As we prepare to enter the season of Lent, Pope Francis has released a profound message encouraging Catholics to reflect on their spiritual journey, embrace synodality, and place their hope in the victory of Christ. Despite his hospitalization due to respiratory infections, the Pope’s message for Lent 2025 is filled with insight and inspiration. Dated February 6, 2025, and made public on February 25, Pope Francis calls on all Catholics to focus on conversion, unity, and hope during this sacred time.
“May the hope that does not disappoint, the central message of the jubilee, be the focus of our Lenten journey toward the victory of Easter,” the Pope said in his message, highlighting the ultimate triumph of Christ’s resurrection as the culmination of the Lenten season. He emphasizes that Lent is not just about personal reflection but also a collective journey that draws us closer to the hope we find in Christ.
The Pope begins by quoting St. Paul’s powerful words from the First Letter to the Corinthians: “Death has been swallowed up in victory. Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?” (1 Cor. 15:55). This quotation serves as a reminder that the fear of death and sin has been conquered by Christ’s death and resurrection. In his message, Pope Francis invites us to contemplate the significance of this victory as we embark on our Lenten pilgrimage.
A central theme in Pope Francis’ message is the invitation to conversion, both as individuals and as a community. He writes, “A first call to conversion comes from the realization that all of us are pilgrims in this life; each of us is invited to stop and ask how our lives reflect this fact. Am I really on a journey, or am I standing still, not moving, either immobilized by fear and hopelessness or reluctant to move out of my comfort zone? Am I seeking ways to leave behind the occasions of sin and situations that degrade my dignity?” (Pope Francis, 2025). This invitation to conversion calls us to examine how we live our daily lives and to question whether we are truly walking with Christ or simply going through the motions.
Pope Francis continues to emphasize the virtue of hope, calling it “the sure and steadfast anchor of the soul” (Catechism of the Catholic Church). He reminds us that our hope is grounded in the love of God revealed through Jesus Christ. “Thanks to God’s love in Jesus Christ, we are sustained in the hope that does not disappoint,” the Pope said. “Hope moves the Church to pray for ‘everyone to be saved’ (1 Tm 2:4) and to look forward to her being united with Christ, her bridegroom, in the glory of heaven.”
A prayer of St. Teresa of Ávila, quoted by the Pope, beautifully expresses the enduring power of hope: “Hope, O my soul, hope. You know neither the day nor the hour. Watch carefully, for everything passes quickly, even though your impatience makes doubtful what is certain, and turns a very short time into a long one.” This prayer serves as a reminder that hope is not just about waiting but actively trusting in God’s promises, even when the timing is unclear.
The Pope also urges us to engage in a profound examination of conscience, inviting us to compare our lives to those of migrants and foreigners. “A good Lenten exercise and examination of conscience would be to compare one’s life to a migrant or foreigner, to learn how to sympathize with their experiences and in this way discover what God is asking of us so that we can better advance on our journey to the house of the Father,” Pope Francis suggested. This call to empathy and understanding encourages us to broaden our perspectives and embrace solidarity with those who are often marginalized in society.
In his message, Pope Francis also stresses the importance of synodality, or walking together with others in the faith. He writes, “Let us all walk in the same direction, tending toward the same goal, attentive to one another in love and patience.” He calls for a Church that resists the temptation of self-absorption, exclusion, and hypocrisy, urging us instead to focus on love, patience, and mutual respect.
Reflecting on the hope of salvation, Pope Francis invites us to ask ourselves, “Am I convinced that the Lord forgives my sins? Or do I act as if I can save myself? Do I long for salvation and call upon God’s help to attain it? Do I concretely experience the hope that enables me to interpret the events of history and inspires in me a commitment to justice and fraternity, to care for our common home and in such a way that no one feels excluded?” These questions prompt us to consider the depth of our faith and whether we truly trust in God’s forgiveness and eternal promise.
The Pope’s message for Lent 2025 is not only a call to personal reflection but also a communal invitation to live out the hope of Christ’s victory over death. As we begin this Lenten season, let us heed Pope Francis’ words and make this time a journey of conversion, synodality, and hope.
May we walk together in faith, listening to one another and carrying the hope of Easter in our hearts, knowing that the victory of Christ is ours to share.
