Dear Friends,
When Pope Leo XIV stepped out onto the loggia of St. Peter’s Basilica on May 8, there was something calming about his presence.
He wore the accoutrements of the occasion and addressed the crowd with such a humble and natural demeanor that you would think he had been doing it for quite a while.
That’s when a thought came to mind: We are in good hands. We have a new Holy Father. Everything will be OK.
How refreshing it was to see a leader who called for peace, with a spirit to match. What a tonic, in an age so rife with strife.
It was a sign that the Petrine ministry is indeed a gift for the Church and the world.
It’s an office that helps to keep humanity pointed in the right direction, even if not everyone follows that map.
During Easter season the first readings at Mass draw heavily on the Acts of the Apostles. The book chronicles in dramatic detail those who did and those who didn’t embrace the Church’s news of the Risen Christ.
So many of the worldly figures mentioned in Acts have left barely a trace in history. What endures is the Church and the proclamation of the Gospel and the celebration of the sacraments bestowed on us by God.
Now is as good a time as ever to focus on those treasures. They help to make life bearable. They give us the hope and strength we need to persevere in this valley of tears.
To connect with an early message of Pope Leo XIV — “Be not afraid!” — it might be useful to pray with a Retreat Guide that focuses on the Holy Father who decades ago popularized that call, “Be Not Afraid: A Retreat Guide on St. John Paul II.”
Let’s pray for Leo XIV, who was fearless enough to accept the mantle of the papacy.
In Christ,
Father Edward McIlmail, LC
Ask a Priest contributor
