reflections, updates and homilies from Deacon Mike Talbot inspired by the following words from my ordination: Receive the Gospel of Christ whose herald you have become. Believe what you read, teach what you believe and practice what you teach...
Pope Leo XIV: May all children of the world live in peace!
Reflecting on the figure of Saint Joseph on the Fourth Sunday of Advent, Pope Leo XIV recalls the virtues he lived of piety, charity, and mercy that educate the heart to encounter Christ and our brothers and sisters. As we await the birth of the Saviour, he encourages us to be "a welcoming manger, a hospitable home, a sign of God’s presence" and that all children may live in peace.
Vatican News
Reflecting on today's Gospel that invites meditation on the figure of Saint Joseph, Pope Leo XIV recalled how God reveals Joseph's mission in a dream to which he responds with great faith and courage being "keenly sensitive and human" even in the face of the immense challenges foreseen and to be faced.
Mercy, faith, and trust
In his catechesis shared with the pilgrims and faithful gathered in Saint Peter's Square for the midday Angelus on this fourth Sunday of Advent, the Pope recounted how Joseph, even before the Angel revealed to him the mystery that is taking place in Mary, chose a "discreet and benevolent path" of mercy towards her. And when he experienced the dream that revealed God's plan of salvation to him, "the purity and nobility of his sentiments" became even more prominent when the Lord revealed his plan of salvation to him, showing him the role he must take up as the spouse of the Virgin Mother of the Messiah. The Pope explained that "with a great act of faith, Joseph leaves even the last resort of his security and sets sail toward a future that is now totally in God’s hands."
“Piety and charity, mercy and abandonment: these are the virtues of the man from Nazareth that today’s liturgy shows us, so that they may accompany us in these last days of Advent, towards Christmas. These are important attitudes that educate the heart to encounter Christ and our brothers and sisters. They can also help us to be, for one another, a welcoming manger, a hospitable home, a sign of God’s presence.”
Following the example of Saint Joseph
The Pope recommended that "in this time of grace" may we follow the example of Joseph and put into practice what he did: "forgiving, encouraging, giving a little hope to those with whom we live and those we meet; and renewing in prayer our filial abandonment to the Lord and his providence, entrusting everything to him with confidence."
And we can be sure to find help from the Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph, he said, "who with faith and great love were the first to welcome Jesus, the Savior of the world."
May all children live in peace
The Pope then greeted all those present in Saint Peter's Square, including over 1,500 children from Rome, and others from Spain and Hong Kong in particular. The Roman children showed the Pope the figures of the baby Jesus - "bambinelli" as they are called in Italy - that they brought with them to be blessed by the Pope. The figurines will then be placed in the nativity scenes in their homes, schools, parishes and oratories.
“Dear children, as you stand before your Nativity scenes, please pray to Jesus for the Pope’s intentions as well. In particular, let us pray together that all the world’s children may live in peace. I thank you from the bottom of my heart! And together with the “bambinelli” and all the expressions of our faith in the Child Jesus, may the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit always bless you. I wish you all a happy Sunday and a holy, peaceful Christmas!”
O Key of David, and scepter of the house of Israel, who opens and no man shuts, who shuts and no man opens: come, and lead forth the captive who sits in the shadows from his prison.
Pope on Advent: Prepare for Christ's coming, don’t get lost in frenetic activity
In his greetings to the faithful from the different language groups during the Wednesday General Audience, Pope Leo XIV underlines the importance of Advent as a time of preparation, prayer, and reflection so that we may welcome the birth of Christ at Christmas.
By Isabella H. de Carvalho
As the Vatican Christmas tree and Nativity Scene adorned a St. Peter’s Square filled with faithful, Pope Leo XIV highlighted the importance of Advent as a time of preparation to welcome the birth of Christ.
He offered the encouragement in his various greetings to pilgrims from different language groups during the Wednesday General Audience on December 17.
“I pray that each of you, and your families, may experience a blessed Advent in preparation for the coming of the newborn Jesus, Son of God and Savior of the world,” Pope Leo said to the English-speaking faithful.
Importance of nativity scenes
“Christmas is just a few days away, and I imagine that in your homes the Nativity Scene, an evocative representation of the Mystery of the Nativity of Christ, is being completed or has already been completed,” he reflected in his greeting to the Italian faithful.
