Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem speaks out after first phase of peace deal completed
Catholic News Agency |
15 October 2025
Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem Pierbattista Pizzaballa (L) and a members of a Christian visit the Saint Porphyrius Church in Gaza City on July 18, 2025. / Credit: OMAR AL-QATTAA/AFP via Getty Images
Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Oct 15, 2025 / 17:51 pm (CNA).
Cardinal Pierbattista Pizzaballa has given an update on the status of Christians in Gaza after the first phase of the historic peace deal between Israel and Hamas began this week.
“We are in daily contact with them,” the Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem said of the Catholic community in Gaza in a Vatican News interview. “They keep writing that they still cannot believe they were able to sleep through the night without hearing the sound of bombs.”
Despite the promising outcome of the first phase of the peace deal, which saw the return of Israeli hostages and the strategic withdrawal of IDF troops from Gaza, Pizzaballa emphasized that the situation in Gaza “remains very fluid.” Amid de-escalation between Israel and Hamas forces, clashes among warring factions have broken out across Gaza. Furthermore, he said, “we still do not know if [the war] has truly ended,” and the way forward is not yet clear.
“The situation remains dramatic because everything is destroyed,” he explained. “People are returning, but they are returning to the ruins. Hospitals are not functioning; schools do not exist. There is still the matter of the bodies of the deceased Israeli hostages that must be recovered.”
“However, despite all this, there is a new atmosphere — still fragile, but we hope it will become more stable,” he continued.
Throughout the conflict, Pizzaballa said Catholics in the region have “felt the closeness” of both Pope Leo XIV and Pope Francis. “They have different personalities, but both expressed their closeness in very concrete ways,” he said, noting both pontiffs had made a habit of frequent phone calls and contact with Father Gabriel Romanelli of Holy Family Parish in Gaza, in addition to concrete aid. Pope Leo sent antibiotics into Gaza this week.
The cardinal said, “we must not confuse hope with a solution to the conflict,” while discussing how the region must move forward. “The end of the war is not the beginning of peace, nor is it the end of the conflict,” he said. Rather, fraternity must be built throughout the region, with new political and religious leadership “who can help rebuild a different narrative, one based on mutual respect.”
While Pizzaballa said he did not know whether a two-state solution “is achievable in the short term,” he emphasized the need for Palestinians to not only be helped and supported financially, but to be “recognized in their dignity as a people.”
“One cannot tell the Palestinians that they have no right to be recognized as a people in their own land,” he said. “There have been declarations — often only theoretical — that must find concrete realization within the context of dialogue between the parties, which they themselves will have to reach, with the help and support of the international community.”
Qatar: Gaza ceasefire cannot be considered complete
Qatar’s prime minister has warned that the nearly two‑month‑old ceasefire in the Gaza Strip cannot be considered complete until Israeli forces fully withdraw under a peace plan backed by Washington and the United Nations.
By Nathan Morley
Qatar’s prime minister said Saturday the ceasefire in the Gaza Strip cannot be considered complete until Israeli forces withdraw under a peace plan backed by Washington and the United Nations.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani told the Doha Forum that U.S.-led mediators are working “to force the way forward” into a second phase of the deal.
“What we have just done is a pause,” he said. “We cannot consider it yet a ceasefire.”
He said the truce will not be finalized unless Israeli forces leave Gaza, stability returns and people can move freely.
The ceasefire halted heavy fighting in the two-year war, but Gaza health officials say more than 360 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli fire since October.
On Friday, foreign ministers from the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Jordan, Indonesia, Pakistan, Türkiye, Saudi Arabia and Qatar voiced concern over Israeli remarks suggesting the Rafah Crossing be opened only one way, to move Gaza residents into Egypt.
In a joint statement, they rejected any attempt to forcibly displace Palestinians and urged adherence to the plan proposed by U.S. President Donald Trump, which they said requires the crossing to remain open in both directions.
The Rafah Crossing has been mostly closed since May 2024, when Israeli forces seized the Palestinian side. Before that, it was Gaza’s main exit and a key entry point for humanitarian aid.
