Pope at Jubilee of Youth Mass: “You Were Made for More—Do Not Settle for Less”

Pope Leo XIV urged young people to “aspire to great things, to holiness” and to never settle for mediocrity, as he celebrated the Jubilee of Youth Mass at Tor Vergata on Aug 3, 2025. 

The Mass, held on the 18th Sunday in Ordinary Time, was the spiritual summit of the weeklong Jubilee celebration that drew more than millions of young pilgrims from around the world.

In his homily, the Pope invited youth to see themselves in the disciples on the road to Emmaus. Like them, he said, many walk in fear or disappointment but find hope in the Risen Christ. “Their eyes were opened,” he said. “The joyful news of Easter found a place in their hearts.”

Drawing from the day’s liturgy, he reflected on the fragility of life. He described it not as a weakness but as part of creation’s beauty. “We are not made for a life where everything is static,” he said. “But for an existence constantly renewed through love.”

The Pope warned against chasing “cheap imitations” of happiness. He encouraged young people to listen to their inner thirst for something greater. 

Citing Saint Augustine, he reminded them: “Seek the One who made them, He is your hope.” God, he said, gently knocks at the soul, waiting to be encountered.

He also recalled Pope Francis’s message at World Youth Day in Lisbon. “We are called to something higher,” he said. “And we will never soar unless we take flight.” That thirst for truth and meaning, he added, is a sign of spiritual life, not a weakness.

Reflecting on the Jubilee experience, he noted how the youth had shared art, music, prayer, and confession. He said true fulfillment comes not from hoarding or consuming, but from sharing, forgiving, and loving. “Lift your eyes,” he urged, “to the things above.”

The Pope highlighted Jesus as the true source of hope. He echoed Saint John Paul II’s words, telling young people that Christ stirs in them the desire to live boldly and make the world more human and fraternal. 

He pointed to Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati and Blessed Carlo Acutis as models of youthful holiness. Prayer, the Eucharist, confession, and generous love, he said, are the way forward.

At the end of his homily, Pope Leo entrusted the youth to the Virgin Mary, “Our Lady of Hope.” He encouraged them to return home with joy, to be missionaries of faith wherever they go. “You were made for more, do not settle for less,” he said.

The Jubilee of Youth, organized under the theme "Called to Live in Hope", featured prayer vigils, catechesis, concerts, adoration, and a symbolic pilgrimage through the Holy Door at St. Peter’s Basilica. 

Youth also engaged in cultural exchanges and acts of charity across Rome. The closing Mass at Tor Vergata marked not just the end of a week, but the beginning of a renewed missionary journey for millions of young hearts on fire with faith.