As we prepare to celebrate the feast of the great apostles Saint Peter and Saint Paul—a day when, in a special way, believers turn their gaze to Rome, where the representative of Christ resides—it is fitting to recall that July 6th will mark one month since the first visit of Leo XIV to our country. Our congratulations and prayers are accompanied by gratitude for his tireless dedication and the guidance he provides to all Catholics through his teachings. This has been evidenced by the tens of thousands of people who took to the streets to show him their affection and by those who followed his journey along the many routes available today.

We have witnessed and experienced indescribable emotions in the various settings of this exhaustive journey, during which he has proudly carried the banner of the true missionary, filling the streets with his tenderness, demonstrating wisdom, humility, and simplicity. The Pope saw, spoke, smiled, touched human pain, knelt before suffering, recalled the foundations of coexistence by bringing to mind Spain’s rich historical past, which cannot be forgotten, became like a child with children, and healed the wounds of guilt, loneliness, and violence; he embraced and shared the tears of the dispossessed…

Awe illuminated the streets as much as affection. It was the Vicar of Christ who spoke to us. It was Peter walking with each of us in a moving and hopeful image projected to the entire world through digital platforms. We recognized him because his charisma is unique, and before him even those far from the faith maintain a respectful silence. Goodness buries all animosity, dissolves conflict, and even if only for a few moments, we witnessed extraordinary events, such as the one that took place in the Congress of Deputies, where the Pope’s voice was heard regardless of the personal convictions of those present, who, as if that weren’t enough, concluded his speech with a historic ovation.

Christ, who never ceases to gaze upon us for even a fraction of a second, has fixed his eyes on each of us through the Holy Father. We have felt challenged by him. And when Peter speaks in the name of Christ, we must respond. His visit to Spain has been a clear sign of divine mercy toward each of us who have had in him a direct model of the way the Son of God walks: how to speak, how to listen, how to respond, how and when to be silent, how necessary prayer and the reception of the sacraments are… We have received his peace, witnessed his prudence, his piety, and the urgency of charity…

Now, if it hasn’t already been done, it’s time to put on those sandals, and as he himself affirmed, emulating Saint John Paul II, not be afraid to open the doors of our hearts to Christ. That’s not easy. But we can’t let time pass without seeking that personal encounter with Him. Summer is a propitious time to forget certain resolutions, especially those that demand an active, not theoretical, commitment. When that resolve is delayed, good intentions gradually fade away, and less demanding pursuits return, occupying that central place in our lives that should belong first and foremost to Christ.

Beyond mere memory, we have his words, collected and made available to those who wish to delve deeper into them, to pray with them, and to put them into practice. Just as with passages from the Gospel, each person will have experienced a profound stirring of faith in one of those particular moments: the youth vigil in Plaza de Lima, the celebration of the Corpus Christi Mass in Cibeles, the Mass at the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, ​​the recitation of the Rosary in Montserrat, the events at the Movistar Arena and the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, as well as the one at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in Montjuïc (Barcelona), his encounters with the realities of the most vulnerable, and others.

Each of us, seeing our boat founder to a greater or lesser degree, has had the opportunity to see the turbulent waters that tossed it calmed by the Vicar of Christ. Let us not let such grace pass us by. Let us be “protagonists and transformers of society”; let us show love to our families by being agents of forgiveness; let us always seek the truth, which is God; let us foster a culture of encounter; let us not feed on emotions: May our religiosity “not be a museum of the past to visit, but a school of faith from which we can drink even today”; let us not forget that our tongue, as the Gospel says (James 3:6), can do good and evil. There is no “neutrality” in communication; let no one deceive us: “Every expression speaks, transmits; it can wound or heal, destroy expectations or open horizons”…

These are some of the reflections and guidance from the Vicar of Christ that we must take to heart. Let us be the echo of his voice. We possess all the “instruments” to nurture the blessings we have received: reading the Gospel, Holy Mass, prayer… All of this will take up hardly a heartbeat of our time, yet it will enrich our lives and the lives of those around us. Thank you, dear Pope Leo XIV!

Happy and holy holidays to all!