women to follow Christ authentically and leaving a legacy that continues to resonate across generations.
Pope Leo emphasized that the vitality of the Church depends on young people who live the Gospel with authenticity. Quoting Jesus’ words, “You cannot serve two masters,” he encouraged the youth to make bold spiritual choices. “Young people who choose the Gospel and live its consequences inspire others to choose as well. One loses oneself and finds oneself,” he said.
Concluding his catechesis, Pope Leo prayed for the entire Church to remain steadfast in serving God’s Kingdom rather than worldly gain. “Let us pray to be a Church that does not serve money or itself, but the Kingdom of God and His justice. A Church that, like Saint Clare, has the courage to inhabit the city in a different way. This gives hope!”
The audience, which brought together pilgrims from around the globe, resonated with the Pope’s message of hope, choice, and radical commitment to Gospel values, marking the Jubilee celebration as a profound moment of reflection and spiritual renewal.