This is the second in a new series of posts sharing Pope Leo XIV’s words each Wednesday in his Weekly Audience, a time when he teaches, encourages, and shapes the mission of the Church around the world. Check back here each Wednesday to get to know Pope Leo!
“Where love has been prepared, life can truly flourish.”
In this week’s Wednesday audience, Pope Leo XIV reminds us that love is not a simple reaction or the result of chance, but a conscious choice that requires preparation.
But preparing our hearts for encounter—with God and with each other—does not mean doing more, but leaving room. It means reducing our demands and unrealistic expectations on others, and removing anything that is holding us back from love.
“Every gesture of willingness, every gratuitous act, every forgiveness given in advance, every effort patiently accepted, is a way to prepare a place where God can dwell.”
What spaces in our lives do we need to put in order so that they are ready to receive the Lord?
