Vatican City: Following the celebration of Mass for the Jubilee of Prisoners, Pope Leo XIV offered a deeply reflective message during his Angelus address on the Third Sunday of Advent, affirming that true Christian joy can survive even in moments of darkness, confusion, and suffering. He reminded the faithful that the hope born of Christ does not fade when life becomes difficult, but instead grows stronger when everything appears most uncertain.
Opening his reflection with a striking image, the Pope recalled St. John the Baptist, a prophet who continued to speak the truth even while imprisoned. Though bound in chains for his preaching, John never lost his voice or his courage. Pope Leo described him as a powerful witness to the fact that the Word of God cannot be silenced, even when freedom is taken away.
From his prison cell, John hears of the works performed by Jesus. Yet these actions do not entirely match the expectations he had formed about the Messiah. This leads him to ask a question that still resonates today: “Are you the one who is to come, or should we wait for another?” According to Pope Leo, this question reaches far beyond its historical moment, touching the hearts of all who search for truth and justice, who yearn for freedom and peace, and who continue to question Christ in times of uncertainty.
The Holy Father explained that Jesus answers not with abstract explanations, but through concrete actions. Rather than defining himself with words, Christ invites people to look at what he does. The poor, the sick, and the marginalized bear witness to who he truly is. Through them, the signs of salvation become visible: the blind regain sight, the mute find their voice, and the deaf begin to hear.
In these acts, Pope Leo said, even the image of God often distorted by suffering, illness, and exclusion is restored. Life triumphs over death itself, as even those who seem completely beyond reach are raised anew. This, he emphasized, is the core of the Gospel message: when God enters human history, His presence becomes unmistakably visible.
Reflecting further, the Pope stressed that Christ’s words liberate humanity from the inner prisons of despair and suffering. In Jesus, every prophecy finds its fulfillment, and hope is reborn. Christ reveals the glory of a God who gives a voice back to the oppressed, breaks the grip of violence and hatred, dismantles ideologies that blind people to truth, and heals the illusions that wound both body and soul.
Turning to the meaning of Advent, Pope Leo invited believers to embrace two essential attitudes during this sacred season: patiently waiting for the Savior and remaining attentive to the signs of God’s action in the world today. Advent, he said, is not passive expectation but an active readiness to recognize God at work, even in unexpected places.
Recalling the words “Gaudete in Domino semper” “Rejoice in the Lord always” the Pope highlighted the significance of Gaudete Sunday, the Sunday of joy. This joy, he explained, does not deny hardship or pain. Instead, it is a resilient joy that endures, especially when life feels empty and the world seems overshadowed by darkness.