(OSV News) — The following is the full text of Pope Leo XIV’s Regina Caeli address given May 10, at St. Peter’s Square.
Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday!
In today’s Gospel, we hear some of the words Jesus addressed to his disciples during the Last Supper. As he turns the bread and wine into a living expression of his love, Christ says: “If you love me, you will keep my commandments” (Jn 14:15). This statement frees us from the misconception that we are loved because we keep the commandments, as if our righteousness were a prerequisite for God’s love. On the contrary, God’s love is the basis for our righteousness. We truly keep the commandments according to God’s will when we recognize his love for us, just as Christ revealed it to the world. Jesus’ words are therefore an invitation to enter into a relationship, not a blackmail or a suspicious ultimatum.
This is why the Lord commands us to love one another as he has loved us (cf. Jn 13:34): it is Jesus’ love that begets love within us. Christ himself is the standard, the measure of true love: the love that is faithful forever, pure and unconditional. The love that knows no “buts” or “maybes;” the love that gives of itself without seeking to possess; the love that gives life without taking anything in return. Because God loved us first, we too can love, and when we truly love God, we truly love one another. It is like life itself: just as only those who have received life can live, so too, only those who have been loved can love. The Lord’s commandments are therefore a way of life that heal us from false loves. They are a spiritual lifestyle that is a path towards salvation.
It is precisely because he loves us that the Lord does not leave us alone in life’s trials; he promises us the Paraclete, that is, the Advocate, the “Spirit of truth” (Jn 14:17). This gift is one that “the world cannot receive” (ibid.), as long as it persists in evil, oppressing the poor, excluding the weak and killing the innocent. Those who respond to Jesus’ love for all, on the other hand, will find in the Holy Spirit an ally who will never fail: “You know him,” says Jesus, “for he dwells with you, and will be in you” (ibid.). We can therefore bear witness to God, who is love, always and everywhere. Love is not an idea of the human mind, but the reality of divine life, through which all things were created out of nothing and redeemed from death.
By offering us true and eternal love, Jesus shares with us his identity as the beloved Son: “I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you” (v. 20). This all-encompassing communion of life refutes the Accuser — the Paraclete’s adversary, the spirit opposed to our defender. In fact, while the Holy Spirit is the power of truth, the Accuser is the “father of lies” (Jn 8:44), who seeks to set humanity against God and people against one another: the very opposite of what Jesus does by saving us from evil and uniting us as a people of brothers and sisters in the Church.
Dear friends, filled with gratitude for this gift, let us entrust ourselves to the intercession of the Virgin Mary, Mother of Divine Love.
After the Regina Caeli prayer:
Dear brothers and sisters,
I have learned with deep concern of the reports regarding the growing violence in the Sahel region, particularly in Chad and Mali, which have recently suffered terrorist attacks. I offer the assurance of my heartfelt prayers for the victims and my spiritual closeness to all those who are suffering as a result of the tragic events. I fervently hope that every form of violence may cease, and I encourage all efforts aimed at fostering peace and development in that beloved land.
Each year, on 10 May, we celebrate the “Day of Coptic-Catholic Friendship.” I extend my fraternal greetings to His Holiness Pope Tawadros II and assure the entire beloved Coptic Church of my remembrance in prayer. It is my hope that our journey of friendship will lead us to perfect unity in Christ, who has called us “friends” (cf. Jn 15:15).
And now, I cordially welcome all of you, the faithful of Rome and pilgrims from various countries!
In a particular way, I greet the group “Guardie d’Onore al Sacro Cuore di Gesù,” from various cities throughout Italy as well as the “Volontari per l’evangelizzazione” connected with the Radio Maria family. I also warmly greet the volunteers of the association “Komen Italia,” whom I thank for their commitment to breast cancer prevention.
I would like to thank the people of the Canary Islands who, with the hospitality characteristic of them, welcomed the cruise ship Hondius and the passengers infected with the Hantavirus. I look forward to seeing all of you next month during my visit to the Islands.
Today, we especially remember all mothers. Through the intercession of Mary, the Mother of Jesus and our own Mother, let us pray with love and gratitude for every mother, particularly those living in very difficult circumstances. Thank you! May God bless you!
I wish everyone a blessed Sunday.