On Monday, December 15, the Vatican unveiled its Nativity Scenes in St. Peter’s Square and the Paul VI Audience Hall.
“I hope that such an important element, not only of our faith but also of Christian culture and art, will continue to be part of Christmas to remember Jesus, who, by becoming man, came ‘to dwell among us’.”
Don’t get caught up in frenetic activity
As Christmas is only a week away, he encouraged the faithful to live this celebration deeply and not get distracted by other aspects, as he greeted French-speakers.
“Let us be careful not to get caught up in frenetic activity in preparing for the feast, which would lead us to experience it in a superficial way and leave room for disappointment,” he explained. “Instead, let us take the time to make our hearts attentive and vigilant as we await Jesus, so that His loving presence may become the treasure of our lives and hearts forever.”
In his greetings to German pilgrims, he underlined that Advent “invites us to prepare for Christmas by welcoming Jesus without reservation.”
“He is our hope. Therefore, let us joyfully await the feast of his birth and pray together with confidence: ‘Come, Lord Jesus’,” the Pope said.
A time for reflection and prayer
In his greetings to Polish speakers, he called for the last days of Advent to be a time of reflection and prayer and to prepare for the coming of Christ through the Sacrament of Confession or spiritual retreats.
In greeting the Portuguese-speaking faithful, he emphasized how we are now in the period of the Christmas Novena, which began on Tuesday and is “rich in traditions” in some of their communities.
He added that this devotion can become “for everyone a renewed opportunity to lighten the heart, preparing it for the imminent birth of the Son of God. May Our Lady of Hope accompany you in this spiritual commitment and always protect you and your families.”
“Christians are called to open their hearts to the love of God and neighbor, so that they may be filled with true peace and joy,” the Pope insisted in his greeting to the Arabic-speaking pilgrims.
Upcoming General Audiences
On Wednesday, December 24, there will be no General Audience, as it is Christmas Eve.
There will be a Jubilee Audience on Saturday, December 20, and the next General Audience will be held on December 31, the last day of the year.
The last time a General Audience took place on New Year's Eve was 50 years ago in 1975, which was held by Pope St. Paul VI.
During his homily on the Sunday of the Jubilee of Prisoners, Pope Leo XIV challenges both inmates and those responsible for the prisons to hold on to hope and he reminds everyone “that no human being is defined only by his or her actions and that justice is always a process of reparation and reconciliation.”
By Kielce Gussie
On the third Sunday of Advent, also known as Gaudete Sunday, Pope Leo XIV celebrated Holy Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica. In his homily, the Holy Father reflected on the word “Gaudete”. He explained the “joy” of this Sunday reminds us of "the bright dimension of waiting: the trust that something beautiful, something joyful, will happen.”
14 December also marked the Jubilee of Hope for prisoners and all those who work in prisons. Pope Leo recalled that 26 December last year, his predecessor Pope Francis opened the Holy Door inside Rome's Rebibbia prison, urging his listeners to "throw open the doors of your heart.”
On that occasion, Pope Francis also urged everyone to be generous “workers of justice and charity in the environments where we live.”
There is still hope
With the Jubilee Year of Hope coming to a close, Pope Leo stressed that, despite efforts that have been made, “much remains to be done in the prison world.” He acknowledged the prisons are challenging environments, and “even the best intentions may encounter many obstacles.”
Yet, he argued it is specifically for this reason that we must all avoid growing tired or discouraged. Rather, the Holy Father stressed that we must persevere. “Many still fail to understand that from every fall, one must be able to rise again,” Pope Leo explained. “No human being is defined by what they have done, and justice is always a process of repair and reconciliation.”
Pope Leo incenses the statue of Our Lady with the Child Jesus in St. Peter's Basilica (@VATICAN MEDIA)
If we create and keep safe spaces for sensitivity, attention to others’ needs, respect, mercy and forgiveness to flourish—even in the most difficult times— “beautiful flowers bloom, and even within the prison walls, unique gestures, projects, and encounters mature in their humanity.”
This is essential for those living without their freedom, the Pope stressed, but it is also important for those who represent justice for inmates. This Jubilee “is a call to conversion, and precisely for this reason, it is a source of hope and joy.”
Keep compassion at the center
To achieve this, it is necessary to first look to Jesus, His humanity, and His Kingdom as reminders that miracles can happen through extraordinary interventions by God. However, Pope Leo highlighted, “more often they are entrusted to us, to our compassion, our attention, our wisdom, and the responsibility of our communities and institutions.”
