Homily of Pope Leo XIV at the Mass to take possession of the Basilica of San Juan de Letrán

This Sunday, May 25, Pope Leo XIV took possession of the Basilica of San Juan de Letrán as Bishop of Rome, with a mass in which he also received the greeting of the faithful of the Italian capital.

Next, the homily pronounced by Pope Leo XIV:

I direct an attentive greeting to the cardinal lords who are present here, in particular to Cardinal Vicar, also to the auxiliary bishops and all the bishops, the dear priests – parish priests, parish vicaries and all those who in different ways collaborate in the pastoral care of our communities; Also to the deacons, the religious, the religious, to the authorities and all of you, beloved faithful.

The Church of Rome is heiress of a great history, consolidated in the testimony of Pedro, Paul and innumerable martyrs, and has a unique mission, perfectly indicated by what is written on the facade of this cathedral: being Mother of all churchesMother of all churches. Frequently Pope Francis invited us to reflect on the maternal dimension of the Church (cf. exhort. AP. Gospel joy46-49.139-141; Catechesis, January 13, 2016) and about the characteristics that are its own: tenderness, availability to sacrifice and that listening ability that allows not only to help, but to often anticipate the needs and expectations, before even being formulated. They are features that we want to grow in the people of God everywhere, also here, in our great Diocesan family: in the faithful, in the shepherds and, before anyone else, in myself. The readings we have heard can help us reflect on these attributes.

In the Acts of the Apostles (cf. 15,1-2.22-29), in particular, it is narrated how the community of the origins faced the challenge of the opening to the pagan world for the announcement of the Gospel. It was not an easy process, it required a lot of patience and listening reciprocal; This was verified first within the community of Antioquía, where the brothers, dialoguing – even arguing – came to solve together the question that occupied them. Then, Pablo and Bernabé climbed Jerusalem. They did not decide on their own, but they sought communion with the mother church and went to her with humility.

There they found Peter and the apostles, who listened to them. A dialogue that finally led to the appropriate decision was filed: recognizing and taking into account the effort of the neophytes, it was convenient not to impose excessive weights, but to limit the essentials (cf. Acts 15,28-29). Thus, what could seem like a problem, became an occasion when everyone could reflect and grow.

The biblical text, however, tells us something else, overcoming the already rich and interesting human dynamics of the event.

We are revealed by the words that the brothers of Jerusalem direct, in a letter, to those of Antioch, communicating the decision they have made. They write: “The Holy Spirit, and ourselves, we have decided” (cf. Acts 15,28). Specifying that, throughout the process, the most important listening that made everything possible was that of the voice of God. In this way, they remind us that communion is built above all “knees”, in prayer and in a continuous commitment to conversion. Only in that tension, in effect, each one can feel within itself the voice of the spirit that shouts: “Abba, Father” (cf. Gal 4,6) and consequently listen and understand others as brothers.

The Gospel also reiterates this message (cf. Jn 14,23-29), telling us that, in the decisions of life we ​​are not alone. The Spirit sustains us and indicates the way to follow, “teaching us” and “reminding us” everything Jesus said (cf. Jn 14,26).

In the first place, the Spirit teaches us the words of the Lord recording them deeply in us, according to the biblical image of the law that is no longer written in stone tables, but in our hearts (cf. Jr. 31,33); gift that helps us grow until we transform into “a letter of Christ” (2 co 3,3) for each other. And it is effectively like this: we are both more capable of announcing the gospel the more we let ourselves conquer and transform through it, allowing the power of the spirit to purify ourselves in the most intimate, making our words simple and without fold, our honest and clean desires, our generous actions.

And here the other verb comes into play, “remember”, that is, re -direct the heart’s attention to what we have lived and learned, to penetrate more deeply into meaning and savor its beauty.

I think, in this regard, on the committed path that the Diocese of Rome is touring in these years, structured on several levels of listening: towards the world around him – to welcome the challenges – and to the internal of the community – to understand the needs and promote wise and prophetic initiatives of evangelization and charity. It is a difficult, still ongoing path, that tries to embrace a very rich reality, but also very complex. It is, however, a path worthy of the history of this Church, which has often shown that it knows how to think “big”, giving itself without reservations in brave projects, and risking even in front of new and complex scenarios.

This is the great work with which the entire diocese, precisely these days, has been lavished for the jubilee, in the reception and care of pilgrims and in so many other initiatives. Thanks to many efforts, the city seems to whom it comes – sometimes from far away – as a great open and cozy house, and especially as a home of faith.

For my part, I express the desire and commitment to enter this vast project by putting, as far as possible, to the listening of all, to learn, understand and decide together: “Christian with you and bishop for you”, as St. Augustine said (cf. Sermon 340,1). I ask you to help me to do it through a common effort of prayer and charity, remembering the words of Saint León Magno: «That in all the things we do rightly, Christ is the one who performs the work of our ministry. We do not go to us in us, that nothing can be without him, but in the one that is our power ”(Serm. 5, by Natali Ipsius, 4).

To these words I would like to add, to conclude, those of the Blessed Juan Pablo I, that on September 23, 1978, with the radiant and serene face that the appellation of “The Pope of the Smile” had already earned him, he greeted his new Diocesan family: “San Pío X, when she entered as a patriarch in Venice, exclaimed in San Marcos:” What would be of me, Venetians, if you don’t love you? Something similar I say to the Romans: I can assure you that I love you, that I only want to serve you and make available to all my poor strength, all how little I have and that I am ”(Homily in the inauguration of the chair of Rome, September 23, 1978).

I would also like to express all my affection, with the desire to share with you, on the common path, joys and pains, fatigue and hopes. In the same way, I offer them “everything I have and what I am”, and that, I trust the intercession of the saints Pedro and Pablo and that of so many other brothers and sisters whose holiness has illuminated the history of this church and the streets of this city. The Virgin Mary accompanies us and intercede for us.