Vatican City: Pope Leo XIV on Sunday invited the faithful to let the joy of Christmas sustain them on their journey of faith, reminding them that true worship of God is inseparable from care for humanity.
Praying the Angelus on the Second Sunday of Christmas at the Vatican, the Pope renewed his Christmas greetings and reflected on the meaning of the season as it draws to a close. He recalled that the Solemnity of the Epiphany on January 6 will also mark the conclusion of the Jubilee Year of Hope with the closing of the Holy Door of St Peter’s Basilica.
Pope said the mystery of Christmas remains the foundation of Christian hope because it reveals God’s Incarnation. Quoting the Gospel of John, he recalled the words, “The Word became flesh and lived among us,” and stressed that Christian hope does not rest on human plans or positive forecasts, but on God’s choice to share the journey of human life.
He explained that in Jesus, God became one of us and chose to remain with us forever as God with us. This closeness, he said, renews hope and at the same time places a responsibility on believers towards both God and others.
Reflecting on faith, the Pope urged Christians to rethink how they approach God, beginning not with abstract ideas but with the humanity of Jesus. He encouraged believers to examine their spirituality and the ways they express their faith, so that it remains rooted in real life and the concrete experience of God who meets humanity in Jesus.
God, he said, is not distant or removed from daily struggles, but close and present in ordinary life, in the faces of brothers and sisters, and in everyday situations.
Turning to care for others, the Pope reminded the faithful that since God became human, every person reflects His image and carries an inherent dignity. This calls for mutual love, fraternity and solidarity, which he described as the measure of all human relationships.
Pope stressed that there can be no genuine worship of God without care for humanity, since God has chosen to dwell within human history.
Concluding his address, Pope Leo prayed that the joy of Christmas would continue to encourage the faithful on their journey. He also entrusted everyone to the Virgin Mary, asking her to help believers grow in service to both God and neighbour.