We have a new Pope! You’ve probably seen the news, watched a video, or heard his first words… but have you taken a moment to reflect (and above all, to pray) with what he is saying to us these days?

Here are some quotes from Pope Leo XIV, along with reflections that might help you talk to God.

Peace be with you all! Dear brothers and sisters, these are the first words spoken by the risen Christ, the Good Shepherd who laid down his life for God’s flock. I would like this greeting of peace to resound in your hearts, in your families, among all people, wherever they may be, in every nation and throughout the world. Peace be with you!

It is the peace of the risen Christ. A peace that is unarmed and disarming, humble and persevering. A peace that comes from God, the God who loves us all, unconditionally.

There is a peace that cannot be found in weekend retreats nor bought with perfect plans. It is the peace that comes from knowing you are upheld, loved, redeemed. The peace of the Risen Christ does not take you away from the world: it sends you into it with a free heart. His peace is not imposed by force: it is born from a presence that transforms everything from within.

Think: what has been stealing your peace lately? When do you notice your heart tensing, defending itself, or shutting down? Ask Jesus for that peace which does not depend on circumstances but on knowing you are loved. Ask Him, ‘Lord, disarm my fears and teach me to carry your peace.’

God loves us, God loves you all, and evil will not prevail! All of us are in God’s hands. So, let us move forward, without fear, together, hand in hand with God and with one another other! We are followers of Christ. Christ goes before us. The world needs his light. Humanity needs him as the bridge that can lead us to God and his love. 

Knowing that we are in God’s hands changes the way we live. It does not eliminate problems, but it gives a firm foundation. It reminds us that not everything depends on us, that we are not alone, and that no matter how strong evil may seem, it doesn't have the last word. God never abandons us. He is present and active, sustaining us. And that allows us to move forward without fear, with real hope... The good kind, not based on illusions but on certainty, because God never fails.

Are there parts of your life in which you need to remember that God is with you? What decisions or challenges are you facing right now? Pray like this: ‘Lord, help me to trust. I want to walk with You, without fear and with others.’

You have called me to carry that cross, and to be blessed with that mission, and I know I can rely on each and every one of you to walk with me, as we continue as a Church, as a community of friends of Jesus, as believers to announce the Good News, to announce the Gospel.

The Pope looks at young people and says: ‘I’m counting on you.’ And he means it. The Church is not a building or a distant institution: it is a family, a community of Jesus’ friends, carrying the light of the Gospel to the world.

How much have you prayed for the Pope in recent weeks? What does it mean for you to support him with your prayer and your life? How can you support his mission from where you are?

When Jesus asks Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” (Jn 21:16), he is referring to the love of the Father. It is as if Jesus said to him, “Only if you have known and experienced this love of God, which never fails, will you be able to feed my lambs. Only in the love of God the Father will you be able to love your brothers and sisters with that same ‘more’, that is, by offering your life for your brothers and sisters.

Love is not a theory or a generic obligation. It is something personal. It is born as a response: only one who knows deep down that they are loved by God can truly love without fear and without needing to protect themselves. Jesus does not ask Peter for perfection, results, or merits: He asks if he loves Him. Because true commitment can only come from real love, which is known and experienced.

Look at your life: have you ever felt that unfailing love? Do you let God love you as you are, even in your weaknesses? Ask Him: ‘Lord, may my love for others be born from yours. Teach me to live from the love I have received.’

Brothers and sisters, I would like that our first great desire be for a united Church, a sign of unity and communion, which becomes a leaven for a reconciled world.

In this our time, we still see too much discord, too many wounds caused by hatred, violence, prejudice, the fear of difference, and an economic paradigm that exploits the Earth’s resources and marginalises the poorest. For our part, we want to be a small leaven of unity, communion and fraternity within the world. We want to say to the world, with humility and joy: Look to Christ! Come closer to him! Welcome his word that enlightens and consoles! Listen to his offer of love and become his one family: in the one Christ, we are one. 

Amid so much division and noise, you can be a sign of unity through communion, not uniformity. The world needs witnesses of fraternity, people who humbly live the joy of being united in Christ.

Is there anything you can do to build unity today? Is there someone you could listen to better, welcome more, or forgive? Ask the Lord to make you a silent yeast that transforms your environment. Pray: ‘Lord, may my life speak of You. Make me an instrument of your unity.’’

A rather unusual sower goes out to sow, but does not care where the seed falls. He throws the seeds even where it is unlikely they will bear fruit: on the path, on the rocks, among the thorns. This attitude surprises the listener and induces him to ask: how come?

We are used to calculating things – and at times it is necessary – but this does not apply in love! The way in which this “wasteful” sower throws the seed is an image of the way God loves us. Indeed, it is true that the destiny of the seed depends also on the way in which the earth welcomes it and the situation in which it finds itself, but first and foremost in this parable Jesus tells us that God throws the seed of his Word on all kinds of soil, that is, in any situation of ours: at times we are more superficial and distracted, at times we let ourselves get carried away by enthusiasm, sometimes we are burdened by life’s worries, but there are also times when we are willing and welcoming. 

God is confident and hopes that sooner or later the seed will blossom. This is how he loves us: he does not wait for us to become the best soil, but he always generously gives us his word. Perhaps by seeing that he trusts us, the desire to be better soil will be kindled in us. This is hope, founded on the rock of God’s generosity and mercy.

God doesn’t love like we do. He doesn’t wait for everything to be perfect or for you to be your best self. Even when you deny Him with small choices (when you live like He’s not there, when you choose comfort, superficiality, or the easy path), He keeps sowing. He never tires. He never gives up on you. He sows his Word generously on every kind of soil, including yours.

And that changes everything: if God doesn’t give up on you, are you going to give up on Him? He keeps sowing. He trusts. He hopes. Maybe today you can tell Him: ‘Thank you for never tiring of me. Thank you for always sowing. Help me prepare my soil so that your love can bear fruit in me.’”