Celebrating the Solemnity of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Pope Leo XIV invited the faithful to rediscover the power of their “yes” to God and to choose life over fear, complacency, and resignation.
Presiding over Holy Mass at the Pontifical Parish of Saint Thomas of Villanova in Castel Gandolfo, the Holy Father reminded the faithful that the Assumption is not only a Marian feast, but an invitation to enter more deeply into the Paschal Mystery of Christ, “which changed the course of history.”
“In Mary of Nazareth, we recognize our own history,” Pope Leo said, affirming that God conquers death not without us but through our free participation in His love.
Christ’s own “yes” on the Cross, he added, stripped death of its power. Mary, who stood courageously by her Son, continues to inspire Christians to live that same trust and courage in their daily lives.
Reflecting on the Gospel of the Visitation, the Pope recalled the encounter between Mary and Elizabeth as a decisive moment in Mary’s vocation. The Magnificat, which sprang from that encounter, continues to echo “from generation to generation,” strengthening hope in the poor, the humble, and the makers of peace.
He encouraged the faithful to rediscover concrete gestures of solidarity and fraternity, just as Mary and Elizabeth “met in faith and supported one another.”
Pope Leo stressed that the Resurrection is not only our final destiny but also transforms our present life. Though “words and choices of death may seem to prevail,” he said, God’s life breaks through despair whenever human beings confront evil with good and death with life.
This experience of hope, he added, “should be found in every Christian community.” He cautioned that material comfort and complacency can dull the conscience and lead to resignation and fear. In contrast, he pointed to the poor, persecuted, and peacemakers of today as the true joy of the Church and the first fruits of the Kingdom.
Concluding his homily, the Holy Father urged the faithful to recognize in Mary’s Assumption the promise that Christ’s victory over death belongs to all who embrace God’s call. Mary, he said, is a “wondrous union of grace and freedom” that urges each person to trust, be courageous, and actively participate in the life of God’s people.
“Let us not be afraid to choose life,” he concluded. “It may seem risky and imprudent, but this alone spreads life and lets life prevail. Our victory over death begins here and now.”
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