Pope Leo XIV concluded his Lenten retreat by reflecting on St. Paul’s call to live a life “worthy of the Gospel,” a message he delivered with spontaneous remarks in the Pauline Chapel following the eleventh meditation. The Pope expressed gratitude to Bishop Varden for guidance rooted in Scripture and tradition, noting the retreat’s profound spiritual impact on both himself and the Roman Curia. He emphasized that the Lenten practices of listening and fasting should foster humility, service to others, and a deeper orientation toward Christ, while his broader message for Lent 2026 explores how these disciplines support communal conversion and renewal.
In spontaneous closing remarks delivered with a smile in the Pauline Chapel after the eleventh meditation, the Pope expressed how the experience had personally impacted him. He thanked Bishop Varden for his guidance, which combined spiritual depth, Scripture, tradition, human frailty, and hope. With gentle irony, the Pope recalled a line about Pope Eugene III and St. Bernard: “What have you done? May God have mercy on you,” drawing smiles from those present and revealing a shared sense of humanity.
With gentle irony and a smile, the Pope revealed shared humanity through an ancient exchange between Bernard and Eugene III.
The retreat was described as a profound spiritual experience for both the Pope and the Roman Curia, oriented toward Christ and reflecting the quiet, demanding nature of the Lenten spirit.
In his subsequent message for Lent 2026, entitled “Listening and Fasting: Lent as a Time of Conversion,” Pope Leo XIV placed the mystery of God at the center of daily life and addressed the distractions and anxieties that require renewal.
The message emphasized two core practices. Listening calls for attentiveness to God and to the least among us, enabling parishes, families, and communities to hear the Word of God and the cry of the poor and the earth. This grace, the Pope said, makes communities welcoming to those who suffer and opens paths to liberation.
Fasting, when lived with humility and tied to prayer, leads to simplicity and greater love for neighbor. The Pope urged fasting from harmful speech, including harsh words, judgments, slander, and online hostility, and called for cultivating kindness, respect, and hope in language across families, work, social media, politics, and media.
This communal journey, he said, builds a civilization of love through humility, self-denial, and charity, contributing to liberation, peace, and the renewed faith of Easter.
The Pope also encouraged practices of mutual support and lament, reminding the faithful of the comfort found in Scripture and community mutual support during times of sorrow.