Listen to the report by Nathan Morley
Thank you for reading our article. You can keep up-to-date by subscribing to our daily newsletter. Just click here
Despite new settler attacks on Taybeh, Christians continue to hope
Two cars were set on fire and a building was defaced with a threatening message during the night between 4 and 5 December in Taybeh, a Christian village in the northern West Bank. The incident occurred only hours after the inauguration of the parish’s “Christmas Nights” celebrations.
By Beatrice Guarrera
The attack—carried out by Israeli settlers—caused material damage but no injuries. Father Bashar Fawadleh, parish priest of the Latin Church of Taybeh, visited the affected family soon after the incident.
“They thanked me and said they value the Church’s presence,” he explains. “But we need stronger support to safeguard our people and our land. Taybeh is the last Christian village in the area, and we need global cooperation to help it survive.”
From celebration to violence
The assault came the day after the opening of the parish’s Christmas events, attended by diplomats from eight countries linked historically to the Holy Land, as well as visitors from Ramallah, Jerusalem, and nearby towns. After midnight, settlers vandalised property and left graffiti on a private home. “These are the same messages used across the West Bank,” Father Fawadleh notes.
Despite the repeated incidents—six so far this year—the parish priest insists: “We remain here. We do not feel safe, but we continue with our daily life. We must continue celebrating Christmas.”
Listen to an excerpt from the interview with Fr Bashar Fawadleh
Hope amid fear
Each new attack increases anxiety and prompts some to consider leaving, the priest says. He hopes international attention and diplomatic engagement can support vulnerable communities east of Ramallah. “Our hope does not fade,” he adds. “It is the hope of the third day, of the empty tomb—the hope of the Resurrection.”
1,680 attacks since January
According to a recent UN OCHA report, 1,680 settler attacks have been documented since the start of the year in more than 270 Palestinian communities—an average of five per day. The olive harvest remains particularly affected, with 178 incidents recorded in October and November across 88 localities.
The Latin-rite Parish in Taybeh inaugurates its "Christmas Nights"
Thank you for reading our article. You can keep up-to-date by subscribing to our daily newsletter. Just click here
Holy See satisfied with civil recognition of Chinese Bishop Zhang Weizhu
In a statement, the Director of the Holy See Press Office says civil recognition of the Bishop Emeritus of the Apostolic Prefecture of Xinxiang, in mainland China, is an important step in the communal journey of ecclesiastical circumscription.
Vatican News
“Satisfaction has been expressed with the news that today the episcopal dignity of Bishop Emeritus Joseph Zhang Weizhu of the Apostolic Prefecture of Xinxiang (Henan, mainland China) has received civil recognition.”
According to a statement issued by Matteo Bruni, Director of the Holy See Press Office, on Saturday, “This measure is the result of dialogue between the Holy See and the Chinese authorities and represents a new and important step in the communal journey of ecclesiastical circumscription.”
On Friday, 5 December, the episcopal ordination of Bishop Francis Li Jianlin of Xinxiang took place. He had been appointed Bishop of the Apostolic Prefecture of Xinxiang (Henan Province, China) by Pope Leo XIV on 11 August.
The Pope approved his candidacy “within the framework of the Provisional Agreement between the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China” and accepted the resignation from pastoral governance submitted by Bishop Joseph Zhang Weizhu.
Thank you for reading our article. You can keep up-to-date by subscribing to our daily newsletter. Just click here
Pope at Audience: Advent teaches us how to wait in active hope
At the Jubilee Audience, Pope Leo XIV reflects on the importance of active waiting during the Advent Season, as we learn to hope and help bring the Kingdom of God closer through our good actions.
By Devin Watkins
Pope Leo XIV held a special Jubilee Audience on Saturday, as the Church journeys in the Advent Season toward Christmas.
In his catechesis, the Pope said Advent teaches us to pay attention to the signs of the times, since it takes preparation and effort to recognize Jesus in our world and daily lives.
Our waiting for the fulfilment of creation and its redemption is not passive, he said, noting that God always seeks to involve us in His work.
“God involves us in His story, in His dreams,” he said. “To hope, then, is to participate.”
He recalled the Jubilee theme—“Pilgrims of Hope”—and said that motto will not lose meaning when the Jubilee ends at Christmas.
