Pope Leo XIV has urged Christians not to succumb to fear in the face of the world’s tribulations, reminding them that faith shines brightest in the midst of darkness. During the Angelus prayer, delivered from the window of the Apostolic Palace before some 40,000 faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square, the Holy Father reflected on the Gospel reading for the 33rd Sunday in Ordinary Time (Luke 21:5-19), which addresses the challenges of history and the end times. This meditation followed immediately after the celebration of Mass for the Jubilee of the Poor, coinciding with the World Day of the Poor, underscoring the call to hope and justice in a world marked by suffering.

Drawing on Jesus’ “eschatological discourse,” as it is known in biblical tradition, the Pope highlighted the Lord’s invitation not to be alarmed by news of wars, revolts, natural disasters, and persecutions. “Unfortunately, every day we receive reports of conflicts, calamities, and persecutions that afflict millions of men and women,” Leo XIV noted, recalling the enduring relevance of these Gospel words. Faced with suffering and the indifference that ignores it, Jesus’ words proclaim that “the aggression of evil cannot destroy the hope of those who trust in him.” With a poetic and comforting image, the Pontiff affirmed: “The darker the hour, like night, the brighter faith shines like the sun.”

The Pope delved into the persecution of Christians, a recurring theme in his teachings, emphasizing that it is not limited to physical violence with weapons or mistreatment, but also manifests itself through words: through lies and ideological manipulation. “Precisely when we are pressured physically and morally by these evils, we are called to bear witness to the truth that saves the world, to the justice that liberates peoples from oppression, to the hope that shows everyone the path of peace,” the successor of Peter exhorted. Jesus, in the Gospel, underlines that “for my name’s sake” many will suffer, but that this adversity offers the opportunity to give an account of one’s faith. “By perseverance you will gain life,” the Pope quoted, recalling verse 19 of Luke, and added that Christians are not powerless in the face of suffering, since God’s grace can transform even violence into a sign of redemption.

In this context, Leo XIV made a special appeal to the martyrs of today, those brothers and sisters who suffer for the name of Jesus in various parts of the world. “They are the ones who remind us that the grace of God is capable of transfiguring violence into a sign of redemption,” he affirmed, uniting his prayer with that of all the persecuted. The Pope invited everyone to unite with these witnesses of the Gospel and to implore the intercession of the Virgin Mary, “Help of Christians.” “In all trials and difficulties, may the Blessed Virgin console and sustain us,” he concluded, before imparting the apostolic blessing.

This Sunday’s Angelus, which closes the liturgical year with a look toward the imminent Advent season, resonates as a message of strength for the universal Church. In a world where indifference and selfishness seem to prevail, Pope Leo XIV reaffirms that Christian witness is not a burden, but a light illuminating the path to peace and salvation. This call is framed within the World Day of the Poor, promoted by the same Pope, which invites the faithful to be “bridge builders” with the most needy, reflecting the merciful love of Christ.

At the end of the prayer, the Pope greeted the pilgrims present, who came from various countries, and renewed his prayer for peace in war-torn regions such as the Middle East and Ukraine, as well as for the victims of natural disasters. “May the Lord give us the strength to persevere in faith, especially in moments of darkness,” he implored, before departing to continue with his Jubilee commitments. This Angelus, filled with eschatological hope, invites the entire Christian community to be a leaven of truth in a world thirsting for justice.