Pope Leo XIV continued this Wednesday in the Audience The second session of the series of catechesis on 'Jesus Christ, our Savior', in the Jubilee of Hope 2025, focused on the theme of the Good Samaritan and on compassion, which "before being a religious question, is a question of humanity".
The theme of meditation was precisely the parable of the Good Samaritan, narrated by St. Luke: a person is assaulted and beaten by robbers, and a Samaritan took pity on him. Earlier, a Levite and a priest had passed by and went on their way.
In the minutes before the Audience, Leo XIV traveled around St. Peter's Square in the Popemobile, where he greeted and blessed numerous pilgrims and faithful who came to listen to the Holy Father. As usual, many mothers and fathers brought babies to him for his blessing.
Feast of the Ascension of the Lord
Among perhaps the most significant notes this morning were, in addition to the Pope's words on compassion and mercy, the preparation for the feast of the Ascension of the Lord tomorrow, Thursday, May 29, which in quite a few places is moved to Sunday.
Also the affectionate welcome, as last Wednesday, "to the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors participating in today's Audience, especially those from England, Scotland, Norway, Ghana, Kenya, Australia, China, Hong Kong, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, the Philippines, South Korea, Taiwan, Vietnam, Canada and the United States of America".
"As we prepare to commemorate the Lord's Ascension into Heaven," he told them, "I pray that each of you and your families will experience a renewal of hope and joy. May God bless you."
Peace in Ukraine and Gaza Strip
At the end of the Audience, before addressing the Italian-speaking pilgrims, praying the Our Father and giving Benediction, the Pope showed his "closeness and prayer" for the Ukrainian people", and prayed for the war to stop. He also made an appeal for peace in the Gaza Strip, from where one can hear the cries of mothers and fathers with their children in their arms. Leo XIV asked for a "cease-fire", the release of all prisoners, and prayed to the Queen of Peace.
In his greeting to the Arabic-speaking pilgrims, Pope Leo XIV said that "we are called to be merciful, just as our Father is merciful. His mercy consists in looking at every human being with eyes of compassion. May the Lord bless you all and always protect you from all evil.
Parable of the Good Samaritan: changing perspective, welcoming others
In his brief catechesis, the Pope began by noting: "In this catechesis we reread the parable of the Good Samaritan. The Lord addresses it to a man who, despite knowing the Scriptures, considers salvation as a right that is due to him, something that can be acquired".
"The parable helps him to change his perspective, and to move from focusing on himself to being able to welcome others, feeling called to become a neighbor to others, no matter who they are, and not just judge close to the people he appreciates."
Afterwards, the Holy Father summarized: "The parable speaks to us of compassion, of understanding that before being believers we must be human. The text asks us to reflect on our ability to stop on the road of life, to put the other person above our haste and our travel plans".
"He asked us to be ready," he stressed, "to reduce distances, to get involved, to get dirty if necessary, to take on the pain of others and to spend what is ours, returning to meet them, because our neighbor is for us someone close to us.
A question for reflection
At the time of the examination, the Pontiff asked a question: "Dear brothers and sisters, when will we too be able to interrupt our journey and have compassion? When we will have understood that this man wounded on the road represents each one of us. And then, the memory of all the times Jesus stopped to care for us will make us more capable of compassion.
Let us pray, then, that we may grow in humanity, so that our relationships may be truer and richer in compassion. Let us ask the Heart of Christ for the grace to have more and more of the same sentiments", he concluded.