Rather, it calls us to journey in hope throughout our lives and wait, not with our hands in our pockets but by actively taking part.
Christians, said the Pope, must “read the signs of the times,” which are the signs of God in historical circumstances, according to the Second Vatican Council.
“God is not outside the world, outside this life: we have learned from the first coming of Jesus, God-with-us, to seek Him in the realities of life,” he said. “To seek Him with intelligence, with the heart and with our sleeves rolled up!”
Lay Catholics are especially called to embrace this mission, since the Incarnate God comes to meet us in daily life and the problems and beauties of this world.
He recalled the life and witness of Alberto Marvelli, a young, 20th-century Italian member of Catholic Action, who wanted to rebuild Italy after the devastation of the Second World War.
He risked his life in politics and was struck and killed by a military truck while bicycling to a rally.
“The world becomes better if we give up a little security and comfort in order to choose what is good,” said the Pope. “This is participation.”
In conclusion, Pope Leo XIV invited Catholics to ask ourselves if we are engaging our talents joyfully in service of others and the Kingdom of God.
“To hope is to participate: this is a gift that God gives us,” he said. “No one saves the world alone. Not even God wants to save it alone: He could, but He does not want to, because together is better.”
Thank you for reading our article. You can keep up-to-date by subscribing to our daily newsletter. Just click here
Pope: Holy See will not be silent bystander amid global inequality and war
Receiving new Ambassadors to the Holy See, Pope Leo XIV tells them the Holy See will not be a silent bystander amid global inequality and conflict.
Vatican News
Pope Leo XIV on Saturday received the Letters of Credence of thirteen new Ambassadors accredited to the Holy See, representing Uzbekistan, Moldova, Bahrain, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Liberia, Thailand, Lesotho, South Africa, Fiji, Micronesia, Latvia, and Finland.
Welcoming them during the Jubilee Year of Hope, he reminded them of its theme and highlighted its call to recover “the confident trust that we require, in the Church and in society, in our interpersonal relationships, in international relations, and in our task of promoting the dignity of all persons and respect for God’s gift of creation.”
He linked this appeal to his first words as Bishop of Rome, when he invoked the greeting of the risen Christ, “Peace be with you,” and renewed his invitation to work for what he has called an “unarmed and disarming peace.”
Commit to peace
Peace, he stressed, is “not merely the absence of conflict,” but “an active and demanding gift… built in the heart and from the heart.” It requires a commitment to renounce “pride and vindictiveness” and to resist “the temptation to use words as weapons.” This vision, he said, becomes more urgent “as geopolitical tension and fragmentation continue to deepen in ways that burden nations and strain the bonds of the human family.”
Turning to the consequences of global instability, Pope Leo XIV noted that “the poor and the marginalised suffer most from these upheavals.”
Echoing Pope Francis, he reminded the diplomats that “the measure of the greatness of a society is found in the way it treats those most in need.”
He reaffirmed the concern expressed in his Apostolic Exhortation Dilexi Te, that the world must not “avert its gaze from those who are easily rendered invisible by rapid economic and technological change.”
Holy See will not be a silent bystander
In this context, Pope Leo stated that “the Holy See will not be a silent bystander to the grave disparities, injustices and fundamental human rights violations in our global community.”
The Church’s diplomacy, he added, is “consistently directed toward serving the good of humanity,” attentive especially to “those who are poor, in vulnerable situations or pushed to the margins of society.”
The Pope thus urged the newly accredited Ambassadors to join the Holy See in fostering renewed multilateral cooperation “at a moment when it is sorely needed,” expressing his hope that together they might help the international community “lay the foundations for a more just, fraternal and peaceful world.”
With the support of the Secretariat of State, he concluded, may your mission “open new doors of dialogue, foster unity and advance that peace for which the human family so ardently longs.”
Thank you for reading our article. You can keep up-to-date by subscribing to our daily newsletter. Just click here
Lord’s Day Reflection: George Bailey meets John the Baptist
As the Church marks the Second Sunday of Advent, Jenny Kraska offers her reflection on the Gospel reading for the day.