He noted how we are all also called to foster, in all areas—and, today, particularly in prisons—a society rooted in new values, with a strong focus on compassion.
For this reason, the Holy Father pointed out how Pope Francis wanted this Holy Year to offer “forms of amnesty or remission of penalties might be granted to help people regain trust in themselves and in society”.
We are never alone
The day’s Gospel touched on the biblical origin of the Jubilee—a year of grace where everyone was given the chance to start fresh. The passage reflected on St. John the Baptist, who encouraged people to convert and be baptized. He was frank and upright, but also merciful and understanding.
Pope Leo acknowledged the difficult task God entrusts to both inmates and those responsible for prisons. He pointed out the numerous problems they are called to address: “overcrowding, the still insufficient commitment to ensuring stable educational programs for rehabilitation, and work opportunities.”
Yet, on a deeper level, there are also issues of working through the weight of the past, wounds to be healed, disappointments, the patience required with oneself to achieve these steps, and the temptation to give up. While these challenges might feel overwhelming and difficult, God offers encouragement in the Scriptures. He repeats “that no one be lost” and that all “may be saved”.
“This is what our God desires, this is His Kingdom, and this is what His work in the world aims for”, the Holy Father stressed.
With Christmas drawing near, Pope Leo invited everyone to work toward this dream, reminding them that, even in the greatest difficulties, “we are not alone: the Lord is near, He walks with us, and with Him by our side, something beautiful and joyful will always happen.”
Pope at Audience: Advent teaches us how to wait in active hope
At the Jubilee Audience, Pope Leo XIV reflects on the importance of active waiting during the Advent Season, as we learn to hope and help bring the Kingdom of God closer through our good actions.
By Devin Watkins
Pope Leo XIV held a special Jubilee Audience on Saturday, as the Church journeys in the Advent Season toward Christmas.
In his catechesis, the Pope said Advent teaches us to pay attention to the signs of the times, since it takes preparation and effort to recognize Jesus in our world and daily lives.
Our waiting for the fulfilment of creation and its redemption is not passive, he said, noting that God always seeks to involve us in His work.
“God involves us in His story, in His dreams,” he said. “To hope, then, is to participate.”
He recalled the Jubilee theme— “Pilgrims of Hope”—and said that motto will not lose meaning when the Jubilee ends at Christmas.
Rather, it calls us to journey in hope throughout our lives and wait, not with our hands in our pockets but by actively taking part.
Christians, said the Pope, must “read the signs of the times,” which are the signs of God in historical circumstances, according to the Second Vatican Council.
“God is not outside the world, outside this life: we have learned from the first coming of Jesus, God-with-us, to seek Him in the realities of life,” he said. “To seek Him with intelligence, with the heart and with our sleeves rolled up!”
Lay Catholics are especially called to embrace this mission, since the Incarnate God comes to meet us in daily life and the problems and beauties of this world.
He recalled the life and witness of Alberto Marvelli, a young, 20th-century Italian member of Catholic Action, who wanted to rebuild Italy after the devastation of the Second World War.
He risked his life in politics and was struck and killed by a military truck while bicycling to a rally.
“The world becomes better if we give up a little security and comfort in order to choose what is good,” said the Pope. “This is participation.”
In conclusion, Pope Leo XIV invited Catholics to ask ourselves if we are engaging our talents joyfully in service of others and the Kingdom of God.
“To hope is to participate: this is a gift that God gives us,” he said. “No one saves the world alone. Not even God wants to save it alone: He could, but He does not want to, because together is better.”
Papal preacher: Advent is a time of trusting expectation
“The Parousia of the Lord. An expectation without hesitation” is the theme of the first of three meditations for Christmas, which began this morning, 5 December, in the Paul VI Hall, with Pope Leo in attendance.
By Benedetta Capelli
We are “not lost wayfarers” but “sentinels that, in the night of the world, humbly maintain the confidence” that they will see the light “capable of illuminating every man,” says Father Roberto Pasolini, preacher of the Papal Household, in the first of three Advent meditations on the theme “Awaiting and hastening the coming of the Day of the Lord.”
In his reflection on the first Friday in Advent 2025, Fr Pasolini focused on “the Parousia of the Lord” and on the unique time period we are experiencing: the conclusion of the Jubilee of Hope. “Advent is the time in which the Church rekindles hope,” he emphasized, “contemplating not only the first coming of the Lord, but above all his return at the end of times.”
