Open your hearts this Christmas! Pope Leo XIV delivered a powerful message on Christmas morning, emphasizing the significance of Jesus's humble entry into the world as a helpless infant. This moment serves as a profound reminder of God's empathy for every individual facing hardship, yearning for compassion and assistance.
During his homily at St. Peter’s Basilica on December 25, the Pope remarked, "The Word has pitched his fragile tent among us." He urged those present to reflect on the plight of people in Gaza who have been exposed to harsh weather conditions for weeks, as well as the challenges faced by countless refugees and displaced individuals across the globe. He also highlighted the dire situations of thousands of homeless individuals in cities worldwide, stating, "How, then, can we not think of the tents in Gaza, exposed for weeks to rain, wind and cold?"
This year marked a revival of a long-standing papal tradition that had not occurred for three decades; Pope Leo led the public morning Mass, a practice discontinued after St. John Paul II was unable to preside due to illness in 1995.
Following the service, Pope Leo appeared on the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to offer his traditional "urbi et orbi" blessing, which translates to "to the city and the world." In an effort to connect with a diverse audience, he wished a merry Christmas in ten different languages: Italian, French, English, German, Spanish, Portuguese, Polish, Arabic, Chinese, and Latin. "Merry Christmas! May the peace of Christ reign in your hearts and in your families," he declared warmly.
In both his homily and the Christmas message preceding the blessing, Pope Leo emphasized the Christian obligation to actively engage with global issues. He called for a commitment to alleviating suffering, fostering dialogue, and striving to end conflicts and violence. By taking on human form as a vulnerable baby, God illustrates His desire to relate to all individuals, especially those in distress.
Pope Leo poignantly noted, "Fragile is the flesh of defenseless populations, tried by so many wars... leaving behind rubble and open wounds." He lamented the plight of young people coerced into armed conflict, who grapple with the futility of their circumstances amidst the grandiose rhetoric of leaders who send them into danger.
He stressed that true peace begins when we allow ourselves to feel the fragility of others. "When the fragility of others penetrates our hearts, when their pain shatters our rigid certainties, then peace has already begun," he insisted, conveying that the response of Christians must be both resolute and compassionate.
"We do not serve a domineering Word — too many of those already resound everywhere," the pope remarked. Instead, he urged that Christians follow a Lord who inspires goodness and does not monopolize it.
The peace that Jesus offers can only flourish, he explained, when we move beyond self-centered dialogues and engage in genuine listening and humility before others.
Continuing his thoughts during the "urbi et orbi" address, Pope Leo expressed that Jesus chose to be born as a human out of love, accepting poverty and rejection to align Himself with the marginalized and those deemed unworthy by society.
In line with tradition, the Pope utilized this opportunity to draw attention to urgent global issues, urging people to address the suffering of others. "Those who do not love are not saved; they are lost," he stated emphatically. He referenced the First Letter of John, reinforcing the idea that one cannot truly love God without loving their fellow human beings.
Pope Leo challenged everyone to reflect on their actions: "If all of us, at every level, would stop accusing others and instead acknowledge our own faults, asking God for forgiveness... then the world would change."
He prayed for peace and justice in numerous nations, including Ukraine, and reiterated his concern for migrants and refugees, imploring governments to embrace and support these vulnerable populations.
"In becoming man," he said, "Jesus took upon himself our fragility, identifying with each one of us: with those who have lost everything, like the inhabitants of Gaza; with those suffering from hunger and poverty, like the Yemeni people; and with those fleeing their homes in search of a better future, like the many migrants crossing the Mediterranean or traversing the Americas."
As he concluded, Pope Leo encouraged everyone to open their hearts to those in need, stating, "In doing so, we open our hearts to the Child Jesus, who welcomes us with open arms and reveals his divinity to us."
Among the crowd of 26,000 in St. Peter’s Square for the Pope’s blessing were Octavia Thuss and her son Henry Thuss from La Cañada, California. They had also braved the rain to watch the Christmas Eve Mass on a screen. For them, Pope Leo’s inaugural Christmas as Pope was historic and deeply moving. "It was a really beautiful service," Octavia reflected.
Henry added that experiencing Christmas in Rome during the Jubilee Year felt similarly significant to a pilgrimage, akin to Muslims traveling to Mecca.
This heartfelt celebration served as a reminder of the enduring call to love and solidarity in the face of adversity, inviting reflection on how each of us can contribute to a more compassionate world.