By Jenny Kraska
At this time of year, I love to watch It’s a Wonderful Life – one of my favorite Christmas movies. No matter how many times I’ve seen it, the story of George Bailey still strikes something deep within me. George begins overwhelmed, worn down, unsure of his purpose. Yet through a surprising messenger – an unlikely “John the Baptist” named Clarence – he is confronted with the truth about his life: the good he has done, the distortions he’s come to believe, and the grace that has been quietly holding him all along. By the end of the movie his circumstances haven’t changed, but he has. His eyes are opened. In many ways, this is precisely what Advent is meant to do for us: awaken us, reorient us, and prepare us to see our lives truthfully in the light of God.
This waking-up is exactly what John the Baptist calls for in this Sunday’s Gospel. Appearing suddenly in the desert of Judea, John cries out with a voice that refuses to be ignored: “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!” His message is not a gentle seasonal reminder; it is a spiritual alarm. The wilderness he stands in is not far from where we find ourselves – those interior spaces marked by distraction, exhaustion, uncertainty, or fear. John’s voice cuts through all of that with a single invitation: prepare the way of the Lord.
Preparation in the Christian life is more than adjusting a few habits. It is allowing God to reorder our hearts. It means letting grace soften what has grown rigid, opening room where resentment or discouragement has taken root, and pruning away what no longer bears fruit. John’s radical call is a call to honesty and humility – a willingness to let God reshape us.
Providentially, this second week of Advent is also rich with Marian feasts, each illuminating the Gospel’s invitation in a unique way. On Monday, the Feast of the Immaculate Conception reminds us that salvation begins with grace. Mary, conceived without sin, is the perfect image of what it means to be wholly receptive to God. Where John urges conversion, Mary shows the beauty of a heart fully open to the Lord.
On Wednesday, the Church honors Our Lady of Loreto, celebrating the Holy House where the Annunciation took place. That tiny, humble home became the setting of the Incarnation. Loreto teaches us that God desires to enter the ordinary spaces of our lives – our homes, conversations, and routines. John says, “Prepare the way”, Loreto shows that the way begins exactly where we are.
And on Friday, we turn to Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mother of the Americas, who comes close to the poor and the burdened. Her words to St. Juan Diego – “Am I not here, I who am your Mother?” – reveal the tenderness of God’s nearness. Her presence consoles even as John’s words challenge. Together, they unveil the fullness of Advent: both the call to transformation and the assurance that God walks with us in it.
As we continue this sacred season, may John the Baptist awaken us, Mary accompany us, and Christ find in us a heart ready to receive Him anew.
Thank you for reading our article. You can keep up-to-date by subscribing to our daily newsletter. Just click here
Pope: Martyrs of Chimbote a call to ecclesial unity, mission, fidelity to Christ
On the tenth anniversary of their beatification, Pope Leo XIV highlights the enduring witness of the Martyrs of Chimbote as a model of communion and missionary dedication.
Vatican News
Pope Leo XIV has issued a message to commemorate the tenth anniversary of the beatification of the Martyrs of Chimbote, Blessed Michał Tomaszek, Zbigniew Strzałkowski, and Alessandro Dordi, highlighting their enduring witness of unity, mission, and pastoral charity.
Addressing the Church in Chimbote and all who join in thanksgiving, the Pope expressed gratitude for the universal devotion that continues to surround the three missionary priests, whose lives and deaths remain a source of fidelity for the Church in Peru, Poland, Italy, and beyond.
A unified testimony to the Gospel
In his message, the Holy Father recalled how the three priests immersed themselves in the daily life of the communities they served, offering the sacraments, strengthening catechesis, and supporting works of charity amid contexts marked by poverty and violence.
Their decision to remain with their people during a time of grave danger culminated in their 1991 killing “in hatred of the faith.” Pope Leo XIV noted that their diverse backgrounds, cultures, and spiritual traditions did not divide them, but instead converged into a unified testimony to the Gospel, rooted in a shared love for the most vulnerable.
A precious legacy
Reflecting on their legacy, the Pope underscored the relevance of the Martyrs of Chimbote for the Church’s challenges today.
He noted that their lives point toward the communion that arises when differences are united in Christ, countering the fragmentation that can arise from polarised views or sterile debates. Their martyrdom, he said, demonstrates the depth of ecclesial communion and the meaning of mission grounded in fidelity to Christ and service to His people.
