Pope at Mass: Take summer to savor moments of reflection
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Pope Leo: Welcome the Lord who knocks at our door
Pope Leo: “We can always improve on our learning the art of hospitality” Pope: “Our lives can only flourish if we learn to be open to something greater than ourselves” “Let us pray to Mary Most Holy, our Mother, who welcomed our Lord, and together with her gave him a home,” he says. “We have much to learn about hospitality,” he adds, “and we must learn to accept it.” “We must always learn to welcome the Lord with open arms,” the Pope adds. “And we must never turn our back on him,” he concludes.
Read also 20/07/2025 Pope appeals for end to Gaza ‘barbarity’ Speaking after the Sunday Angelus, Pope Leo mourns the three Gazans killed in an attack on the Holy Family Catholic parish in Gaza city, which he says is “just one” of the …
Recalling the Old and New Testament readings of today’s liturgy on the theme of hospitality as shown by Abraham and his wife Sarah, and then later by the friends of Jesus, Martha and Mary, the Pope reflected on the interplay of giving and receiving hospitality.
Humility in offering and receiving hospitality
Kindness, attentiveness and openness are part of what hospitality is about, but so too and especially is humility, the Pope noted. He recalled how the Gospel reading recounts how Martha is overwhelmed with serving, being the good and generous person she was, but she risked missing out on the joy of the encounter being with the Lord and hearing his words.
Openness to something greater than ourselves
Attentiveness has importance, as “our lives can only flourish if we learn to be open to something greater than ourselves” that brings “happiness and fulfillment”, the Pope explained. And Mary, Martha’s sister, recognized the importance of that encounter in not only welcoming, but listening to the Lord.
Read also 20/07/2025 Pope at Mass: Take summer to savor moments of reflection Presiding over Mass at the Cathedral of Albano, Pope Leo reflects on hospitality, service, and listening as essential elements to building a relationship with God and others.
Slowing down and listening
In conclusion, the Pope encouraged us to follow Mary’s example by slowing down and listening so that we do not “fail to choose the better part.” And we can always improve on our learning the art of hospitality, he suggested, and this “includes both welcoming others and allowing ourselves to be welcomed”, since “we have much to receive, not only to give.” It’s about recognizing how every genuine encounter is freely offered, “whether it is an encounter with God, with others or with nature.”
“Let us pray to Mary Most Holy, our Mother, who welcomed our Lord, bore him in her womb, and together with Joseph gave him a home. In her, we see the beauty of our own vocation, the vocation of the Church, to be a home open to all and in this way to welcome her Lord, who knocks at our door and asks our permission to enter.”
Pope Urges Faithful to Embrace Summer for Deep Reflection and Spiritual Renewal
Pope Leo emphasized hospitality, service, and listening as vital for building relationships with God and others during Mass at the Cathedral of Albano. His message serves as a reminder that in today’s fast-paced world, we often overlook the power of simple acts of kindness. How can we integrate these timeless values into our modern lives? By reflecting on our interactions, we can cultivate a more compassionate society.
www.vaticannews.va
Pope Leo XIV emphasized the importance of hospitality and service during his recent Mass at the Cathedral of Albano, reflecting on how these values shape our relationships with God and others. On July 20, 2025, he shared insights that resonate globally, urging individuals to embrace these virtues in their daily lives.
6 Key Takeaways Pope Leo emphasizes hospitality and service.
Listening is essential for building relationships.
Summer offers time for reflection and connection.
Service and listening are twin dimensions of hospitality.
Pope thanks Bishop for his dedicated service.
Encourages overcoming divisions through love and peace.
As he marked his third Sunday at the papal summer residence, the Pope highlighted the significance of listening, drawing from biblical examples to illustrate how genuine connections can foster peace. His message serves as a reminder that in today’s fast-paced world, we often overlook the power of simple acts of kindness.
Fast Answer: Pope Leo XIV’s recent Mass highlighted hospitality and service as essential for nurturing relationships, urging global audiences to prioritize listening and kindness in their daily interactions.
This call to action raises an important question: How can we integrate these timeless values into our modern lives? By reflecting on our interactions, we can cultivate a more compassionate society. Consider these points:
Embrace hospitality as a way to connect with others.
Recognize the dual importance of service and listening.
Use summer as an opportunity for reflection and relationship-building.
Pope Leo’s message underscores a global need for community and connection, especially in a time marked by division.
As we move forward, let US take Pope Leo’s words to heart and strive to create a culture of peace through our actions, fostering understanding and unity in our communities.
Pope at Mass: Take summer to savor moments of reflection
Presiding over Mass at the Cathedral of Albano, Pope Leo reflects on hospitality, service, and listening. Listening to and serving is only way to strengthen relationships with others, he says. Pope Leo challenges everyone to “make good use of this, by leaving behind the whirlwind of commitments and worries in order to savor a few moments of peace and reflection” The Pope presented the Bincas Vincas, an expression of his closeness to His Excellency, with a chuppa at the end of Mass. The Pope is currently on vacation in the Castel Gandolfo, the papal summer residence in the south of the Italian city of Rome. He is expected to return to the Vatican City in the coming days for a few days before returning to Rome for the start of a three-week trip to the eastern part of the country. The trip is scheduled to last until the beginning of September. The Vatican has confirmed that the Pope will return to Italy in the next few days.
