Pope Leo XIV at his general audience on Wednesday said sadness and disappointments can give rise to unexpected joys and hope when one discovers that Christ “walks with us and for us” in life.
Continuing his jubilee catechesis on “Jesus Christ Our Hope” in a rain-soaked St. Peter’s Square, the Holy Father said the mystery of Christ’s resurrection can “change one’s outlook on the world,” especially in times when one experiences a “paralysis of the soul.”
“It is the Risen One who radically changes our perspective, instilling the hope that fills the void of sadness,” he said in his Oct. 22 catechesis.
“On the paths of the heart, the Risen One walks with us and for us. He bears witness to the defeat of death and affirms the victory of life, despite the darkness of Calvary,” he continued.
In his reflection on the two disciples of Emmaus who had left “behind the hopes they held in Jesus” after his crucifixion and death, the Holy Father said the Gospel passage recorded by St. Luke can “be a gentle reminder to us when the going gets tough.”
“History still has much goodness to hope for,” he said.
Addressing thousands of pilgrims donning raincoats and holding umbrellas in St. Peter’s Square and the Via della Conciliazione, the pope said sadness, which he described as one of the “malaises of our time,” can be healed when one is able to recognize the presence of the risen Christ in our lives.
“Intrusive and widespread, sadness accompanies the days of many people,” he said. “It is a feeling of precariousness, at times profound desperation, which invades one’s inner space and seems to prevail over any impetus to joy.”
“Sadness robs life of meaning and vigor, turning it into a directionless and meaningless journey,” he added.
Noting that Christians can at times have “sadness clouds their gaze,” Leo said Jesus can rekindle their hearts with the “warmth of hope,” like what he had done through a gentle, humble, and hidden way for his two followers from Emmaus.
Toward the end of his Wednesday audience, the Holy Father urged Christians, particularly families, to be “missionaries of the Gospel” and to offer their support to those who dedicate their lives to the service of evangelization.
“Dear friends, the month of October invites us to renew our active cooperation in the Church’s mission with the strength of prayer, with the potential of married life, and with the youthful energy that is yours,” he said.
This article was originally published on CNA.