The Pope also issued a call to renewed missionary commitment. He encouraged local communities in Chimbote to continue the work that the martyrs began, sustaining faith amid hardship and persevering in service to the poor.
He reminded the faithful that Christian mission remains fruitful when Christ is the centre of choices and priorities, and he invited the clergy, especially younger priests, to consider offering themselves as fidei donum missionaries.
Pope Leo also extended a special appeal to young people worldwide, urging them not to fear God’s call and pointing to the youthful example of the two Polish friars, who embraced their vocations with generosity despite their short years of ministry.
The Martyrs of Chimbote
The Martyrs of Chimbote are three Catholic priests - Polish Franciscans Michał Tomaszek and Zbigniew Strzałkowski, and Italian diocesan priest Alessandro Dordi - who were killed by revolutionary militants in 1991 in Peru. They served in the regions of Pariacoto and the Santa Valley during a period of intense violence linked to the Maoist insurgent group Shining Path (Sendero Luminoso). Because they remained with their communities despite threats, they were targeted and executed for their religious mission. The Church recognised their deaths as martyrdom “in hatred of the faith,” and they were beatified in 2015. Their witness has become a symbol of pastoral dedication and missionary courage.
Thank you for reading our article. You can keep up-to-date by subscribing to our daily newsletter. Just click here
Michael Bublé: When I hear music, I hear the voice of God
Ahead of the 6th edition of the Vatican's Concert with the Poor, to be held on 6 December, Canadian singer and songwriter Michael Bublé shares how “music is a gift from God” and says he hopes to use his platform as an artist to share his faith.
By Fr. Felipe Herrera and Kielce Gussie
“When I hear music, I hear the voice of God”, Canadian singer and songwriter Michael Bublé shared at a press conference ahead of the 6th edition of the Vatican's Concert with the Poor on 6 December.
Established in 2015, the Concert with the Poor reserves 3,000 seats of the Paul VI Audience Hall specifically for the homeless, migrants, detainees with special permits, and those living in mental and social distress. Following the performance, dinner and “comfort items” are distributed to those in need.
Together with Msgr. Marco Frisina—one of the organizers of the concert—Serena Autieri, and the Nova Opera Orchestra, the Hall will be filled with music at the start of the Advent season.
Bublé described the event’s program as a way “to pay tribute and to give service to the moment…while at the same time celebrating the holiday. And Christmas is about celebrating the birth of Christ.”
Papal song requests
A lifelong Catholic, Bublé recalled his meeting with Pope Leo XIV this morning as one of the greatest moments of his life. He asked friends at the Vatican if there were any specific songs Pope Leo would want to hear at the concert. One of the Holy Father’s requests was Ave Maria—a song that Bublé said he’s only sung once.
This morning, Canadian artist Michael Bublé met Pope Leo XIV (@Vatican Media)
“When he asked, I was very nervous, I didn’t want to let him or any of you down”, the Canadian singer explained, “But with the amazing group behind me—the choir and orchestra—I realized, there’s no [need to] fear.”
Ave Maria is not the only song on his setlist requested by the Pope. Bublé shared that many of the songs he will perform at the concert were specifically requested by Pope Leo.
Music is a gift from God
When asked how his faith has inspired his music, Bublé stressed that his beliefs influence everything he does and every decision he makes. Every artist has a brand and a platform, and he hopes that because of his faith, his brand is one of “kindness, hope, and love.”
In a world full of wars, violence, and challenges, Bublé called faith a light in the midst of darkness. “When you have faith, you have your own pilot light”, he said. “If you have that faith and you have that light inside you, you can find your way.” For Bublé, his musical platform is the way he is able to share this light, his faith.
This is because music is more than just words and notes. “Music is a gift from God,” the singer said, explaining how humbled he feels to have been chosen to perform at the concert. “I get to spread the good Word, and the fact that it’s a concert with people that could be suffering…suffering brings you closer to God”..