By Kielce Gussie
Marking his third Sunday at the papal summer residence in the Castel Gandolfo, Pope Leo XIV presided over Mass for the 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time at the nearby Cathedral of Albano.
At the start of his homily, the Pope joked about having to change in plans to visit Albano back in May. “As you know, I was supposed to arrive on May 12, but the Holy Spirit had other plans. Still, I’m truly happy to be here, and with this sense of fraternity and Christian joy, I greet all of you present.”
Reflecting upon the first reading and the Gospel, he said these passages call us to reflect on hospitality, service, and listening.
Good hosts
The Pope first looked at the the first reading from Genesis where three men visit Abraham “in the heat of the day”. Pope Leo pointed out how Abraham’s response to these visitors as master of the house was one of hospitality.
A copy of the image of the ancient Byzantine-style icon of the Madonna della Rotonda (@Vatican Media)
With this attitude, the atmosphere changed and, as the Pope highlighted, “the afternoon’s stillness is filled with gestures of love” from Abraham, his wife Sarah, and their servants. In that setting, God shares the news the couple had been waiting for: they will have a son.
This encounter encourages us to reflect on how God chose the path of hospitality to enter into Abraham and Sarah’s lives.
Twin dimensions of hospitality
Turning to the Gospel, Pope Leo commented on how the passage “teaches us about God’s way of acting.” Jesus came as a guest in the house of Martha and Mary, not as a stranger but as a friend during a celebration.
The two sisters react to their guest in very different ways: Martha welcomes him by serving, while Mary sits at his feet to listen to him. Jesus responded to Martha’s comments by inviting her to see the value of listening. Yet, the Pope stressed that “it would be incorrect, however, to see these two attitudes as mutually exclusive, or to compare the merits of the two women.” Service and listening, he said are “twin dimensions of hospitality.”
Two members of Caritas from the Diocese of Albano brought up the gifts during Mass (@Vatican Media)
When striving to live these two aspects in our daily lives, our relationship with God must come first and we need to live out our faith through concrete actions, according to our state in life. But we can only do this after reflecting on the Word of God and listening for the Holy Spirit. In order to do this, the Pope called us to dedicate times of silence and prayer, eliminating distractions, so we can focus on God and give him space to speak to us.
He argued “this is a dimension of the Christian life that we particularly need to recover today, both as a value for individuals and communities, and as a prophetic sign for our times.” The Pope pointed out that summer is a good moment to push for this and experience the beauty of our relationship with God and how it can help us be more open to others.
Summer vacation and God
As summer often offers more free time to reflect and spend time with others, Pope Leo challenged everyone to “make good use of this, by leaving behind the whirlwind of commitments and worries in order to savor a few moments of peace and reflection” and to visit others.
Summer can be an opportunity to care for others, get to know them, and listen to them. These are all expressions of love, the Pope explained, of which we are all in need. He argued that if we courageously try to live these out, we will be promoting a culture of peace, “helping those around us to overcome divisions and hostility and to build communion between individuals, peoples and religions.”
Before Mass, the Pope knelt in front of the altar of the Blessed Sacrament for a brief moment of adoration (@Vatican Media)
Recognizing that this demands effort and sacrifices, Pope Leo stressed that it is in these efforts that “something worthwhile can be built in life.” Listening to and serving others is the only way to create and strengthen genuine relationships with others.
Thank you for your service
At the end of Mass, Pope Leo presented the Bishiop of Albano, Vincenzo Viva, with a chasuble. “We present this gift to His Excellency, an expression of our closeness to his diocesan Church, with the hope that the Lord’s blessing may always accompany you. Thank you for your service and thank you to your poeple.”
Angelus with Pope Francis
The Angelus Prayer is a prayer for Mary, the mother of Jesus. The prayer was written in the 4th century by Pope Pius VII. It is a form of the Apostles’ Blessing. It was originally written in Latin, but has since been translated into English as the “Angelus Prayer”
The Angel of the Lord declared unto Mary.
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
Hail Mary, etc…
Behold the handmaid of the Lord.
Be it done unto me according to Your Word.
Hail Mary, etc…
And the Word was made Flesh.
And dwelt among us.
Hail Mary, etc…
Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God.
That we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray:
Pour forth, we beseech You, O Lord,
Your Grace into our hearts;
that as we have known the incarnation of Christ,
Your Son by the message of an angel,
so by His Passion and Cross
we may be brought to the glory of His Resurrection.
Through the same Christ, Our Lord.
Amen.
Glory be, etc… (3 times)
Eternal rest…
Apostolic Blessing
The Lord be with you.
And with your spirit.
Blessed be the name of the Lord.
Now and forever.
Our help is in the name of the Lord.
Who has made Heaven and Earth.
May Almighty God bless you.
In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit.
Amen.