Pope Leo XIV continued his reflection series on key moments of Christ's Passion in the general audience of this August 27, considering today the very moment of Jesus' arrest in the Garden.
The Pope greeted pilgrims who gathered for the audience in three different spots, due to the heat in Rome. Some were in St. Peter's, others in Paul VI, and more in the Plaza.
The Pope's message focused on how we accept our suffering, in light of Jesus' teaching and grace.
At the end of the catechesis, the Holy Father invited the faithful to learn to give ourselves in love as Jesus did in this moment in Gethsemane.
Dear brothers and sisters, let us also learn to surrender ourselves to the good will of the Father, allowing our lives to be a response to the good we have received. In life, it is not necessary to have everything under control. It is enough to choose each day to love freely. This is true hope: knowing that, even in the darkness of trials, God's love sustains us and brings to maturity in us the fruit of eternal life.
In speaking to the crowd in the Basilica, the Pope praised their patience.
I think you have followed the entire Audience; I thank you for your presence and also for your patience! This too is a sign of the presence of God's Spirit who is with us. So many times in life we would like to receive an immediate answer, an immediate solution, and for some reason God makes us wait, and there is much to learn. However, as Jesus himself teaches us, we must have that trust that comes only because we know that we are sons and daughters of God, and that God always gives us grace. He does not always take away our pain, he does not always take away our suffering, but he tells us that he is close to us. God is always with us, and we must renew this faith. God is always with us, and for this we are happy.