Seeing God in the poor
Speaking after the press conference with Vatican News’ Fr. Felipe Herrera, Bublé said it is “an honor to serve” by performing at the concert as his faith has always been an important part of his life. “It’s a beautiful part of my life and there’s something beautiful about knowing that you’re a part of spreading [the faith].”
Moreover, in the music industry, having his faith at the center of his life has been a positive because he can be sure God has a plan. “No matter how difficult that is to understand, you always know there is a reason for why you’re where you are”, Bublé stressed.
Reflecting on how the Concert with the Poor can be a teaching moment for his four children, Bublé described it as “another example of how to be.” He recounted how when the family sees a homeless person on the streets, he reminds them that they can see God in those in need.
While this show is different than other performances, the Canadian singer said he would bond with the poor people in the audience as he does with any other publiv. “My joy is a connection, truly a spiritual connection with the audience. They’re beautiful souls”, he said. And, just as he does every night before a show, he will offer a little prayer tomorrow: “Thank you, God, for blessing me with the ability to connect with these beautiful souls.”
Thank you for reading our article. You can keep up-to-date by subscribing to our daily newsletter. Just click here
Bishop of the Apostolic Prefecture of Xinxiang consecrated in China
On Friday, December 5, the episcopal ordination of Bishop Francis Li Jianlin took place.
Vatican News
On Friday, 5 December 2025, the episcopal ordination of Bishop Francis Li Jianlin took place. He was appointed Bishop of the Apostolic Prefecture of Xinxiang (Henan Province, China) by Pope Leo XIV on 11 August 2025, with his candidacy approved within the framework of the Provisional Agreement between the Holy See and the People’s Republic of China, and following the acceptance of the resignation from pastoral governance submitted by Bishop Joseph Zhang Weizhu.
Curriculum vitae
Francis Li Jianlin was born on 9 July 1974 in the city of Huixian, Henan Province, into a Catholic family. From September 1990 to June 1999, he completed the formation and discernment path in preparation for the priesthood, first at the seminary in Zhengding and then at the seminary in Yixian (Hebei). On 23 July 1999, he received priestly ordination from Bishop Nicola Shi Jingxian of Shangqiu, for the Apostolic Prefecture of Xinxiang. From July 1999 to June 2000, he served as Parish Priest of Qinyang. In 2000, he was entrusted with the formation of seminarians and religious in the jurisdiction. Since 2011, he has held the office of Parish Priest in Jiaozuo.
Thank you for reading our article. You can keep up-to-date by subscribing to our daily newsletter. Just click here
Papal preacher: Advent is a time of trusting expectation
“The Parousia of the Lord. An expectation without hesitation” is the theme of the first of three meditations for Christmas, which began this morning, 5 December, in the Paul VI Hall, with Pope Leo in attendance.
By Benedetta Capelli
We are “not lost wayfarers” but “sentinels that, in the night of the world, humbly maintain the confidence” that they will see the light “capable of illuminating every man,” says Father Roberto Pasolini, preacher of the Papal Household, in the first of three Advent meditations on the theme “Awaiting and hastening the coming of the Day of the Lord.”
In his reflection on the first Friday in Advent 2025, Fr Pasolini focused on “the Parousia of the Lord” and on the unique time period we are experiencing: the conclusion of the Jubilee of Hope. “Advent is the time in which the Church rekindles hope,” he emphasized, “contemplating not only the first coming of the Lord, but above all his return at the end of times.”
It is the moment in which we are called “we are called to wait, and at the same time hasten the coming of the Lord with serene and active vigilance.”
Recognizing grace
“Parousia” is a term used by the evangelist Matthew four times in chapter 24 of his Gospel. It is a word with a double meaning: both “presence” and “coming.”
Jesus compares the anticipation of His coming to the days of Noah before the Great Flood. Those were days when life flowed normally, and Noah alone built the ark, the instrument of salvation. His story raises questions necessary to understand what modern man must acknowledge. Faced with new and complex challenges, “the Church is called to remain a sacrament of salvation in an era of change.”
Father Pasolini emphasizes, “Peace remains a mirage in many regions unless longstanding injustices and wounded memories find healing, while in Western culture the sense of transcendence is weakened, crushed by the idols of efficiency, wealth and technology. The advent of artificial intelligence amplifies the temptation of a human being without limits and without transcendence.”