It is the moment in which we are called “we are called to wait, and at the same time hasten the coming of the Lord with serene and active vigilance.”
Recognizing grace
“Parousia” is a term used by the evangelist Matthew four times in chapter 24 of his Gospel. It is a word with a double meaning: both “presence” and “coming.”
Jesus compares the anticipation of His coming to the days of Noah before the Great Flood. Those were days when life flowed normally, and Noah alone built the ark, the instrument of salvation. His story raises questions necessary to understand what modern man must acknowledge. Faced with new and complex challenges, “the Church is called to remain a sacrament of salvation in an era of change.”
Father Pasolini emphasizes, “Peace remains a mirage in many regions unless longstanding injustices and wounded memories find healing, while in Western culture the sense of transcendence is weakened, crushed by the idols of efficiency, wealth and technology. The advent of artificial intelligence amplifies the temptation of a human being without limits and without transcendence.”
The mystery of a God Who trusts in humanity
However, he continues, recognition is not enough; we must be aware of “the direction in which the Kingdom of God continues to move within history,” returning to the prophetic capacity received in Baptism. We must similarly recognize the grace of God, “that gift of universal salvation which the Church humbly celebrates and offers, so that human life may be raised up from the burden of sin and freed from the fear of death.” The ministers of the Church must be careful to avoid becoming so familiar with God that they take it for granted. And so each generation must come to realize “the mystery of a God who… continues to stand before His creation with unshakeable trust, in the expectation that better days can—and must—still come.”
Eliminating evil
The preacher of the Papal Household reminds us that in order to rediscover the face of God that accompanies “His wounded creation,” we must draw on the story of the universal flood, when the Lord sees evil in the human heart. Human beings cannot overcome that evil simply by changing or evolving; the truth is, humanity needs not only to fulfill itself but to be saved.
“Evil must not simply be forgiven,” Fr Pasolini says. “It must be erased, so that life can finally flourish in its truth and beauty.”
Erasing, in the cancel culture in which humanity today is immersed, is not just destroying everything, eliminating what seems burdensome in others. “Every day we erase many things, without feeling guilty and without doing any harm,” Fr Pasolini said. “We delete messages, useless files, mistakes in a document, stains, traces, debts. On the contrary, many of these gestures are necessary to help our relationships mature and make the world livable.”
Erasing in the context of Advent means opening ourselves to God, starting from our own fragility, and allowing Him to heal us.”
Life flourishes by putting God back at the center
The Lord never tires of finding “a wise man, one who seeks God,” just as He found Noah, who in turn recognized the Lord's grace. In the man on the ark, God finds the possibility of erasing and starting over. “Only when man returns to living before the true face of God can history truly change,” the Capuchin insisted, adding, “the story of the flood reminds us that life flourishes again only when we rebuild heaven, to the extent that we put God back at the centre.”
Father Pasolini continues, “The flood, therefore, is not simple destruction, but a transition of re-creation through a moment of de-creation… It is a temporary change of the rules of the game, to save the very game that God had inaugurated with confidence.”
Choosing not to harm
The flood is therefore “a paradoxical renewal of life.” God does not forget humanity; He places His bow in the clouds as a sign of covenant; the Lord lays down his weapons with a solemn declaration of non-violence.
“It may seem like a bold metaphor,” Fr Pasolini said, “almost inappropriate when speaking of God and the way His grace manifests itself.”
And yet, he continued, “after millennia of history and evolution, humanity is still far from knowing how to imitate it.” The earth, in fact, “The earth continues to be torn apart by atrocious and endless conflicts, which give no respite to so many weak and defenceless people.”
For this reason, the decision of those who, despite having the ability, voluntarily choose not to harm others is reassuring, because they understand that only by accepting others “can our alliance [with one another] be lasting, true, and free.”
The time of goodness
“Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming”: this is Jesus' final counsel. Not knowing the day and hour of this coming has created great anticipation in the past, the preacher noted, but today things seem to have reversed: “The expectation has diminished so much that it has sometimes given way to a subtle resignation about its actual fulfilment… today, a weary vigilance, tempted by discouragement, often prevails.”
