In his first homily as Bishop of Rome at the Basilica of St. John Lateran, Pope Leo XIV offered a powerful reminder of the heart of Christian discipleship: to listen—above all—to the voice of God. The message came as the Holy Father officially took possession of the cathedral of Rome on the Sixth Sunday of Easter.
Before the liturgy, Pope Leo XIV visited the Capitoline Hill, the historic seat of Rome’s civil authority. Greeted warmly by Mayor Roberto Gualtieri and other civic leaders, the Pope expressed his hope “that Rome will always be distinguished by those values of humanity and civilization that draw their lifeblood from the Gospel,” according to the Vatican’s report of the event.
From the steps of the Lateran Basilica—the “Mother of all Churches,” as the inscription on its façade proclaims—the Pope reflected on the Church’s vocation to be maternal, tender, sacrificial, and attentive. Quoting Pope Francis, he recalled the Church’s “defining traits: tenderness, readiness for sacrifice, and that capacity for listening which not only makes it possible to help, but often to anticipate needs and expectations before they are even expressed.”
Pope Leo XIV then emphasized the role of listening in the life of the Church. “These are qualities we hope will continue to grow within the People of God everywhere — and here as well, in our great diocesan family: among the faithful, among the pastors, and, above all, within myself,” he said.
The day’s Scripture readings, centered on the early Church’s outreach to the Gentile world, served as a springboard for the Pope’s central teaching. He stressed that the Church’s ability to grow in communion and mission begins not with human plans, but with prayerful listening to God. “Throughout the entire process, the most important listening, which made everything else possible, was that of the voice of God,” he preached. “In this way, we are reminded that communion is built above all ‘on our knees,’ in prayer and in a continual commitment to conversion.”
This act of listening, the Pope explained, is not only vertical—toward God—but also horizontal, enabling us to truly hear one another. “Only in that tension can each person feel within themselves the voice of the Spirit crying out ‘Abba, Father,’ and consequently hear and understand others as brothers and sisters.”
In a world marked by division and noise, the Pope’s words come as a timely call for interior silence, spiritual receptivity, and renewed trust in the guidance of the Holy Spirit. He reminded the faithful that they are never alone: “The Gospel also reinforces this message by telling us that, in life’s decisions, we are not alone.”
The Holy Spirit, he explained, plays a dual role—both teaching and reminding. The Spirit “teaches us the words of the Lord by engraving them deeply within us,” not on tablets of stone, but “on our hearts.” This inner transformation allows us, as Pope Leo XIV said, to become “a letter of Christ” for one another.
The Pope closed by reflecting on the second verb: “to remind.” The Spirit “turns the attention of the heart to what we have lived and learned, to penetrate more deeply into its meaning and savor its beauty.” This recollection is not mere nostalgia, but a deepening of grace—a gift that forms the heart of authentic Christian witness.
In this homily, Pope Leo XIV not only took his place as the Bishop of Rome but also reaffirmed the Church’s vocation to be a community that listens—to God, to one another, and to the Spirit who guides, teaches, and renews.
