During his weekly General Audience, Pope Leo XIV reflected on the Paschal Mystery, emphasizing Christ’s humility in the Resurrection.
Pope reminded the faithful that when Christ rose from the dead, He did not appear to His disciples surrounded by angels, performing spectacular feats, or revealing the secrets of the universe. Instead, His Resurrection was expressed through simple, ordinary gestures. Jesus appeared as a gardener, a stranger, or a passerby showing that where we might expect dramatic signs or overwhelming proof, He chose the “language of closeness, normalcy, and shared meals.”
Pope Leo described this humble aspect of the Resurrection as carrying a “precious message”: it is not a dramatic twist, but a quiet transformation that gives every human action new meaning. In the Paschal Mystery, even the most ordinary gestures can become moments of grace.
Yet, Pope cautioned, we often fail to recognize Christ in daily life because of the illusion that true joy must be free from suffering. He recalled the disciples on the road to Emmaus, who were saddened when their expectations of the Messiah were unmet. Jesus showed them that sorrow and pain do not cancel God’s promises; rather, they reveal the depth of His love.
The Resurrection reminds us that no life, no matter how marked by failure or sin, is beyond hope. No fall is final, no darkness eternal, and no wound permanent. No matter how distant or unworthy we may feel, God’s love remains steadfast.
Pope Leo emphasized that it is often in our darkest moments that Jesus comes closest, inviting us to let Him stay with us and warm our hearts. He encouraged the faithful to seek the grace to recognize Christ’s humble and gentle presence not to expect a life without challenges, but to see that every sorrow, when filled with love, can become a source of communion.
Concluding his reflection, Pope said, “May we return to our homes with hearts burning with joy a simple joy that does not erase our wounds but lights them up; a joy rooted in the certainty that the Lord is alive, walking with us, and offering us the chance to begin again at every moment.”