Pope Leo XIV at the Angelus: Only by Remembering the Dead Can We Hold Onto Hope

The resurrection of Jesus illuminates our destiny

Pope Leo XIV spoke to the congregation gathered in St. Peter's Square on Sunday about what these first days of November mean for the Church, namely the Solemnity of All Saints and the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed. The Pope said that at this time, when "the resurrection of Jesus, the crucified one, gives light to the destiny of all of us."

Citing the Gospel of John, he reflected on the words of Jesus, stating: “This is the will of him who sent me, that I should lose nothing of all that he has given me, but raise it up on the last day.”

In considering these comments, the Pope affirmed that “God’s will is clear” and that “no individual should be lost for eternity and that every person should have a place to share their unique attributes.”

A fellowship that harmonizes distinctions

In consideration of the previous day’s funeral service, All Saints; Pope Leo said, “A communion of difference that in a manner of speaking extends the life of God to His daughters and children who desire participation[1]”. Each person has a longing [2] for: “Recognition, acknowledgement, & joy”; as confirmed with Benedict; by abbreviation: “eternal life = desire.” Rather, eternity [3] = “An experience of complete immersion in an ocean of eternal love, whereby time; before & after have no significance”.

In saying "The fullness of this life and joy, which is in Christ, is now something we see colored and alive by our anticipation and desire, from our whole being," Pope Leo described the joyification of life that is created through the Spirit through Christ; and therefore, we are called to remember those that have gone before us. Acknowledge the existence of former generations.

During the Feast of All Souls, the Holy Father reflected upon the meaning of death, saying: “Whenever death takes away from us voices, faces, and even worlds that may seem to be— like our loved ones—I believe God gives us this assurance that one man or woman represents a world to Him.”

He thought about how important memory is; he said "it's both an incredible resource and a fragile thing." Memory is important because without it we cannot remember who Jesus was or what he did (life, death, resurrection), then the enormous value associated with living every day will likely get lost in our lives. However, he also stated that because of Christ, those who live in obscurity or may have been erased by history still have tremendous worth in who they are.

A hope that gazes toward the future

Later on, Pope Leo reiterated to those gathered together that Christians have for many centuries remembered their dead during Mass or the Eucharistic celebration by asking God to bring their loved ones into the Eucharistic Prayer. He proclaimed further that out of this hope for the salvation of all emerges the assurance that no one will be lost forever from God's love.

He motivated believers to convert their trips to cemeteries into experiences of "silence which breaks the noise of existence" and requested them to pause and think on their faith and keep hope. As found in the credo (credo): "I look forward to the resurrection to life everlasting"

“Let us, then, honor the future,” concluded Pope Leo, “for we are not confined to the past or to the emotional sorrow of nostalgia. Nor are we trapped in the present, as if within a tomb.”