Pope: May the Church always be a school of humility, welcoming all

Vatican City, September 1, 2025 — Pope Leo has urged the faithful to pray that the Church may always remain “a school of humility” that follows the example of Jesus, and “a home where all are welcome” and rivalries are set aside. He shared this message during his reflections ahead of the Sunday Angelus in Saint Peter’s Square.

Humility at the heart of the Gospel

Addressing pilgrims and visitors, the Pope reflected on the day’s Gospel from Luke, which highlights humility, openness to others, and the culture of encounter. He recalled how Jesus accepted a meal invitation from a leading Pharisee, underlining that in all cultures sharing a table represents peace, communion, and fraternity.

Pope Leo noted that genuine encounter is not always simple. Jesus was observed with suspicion by those rigid in their interpretation of tradition, yet he humbly attended as a respectful guest, turning the moment into a lesson. He recounted a parable about guests competing for places of honour, stressing that such attitudes risk creating rivalry instead of fostering fraternity and sharing.

Listening at the Eucharistic table

The Pope encouraged believers to listen carefully to the Lord’s teaching when they gather at the Eucharistic table. “In a sense, the Lord becomes our guest and he can tell us how he sees us,” he said. By reflecting in this way, Christians can move beyond competition, recognition, and comparisons.

“Stopping to reflect, letting ourselves be taken aback by a word that challenges our hearts’ priorities, is to experience freedom, the freedom to which Jesus calls us,” Pope Leo observed.

Humility as true freedom

He explained that humility opens the path to true freedom, describing it as “freedom from ourselves.” When believers live with humility, their focus shifts from self-interest to the Kingdom of God and its righteousness.

“When we exalt or focus on only ourselves, we lose sight of how precious we are in God’s eyes as his children and of the sublime dignity that comes from this reality,” he said. “Once we learn to take the last places, rather than striving for the first, that dignity will appear, and we will come to the fore simply and effortlessly.”

A prayer for the Church

Concluding his remarks, Pope Leo invited the faithful to pray that the Church would remain a community shaped by humility and welcome.

“Let us pray that the Church will always be a school of humility for everyone, a home where all are welcome, a place where rivalries are set aside and where Jesus still speaks to us and teaches us to imitate his own humility and freedom,” he said. He entrusted this prayer to Mary, “Mother of that home.”

Courtesy: Vatican News

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