*Urges Church To Be ‘A Little Leaven’ Of Unity, Love
POPE Leo XIV has called on the Catholic Church to be a leaven of unity and love in the midst of the restlessness and questions of the world.
Pope Leo XIV presented himself with those words on Sunday, May 18, at the Mass of Inauguration of his Petrine Ministry.
The missionary bishop, grandson of migrants and the 267th Bishop of Rome, said: “I was chosen, without any merit of my own, and now, with fear and trembling, I come to you as a brother, who desires to be the servant of your faith and your joy, walking with you on the path of God’s love, for he wants us all to be united in one family.”
The simple and profound words of the Homily at the Mass represent a guide for his pontificate that speaks to the world and Catholics of an ‘otherness’ and his unique style.
Pope Leo XIV, while presiding at the Mass of Inauguration of his Petrine Ministry in Saint Peter’s Square, invited the Church to walk together along the path of God’s love and remain united in one family.
According to the Vatican News, the Pope, while greeting over 200,000 pilgrims, leaders from around the world and representatives of Christian denominations, marked the joyous start to his Petrine Ministry, officially inaugurating it with Mass in Saint Peter’s Square.
Religious delegations included Jewish, Muslim, Hindu, Buddhist, Sikh, Zoroastrian and Jainists, among the many present for the celebration.
Expressing his heartfelt gratitude for the prayerful and joyful support offered to him as he begins his pastoral ministry as Pope, Leo XIV recalled the intense emotions experienced over these past few weeks.
“Following the death of Pope Francis, we felt like sheep without a shepherd, yet having received his final blessing on Easter Sunday, and with eyes of faith, hope and joy, we remembered how the Lord never abandons His people.”
He also thanked everyone for accompanying in prayer the College of Cardinals meeting in conclave to elect the Successor of Peter, as they looked at how to continue the mission of preaching the gospel with a shepherd able to address today’s challenges.
He said they felt “the working of the Holy Spirit, who was able to bring us into harmony, like musical instruments, so that our heartstrings could vibrate in a single melody.”
While urging all to be united in love, he stated: “I was chosen, without any merit of my own, and now, with fear and trembling, I come to you as a brother, who desires to be the servant of your faith and your joy, walking with you on the path of God’s love, for he wants us all to be united in one family.”
He stressed that love and unity are the two aspects of the mission entrusted to Peter by Jesus, who enthruts the disciples to continue the mission, to be “fishers of men” and bring the “hope of the Gospel” to all people, “so that all may experience God’s embrace.”
he explained that Peter’s experience of the “infinite and unconditional love of God” enabled him to take up this mission.
Pope Leo also recalled how Peter is entrusted then with “loving more” and “giving his life for the flock,” a “self-sacrificing love,” adding: “The ministry of Peter is distinguished precisely by this self-sacrificing love, because the Church of Rome presides in charity and its true authority is the charity of Christ.
“It is never a question of capturing others by force, by religious propaganda or by means of power. Instead, it is always and only a question of loving as Jesus did.”
The pontiff expressed his hope for “a united Church, a sign of unity and communion, which becomes a leaven for a reconciled world.”
In the face of a world marked by so much discord and wounds caused by hatred, violence, prejudice, fear and economic reality “that exploits the Earth’s resources and marginalises the poorest,” the Pope said: “We want to be a small leaven of unity, communion and fraternity within the world.
“We want to say to the world, with humility and joy: Look to Christ! Come closer to him! Welcome his word that enlightens and consoles! Listen to his offer of love and become his one family: in the one Christ, we are one.
“This is the path to follow together, among ourselves, but also with our sister Christian churches, with those who follow other religious paths, with those who are searching for God, with all women and men of good will, in order to build a new world where peace reigns!”
He upheld the missionary spirit, adding that such an approach will keep the Church from closing itself off in small groups or taking on a feeling of superiority to the world.
Leo stated: “We are called to offer God’s love to everyone in order to achieve that unity which does not cancel out differences, but values the personal history of each person and the social and religious culture of every people.
“Brothers and sisters, this is the hour for love! The heart of the Gospel is the love of God that makes us brothers and sisters.”
He invited all Christians to be enlightened by the Holy Spirit, so that all might build a Church “founded on God’s love, a sign of unity, a missionary Church that opens its arms to the world, proclaims the word, allows itself to be made ‘restless’ by history and becomes a leaven of harmony for humanity.”
Speaking to other Christian Churches and ecclesial communities, Pope Leo XIV took note of the 1,700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea, emphasising that unity among Christians “can only be unity in faith,” adding that the pursuit of full and visible communion of all Christians is one of his priorities as Bishop of Rome.
At the same time, he recalled the close links between ecumenism and synodality, assuring the delegations of his commitment to follow Pope Francis in “promoting the synodal character of the Catholic Church.”
Turning to representatives of non-Christian religious traditions, he said our “common path” can and must be understood to involve everyone “in a spirit of human fraternity. Now is the time for dialogue and building bridges.”
The Pope noted “the growing commitment to dialogue and fraternity” that marks relations between the Catholic Church and Muslims, saying an approach based on “mutual respect and freedom of conscience” is “a solid basis for building bridges between our communities.”
Finally, addressing representatives of other traditions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and others, Pope Leo expressed gratitude for their contributions to peace “in a world wounded by violence and conflict.”
He conveyed his hopes that by working together, religious believers can help to say “no” to war, to the arms race and to an unjust economy, and “yes” to peace, to disarmament and to integral development.
Pope Leo XIV concluded his discourse by sharing his conviction that “the witness of our fraternity… will certainly contribute to building a more peaceful world, something that all men and women of good will desire in their hearts.”
He invited the delegations to “invoke God’s blessings in our hearts,” praying that “His infinite goodness and wisdom help us to live as His children and as brothers and sisters to each other, so that hope may grow in the world.”