Pope Leo listens to the first Advent meditation (@Vatican Media)
The mystery of a God Who trusts in humanity
However, he continues, recognition is not enough; we must be aware of “the direction in which the Kingdom of God continues to move within history,” returning to the prophetic capacity received in Baptism. We must similarly recognize the grace of God, “that gift of universal salvation which the Church humbly celebrates and offers, so that human life may be raised up from the burden of sin and freed from the fear of death.” The ministers of the Church must be careful to avoid becoming so familiar with God that they take it for granted. And so each generation must come to realize “the mystery of a God who… continues to stand before His creation with unshakeable trust, in the expectation that better days can—and must—still come.”
Eliminating evil
The preacher of the Papal Household reminds us that in order to rediscover the face of God that accompanies “His wounded creation,” we must draw on the story of the universal flood, when the Lord sees evil in the human heart. Human beings cannot overcome that evil simply by changing or evolving; the truth is, humanity needs not only to fulfill itself but to be saved.
“Evil must not simply be forgiven,” Fr Pasolini says. “It must be erased, so that life can finally flourish in its truth and beauty.”
Erasing, in the cancel culture in which humanity today is immersed, is not just destroying everything, eliminating what seems burdensome in others. “Every day we erase many things, without feeling guilty and without doing any harm,” Fr Pasolini said. “We delete messages, useless files, mistakes in a document, stains, traces, debts. On the contrary, many of these gestures are necessary to help our relationships mature and make the world livable.”
Erasing in the context of Advent means opening ourselves to God, starting from our own fragility, and allowing Him to heal us.”
Pope Leo and members of the curia in the Paul VI Hall for the first Advent meditation of 2025 (@Vatican Media)
Life flourishes by putting God back at the center
The Lord never tires of finding “a wise man, one who seeks God,” just as He found Noah, who in turn recognized the Lord's grace. In the man on the ark, God finds the possibility of erasing and starting over. “Only when man returns to living before the true face of God can history truly change,” the Capuchin insisted, adding, “the story of the flood reminds us that life flourishes again only when we rebuild heaven, to the extent that we put God back at the centre.”
Father Pasolini continues, “The flood, therefore, is not simple destruction, but a transition of re-creation through a moment of de-creation… It is a temporary change of the rules of the game, to save the very game that God had inaugurated with confidence.”
Choosing not to harm
The flood is therefore “a paradoxical renewal of life.” God does not forget humanity; He places His bow in the clouds as a sign of covenant; the Lord lays down his weapons with a solemn declaration of non-violence.
“It may seem like a bold metaphor,” Fr Pasolini said, “almost inappropriate when speaking of God and the way His grace manifests itself.”
And yet, he continued, “after millennia of history and evolution, humanity is still far from knowing how to imitate it.” The earth, in fact, “The earth continues to be torn apart by atrocious and endless conflicts, which give no respite to so many weak and defenceless people.”
For this reason, the decision of those who, despite having the ability, voluntarily choose not to harm others is reassuring, because they understand that only by accepting others “can our alliance [with one another] be lasting, true, and free.”
Father Roberto Pasolini, OFM Cap., preacher of the papal household (@Vatican Media)
The time of goodness
“Watch therefore, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming”: this is Jesus' final counsel. Not knowing the day and hour of this coming has created great anticipation in the past, the preacher noted, but today things seem to have reversed: “The expectation has diminished so much that it has sometimes given way to a subtle resignation about its actual fulfilment… today, a weary vigilance, tempted by discouragement, often prevails.”
The time of waiting is the time to sow goodness and await the coming of Jesus Christ. The papal preacher warned of two great temptations that affect humanity and the Church: “forgetting the need to be saved and thinking that we can regain consensus by taking care of the outward appearance of our image and reducing the radical nature of the Gospel.”
Instead, Fr Pasolini said, we must return “to the joy – and also the hardship – of following, without taming Christ’s word.” Only as “sentinels upon the world’s frontier,” –as the monk Thomas Merton wrote – can we await the return of Christ.
Thank you for reading our article. You can keep up-to-date by subscribing to our daily newsletter. Just click here
