- 07 August, 2025
Vatican, August 6, 2025: During his first General Audience of August, Pope Leo XIV invited the faithful to meditate on the word “prepare,” describing it as a seemingly simple term that carries a profound secret of Christian life. Reflecting on the mystery of Christ’s passion, death, and resurrection, he emphasised how we are called to prepare for the Eucharist in everyday moments—by removing what burdens us, lowering our demands, and letting go of unrealistic expectations.
Love is Not a Sudden Impulse
In Mark’s Gospel, as the Passover approaches, the twelve apostles ask Jesus a very practical question: “Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?” Pope Leo noted that they were aware something significant was about to unfold and, in response, received a symbolic answer from Jesus: “Go into the city and a man will meet you, carrying a jar of water.”
A man with a jar, a room already prepared, and an unknown host—everything had been arranged in advance. Jesus had already made preparations for His disciples. This, the Pope explained, reveals that true love is “not the result of chance, but of a conscious choice.” Love demands preparation. Jesus’ decision to endure His passion is an example of this choice to love freely.
Pope Leo stressed that this truth should bring comfort: “knowing that the gift of his life stems from conscious intention, not a sudden impulse.”
God Has Prepared a Place for Us
Continuing with the Gospel imagery, the pre-arranged room shows how God goes before us. Even before “we realise we need to be welcomed, the Lord has already prepared a space for us where we can recognise ourselves and feel we are His friends.”
Each of us, the Pope said, can find this sacred space within our hearts—a space uniquely created for us, simply waiting to be seen, filled, and loved.
Although Jesus had already arranged everything for the Passover, He still asked the apostles to do their part. This, the Pope said, offers an important lesson for our spiritual lives: “grace does not eliminate our freedom, but rather awakens it.”
Preparations Do Not Equal Illusions
Addressing pilgrims in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Leo reminded them that we too have “a supper to prepare.” Beyond liturgical celebration, the Eucharist must find a place in our daily lives, where we learn to live with gratitude.
To do so, the Pope urged everyone to remove what weighs them down. However, he also cautioned against confusing preparation with illusion. Being prepared does not mean being deluded. “Illusions distract, while preparations guide us.” Jesus showed this throughout His ministry as He prepared “a communion supper” for His disciples—even when they failed to understand, and one was preparing to betray Him.
We too are called to “prepare the Passover.” As Pope Leo reminded those in the Square, this preparation isn’t limited to the Mass. It extends to the ordinary moments of life: being willing to take the first step, to listen more attentively, or to stop expecting others to change first.
When we accept God’s call to prepare for communion with Him, we will not be alone. “We will discover we are surrounded by signs, encounters and words that guide us towards that room, spacious and already prepared, in which the mystery of an infinite love, sustaining us and always preceding us, is celebrated unceasingly.”
Courtesy: Vatican News
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