Papal Preacher: Humble power of love produces peace even amid conflict
By Salvatore Cernuzio
For the Franciscan papal preacher, it was almost a natural choice that St. Francis of Assisi would be the focus of his Lenten sermons, as this year marks the 800th anniversary of the saint’s death.
Beginning on March 6 and continuing every Friday until March 27—before the start of Holy Week—Fr. Roberto Pasolini will therefore present St. Francis in his reflections to the Pope and the Roman Curia “as a concrete path of conversion and evangelical life.”
The guiding theme of these reflections is "'Whoever is in Christ is a new creation' (2 Cor 5:17), conversion to the Gospel according to Saint Francis.” They will also focus on the topics of freedom, hope, mission, and fraternity.
In the following interview with Vatican News, the Preacher of the Papal Household says he will keep current events close in mind, just as the Gospel is closely connected to concrete life and its tensions. Only an “abstract vision” of a theoretical or idealistic Christianity could separate the Gospel from the world, Fr. Pasolini notes.
Q: Fr. Pasolini, what theme will you address in the Lenten meditations? And why this choice?
The theme of preaching, in the end, is always the same: the Lord Jesus Christ, the announcement of his Easter, and the grace of a new life in him through the gift of the Spirit. Then, depending on the circumstances, this single theme takes different forms.
This year, remembering the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis of Assisi and during the Jubilee Year proclaimed by the Holy Father for this occasion, for a Franciscan apostolic preacher, the choice was almost natural: to present St. Francis as a concrete path of conversion and evangelical life.
Q: The Jubilee of Hope ended not even three months ago. Right now, hope is being severely tested by wars, tensions, and fears. How can we live the Lenten season in the midst of all this?
Christian hope bears the mark of the cross: it is both luminous and fragile. God has chosen to govern the world with love, respecting our freedom.
He has taken seriously the mystery of evil and violence but has decided to confront it only with the power of good. That is why paths toward peace are slow: they depend on hearts and minds willing to accept the logic of the cross and to live it with humble courage within conflicts.
Yet the seed of a new civilization—one of fraternity—has already been planted. The Kingdom of God “in the whole world it is bearing fruit and growing.”
The problem is that the noise of wars often drowns out the quiet growth of good. We struggle to believe that the humble power of love will ultimately produce lasting fruits of justice and peace.
Q: Will current events somehow appear in your meditations?
Not directly. I do not think that is my role in this context. However, only an abstract vision of faith could imagine a separation between the Gospel and concrete life.
Often, we think that on one side there are Christian values and on the other side reality, with its tensions. This is a sign of a Christianity reduced to theory or to an unreachable ideal.
But when the Gospel truly touches us, it immediately changes the way we live. And by changing us, it also changes the world: we become more capable of loving, of creating justice, and of widening fraternity, simply by allowing the Spirit who conforms us to Christ to act within us.
Q: In addition to military violence, we see today also a lot of verbal violence. The Pope invited the faithful to fast from words that wound. What words would you suggest using during this time?
I do not think that disarming language can be reduced to a list of words to say or avoid. Such a list would constantly need updating. What generates violence is not only words but also tone and intention.
We are violent when we speak without listening. When we presume to know the other without understanding their reasons. When we speak only to assert ourselves. When we do not carefully choose words suited to the situation.
We also risk hurting others when, speaking from positions of authority or privilege, we do not consider the influence our words may have.
Verbal disarmament is born from a simple question: are we willing to face the effort of dialogue and to build respectful and equal relationships?
Q: Conversion to the Gospel according to St. Francis will be the guiding theme of your reflections. What message does he offer us today? Why is he still relevant?
St. Francis is relevant because he reminds us clearly and radically that God is alive and can dwell in our lives if we make space for Him. At a time when Christianity risks being reduced to moral effort or ethical consistency, his experience brings us back to what is essential: the Gospel as a living word, to be listened to and lived with freedom.
St. Francis speaks to the hearts of all because he touched the deepest expectations of the human person: recognizing one another as brothers and sisters, looking at creation with gratitude, and building a more just and peaceful coexistence.
His relevance does not depend on celebrations, but on his ability to show that a life reconciled with God immediately becomes more human, simpler, and more fraternal.
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