Vatican City: Pope Leo XIV said the Church must be a strong sign of unity and peace in a world marked by conflicts and divisions, reminding Christians that the Church is open to everyone and called to welcome all people.
Speaking during the weekly General Audience in St Peter’s Square on Wednesday, Pope reflected on the mission of the Church as described in the Second Vatican Council’s document Lumen gentium.
He said the Church is united through faith in Christ and His love, and therefore cannot close itself off from others. Instead, it must remain open to all people.
Pope noted that the Church is a powerful sign of hope, especially at a time when many parts of the world are experiencing war and tension. Within the Church, he said, people from different nations, languages and cultures live together in faith, showing that unity among humanity is possible.
He explained that this unity reflects God’s plan for all people. According to Pope, the Church stands as a reminder and a prophecy of the peace and unity to which God calls every human being.
Continuing his catechesis on the documents of the Second Vatican Council, Pope focused again on the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church, Lumen gentium. He reflected on how God formed a covenant with His people throughout history and how that relationship continues in the life of the Church.
Pope recalled that in the Old Testament God called Abraham, promised him many descendants and later freed his people from slavery, forming a covenant with them. This people, he said, were called to be a light to other nations.
He added that this mission reached its fullness in Jesus Christ. Through the gift of His body and blood, Christ unites believers into one people and establishes a new and lasting covenant.
Pope Leo XIV explained that the Church today is the people of God who receive their life from Christ. Men and women from every nation belong to this people, not because they share the same language or culture, but because they are united in Christ.
He said Christians should not take pride in titles or achievements, but in the gift of being children of God through Christ.
Pope stressed that love must guide all relationships within the Church and that the Church walks together with all humanity toward the Kingdom of God.
He also reminded the faithful that the mission of the Church is to share the Gospel with everyone. The Second Vatican Council teaches that all people are called to belong to the new people of God.
Even those who have not yet heard the Gospel, he said, are in some way oriented toward the people of God. Because of this, the Church must bring the message of Christ to every place and every person.
Pope added that the Church must welcome different cultures while also sharing the transforming message of the Gospel.
Quoting French Jesuit theologian Henri de Lubac, Pope Leo XIV concluded that the Church, like the Ark of Salvation, must be wide enough to welcome the diversity of all humanity.