The time of waiting is the time to sow goodness and await the coming of Jesus Christ. The papal preacher warned of two great temptations that affect humanity and the Church: “forgetting the need to be saved and thinking that we can regain consensus by taking care of the outward appearance of our image and reducing the radical nature of the Gospel.”
Instead, Fr Pasolini said, we must return “to the joy – and also the hardship – of following, without taming Christ’s word.” Only as “sentinels upon the world’s frontier,” –as the monk Thomas Merton wrote – can we await the return of Christ.
Christmas Mass at St Peter's Basilica (archive photo) (VATICAN MEDIA Divisione Foto)
Pope
Pope Leo's liturgical celebrations for November through January
Pope Leo will preside at numerous liturgical celebrations in the coming months, as the Church looks ahead to Christmas and the New Year.
By Christopher Wells
Pope Leo XIV has a full schedule of liturgical celebrations scheduled for the coming months, with the Vatican looking ahead to the first Christmas with our new Pope.
On Tuesday, the Vatican’s Office for the Liturgical Celebrations of the Supreme Pontiff released the Pope’s schedule for November 2025 through January 2026.
Liturgical Celebrations in November
The Holy Father is set to proclaim St John Henry Newman as a Doctor of the Church during Mass for the Solemnity of All Saints, which will be celebrated in Saint Peter’s Square on November 1 in the context of the Jubilee of the World of Education.
Two days later, Pope Leo will offer a Requiem Mass for the repose of the souls of Francis and all Cardinals and Bishops who have died in the course of the past year.
On November 9, the Pope will travel across town to the Papal Archbasilica of Saint John Lateran for the Solemnity of Dedication of the Cathedral of Rome.
The Jubilee of the Poor, which takes place one week later on November 16, will be observed with a Mass celebrated by Pope Leo in St Peter’s Basilica.
Pope Leo will mark the Solemnity of Our Lord Jesus Christ, King of the Universe – the final Sunday of the liturgical calendar – with a Mass in St Peter’s Square, coinciding with the conclusion of the Jubilee of Choirs.
First Christmas with Pope Leo
During the season of Advent, which marks the beginning of the liturgical year, Pope Leo continues the tradition of celebrating the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, December 8, in Rome’s Piazza di Spagna, where he will lead the faithful in an Act of Veneration for Mary Immaculate.
That same week, on 12 December, the Holy Father will offer Mass for the Memorial of Our Lady of Guadalupe in the Vatican Basilica.
On the Third Sunday of Advent, 14 December, Pope Leo will celebrate Mass in St Peter’s Basilica for the Jubilee of Prisoners.
The eagerly awaited first Christmas with Pope Leo will begin on Christmas Eve, with the celebration of Holy Mass “during the Night” in St Peter’s Basilica. The Midnight Mass will begin at 10 pm Rome time and will be broadcast live around the world.
On Christmas morning, the Pope will offer Mass “during the Day,” again in the Basilica of St Peter, before appearing on the Central Loggia of the church for the traditional Christmas Blessing “Urbi et Orbi” – of the City of Rome and of the whole World.
Ushering in the New Year
On New Year’s Eve, 31 December, Pope Leo will preside at First Vespers for the Solemnity of Mary, the Most Holy Mother of God (1 January). During the celebration, he will lead the faithful in the Te Deum, the Church’s hymn of thanksgiving par excellence, for the blessings of the previous year.
The following morning, the Holy Father will celebrate the Mass of the Solemnity, while also marking the 59th World Day of Peace.
The Season of Christmas continues into the new year, with Pope Leo celebrating the Solemnity of Epiphany, 6 January, with Mass in St Peter’s Basilica. At the beginning of the liturgy, the Holy Father will solemnly close the Holy Door, marking the formal end of the 2025 Jubilee Year. The Holy Door will remain closed until the next Jubilee, planned for 2033 to mark the 2000th anniversary of the Redemption won by the Passion, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Finally, Pope Leo will close out the Christmas season with Mass on the Feast of the Baptism of the Lord on 11 January, the first Sunday after Epiphany. During the liturgy in the Sistine Chapel, the Holy Father will baptise some babies, continuing a tradition begun by Pope St John Paul II.
The Vatican’s Calendar of Celebrations, listing ceremonies presided over by Pope Leo, can be found on the website of the Office for Liturgical Celebrations. For tickets for Papal Audiences and Celebrations, please visit the website of the Prefecture of the Papal Household. Tickets for papal celebrations are always free of charge.
