Pope Leo XIV at Mass: World Leaders Must Listen to the Voices of the Poor

Mass for the Jubilee of the Poor

On the day of the 9th World Day of the Poor, Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass for the Jubilee of the Poor with about 6,000 people at St. Peter's Basilica. Before he started the Mass, he stopped to acknowledge the 20,000 pilgrims who were waiting for him in St. Peter's Square.

He extended an invitation for them to participate in the Mass "with profound love and sincere faith, recognizing that we are all united in Christ," as they followed along on the jumbotrons.

The Sun of Righteousness and Christian Hope

In his sermon, the Pope reflected on the approaching conclusion of the liturgical year, emphasizing that the readings increasingly direct our attention toward the final culmination of history.

According to the prophet Malachi, the end of this world will be "a time with God, a time coming like the early morning where the sun rising will reveal the Sun of Righteousness, at which time the humble and the marginalized will finally be heard by the Lord and the wicked and all their wrongdoings, especially against the lowly and those without means will be burned and consumed as chaff." (Malachi 4:1- says).

The Pope indicated that the "sun of righteousness," or "righteousness from the sun," means the present and active presence of God in all the important events of history. Instead of being afraid, Christians should continue to be hopeful and believe that the Lord will take care of them and allow "even the very hairs of your head to perish."

He said, 'God does not abandon us even during times of persecution, pain, trial and social oppression. The love of God through His Son, Jesus, is at its highest point at this closeness (from the cross). As a result, the hope of Jesus and the message of Christ are turned to joy and celebration for those who are the poorest'.

Many Forms of Poverty in Our World

In conjunction with the Church's observance of the World Day of the Poor, Pope Leo reflected upon the initial words of his inaugural Apostolic Exhortation: "Dilexi te, I have loved you."

The Church works according to these principles; it attempts to be a caring mother for those in need, offering a home of justice and sanctuary for each person (especially those in poverty or distress). The Pope has expressed serious concern for the burden of "many forms of poverty upon our world!" He spoke about material poverty; he also identified multiple forms of poverty affecting youth, including moral and spiritual poverty.

Loneliness is the collective tragedy of these individuals," he stated. "If we examine poverty in a holistic way, we can see that while there are times when it's important to meet immediate needs, we also have to cultivate a culture of care to break down the barriers of loneliness."

Pope Francis has called upon believers to show love and awareness toward those around them, be it at work digitally, or among friends and family. As believers, we are given chances every day by God to down the compassion that he has for all of humanity.

No Peace Without Justice

In the current state of affairs globally, Pope Leo XIV lamented the many places in which conflict is found, giving credence to the perception that mankind is powerless to control the world around them.

"The widespread sensation of powerlessness throughout the world is based on illusion - that history has always unfolded this way and cannot be changed," said Dr. Bernard Bullock, professor of justice-related studies at Howard University. "On the contrary, the Gospel shows us that it is in times of crisis throughout history that God has provided redemption."

Pope Leo implored global leaders to heed the pleas of the impoverished, a call that poses a challenge to those in positions of political authority.

"We cannot have peace without establishing justice and impoverished persons exemplify that truth by way of their own migration; as well there are many vulnerable voices that make desperate calls for help that aren’t represented by the dominant discourse of well-being and development. The fact is that the dominant discourse will not take account of every person and it will in fact exclude a large number of people – and so leave them to their fate."

Working Toward the Kingdom of God

The Pope congratulated all those involved in assisting the poor through charity work and those volunteering to improve the lives of the less fortunate, thanking them for their demonstration of faith and the Church's role in promoting unity. In conclusion, he urged every Christian to seek the Kingdom of God by working toward creating a “brotherhood of man with an awesome and lasting reverence for each other” in their relationship with one another. He added, “With the help of Mary may we be able to take on this new perspective of the Kingdom in our daily lives, so that God's love—that welcomes, heals, is forgiven, heals wounds and is a source of comfort to us—will live on within us forever.”