During a prayer vigil in Uruguay, Pope Leo XIV urges the faithful not to settle for a merely decent life or habitual faith, but to give themselves completely to the Lord, finding in Him their true joy and fulfillment.
By Deborah Castellano Lubov
"May Christ truly enter into what you do, what you love, what you choose — even those aspects of your life that no one sees. Be saints! Do not settle for a merely decent life or for a habitual faith, content with doing only the essential. Do not give God only a part of yourselves — give yourselves completely!"
Pope Leo XIV offered this encouragement during a prayer vigil in Montevideo held on Saturday evening, on the second day of his Apostolic Journey to Uruguay.
In his remarks, the Holy Father called on the faithful to live a life of holiness, explaining that doing so fills our hearts and satisfies our deepest longings.
Explaining that saints are men and women who overflow with the abundance of life in Christ, Pope Leo stressed that they are free and authentic people whose lives make it attractive to say a resounding "yes" to love, truth, and happiness.
Not called to mediocrity, but to new and full life
"Do not be afraid, then, to aspire to holiness," Pope Leo said, stressing that "Christ did not call us to mediocrity; He called us to a new and full life like His own."
Reflecting on growing secularization and increasingly widespread religious indifference experienced by many Christian communities today, he acknowledged the challenges facing the Church.
The Pope commended those who, even in these circumstances, continue to persevere in their faith, recalling "parents who pray with their children, teachers who strive to live and bear witness to their faith, and young people who have discovered Christ and wish to follow Him even when they feel alone."
The Pope also remembered communities that continue to gather, and priests who travel great distances to bring the sacraments to the faithful.
Pope Leo warned that "when we try to build a world without God, we run the risk of leaving humanity without a place as well." Yet, he insisted, none of this changes the reality that "that Child is God, and He comes to save us."
Pope Leo emphasized that this "us" includes each and every one of us, noting that indifference can also creep, little by little, into the lives of those who believe.
Do we make enough room in our lives for Christ?
The Pope called on the faithful to ask themselves whether they truly make enough room for Christ in their lives.
"Is there room in our time, in our way of thinking, in our homes? Is there room to listen to him, to receive his forgiveness, to allow his word to correct us? We need to keep Christ at the center of our lives through prayer, Mass, Confession and the meditative reading of the Gospel," Pope Leo urged.
"We must all become disciples again and again. If we want others to find Christ," he stressed, "we need to know the way to Bethlehem ourselves first."
Pope Leo then invited all the faithful to reflect with humility and simplicity on the light of Christ in their own lives.
"Perhaps there are people who would never open a Bible on their own, who have not set foot in a church in years, or who cannot even say whether they believe in God. But when they see you, the desire for God may be awakened in them; they may even discover that it is worth risking their lives to find Him," the Pope said.
'Dare to get married, have children, follow a vocation'
The Pope called on the faithful to embrace courage and faith when making the major decisions of life.
"Young people, dare to take the step of marrying and starting a family yourselves. Do not be afraid of 'forever'!" Pope Leo encouraged.
"Married couples, open your home to life, even when the world tells you that a child is a burden," the Holy Father continued.
Pope Leo also urged those who feel called to the priesthood or consecrated life not to let fear prevent them from responding to God's invitation.
"If any of you feel that Christ is calling you to leave everything behind to follow Him in the priesthood or in consecrated life, do not ignore that voice out of fear of missing out on other opportunities," he said.
Moreover, the Pope added, "When being just and honest comes at a price, pay it. When forgiving seems like a defeat, forgive. When everyone tells you to think of yourselves first, do not be afraid to put yourselves in the last place," and "give up time, money, comfort and plans to serve others."
"May those who see you," Pope Leo said, find themselves asking: "Why do they live in this way? Where do they get this freedom? Why do they love one another so much?"
"If our lives spark a question," the Pope noted, "they will have borne fruit when that question guides someone to Jesus. To shed much light, we do not need to be many, but rather to reflect the Lord's light."
Good News needs witnesses
"Good News needs witnesses, for we have received news that deserves to be proclaimed to the world: Jesus Christ!"
He stressed that we accordingly are called to proclaim God is with us and that through Jesus Christ, our sins can be forgiven.
The Holy Father continued by noting that, while society may find many valuable things in other institutions, none can replace the proclamation that God's love is stronger than death, hatred, violence, war, and sin.
"This," he affirmed, "is the joy we bring."
Return to your lives in a new way, encounter the Lord before the tabernacle
Pope Leo said he had come to visit the faithful of Uruguay to remind them of the joy found in Christ.
"May this encounter be like a visit to Bethlehem, so that you can return to your lives in a new way!" he encouraged.
"May it be evident that Christ lives and that encountering him makes all the difference," the Pope urged. reiterating, "That same Jesus who was born in Bethlehem, who died and rose again, lives forever and remains with us," "awaiting us," "truly present in the Eucharist."
Stressing that "we can continue to encounter Him — so near and so humble — in every tabernacle," Pope Leo exhorted, "Seek Him there, in Eucharistic adoration."
Speak to Jesus like a friend
The Holy Father called on the faithful to cultivate constant closeness with Christ.
"Speak to Him, as you would to a friend," he suggested, saying, "let Him look upon you."
Finally, Pope Leo invited those gathered to join him in placing their lives under the gaze of Our Lady of the Thirty-Three, saying, "May she, the Morning Star who leads us to her Son, teach us to recognize him and follow him."
The Pope concluded by inviting everyone to ask the Lord for the grace to respond faithfully to His call, just as Mary did: "Here I am, Lord; here is your servant. Let your will be done in me!"
