His Holiness Pope Leo XIV at Angelus: Believe as Mary believed, say ‘yes’ to God

On the Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV prays the Angelus and invites the faithful to believe as Mary did, and to welcome Christ into their lives.

By Isabella H. de Carvalho

On Monday, December 8, Solemnity of the Immaculate Conception, His Holiness Pope Leo XIV encouraged the faithful to believe in God as the Blessed Virgin Mary did and thus give “our generous assent to the mission to which the Lord calls us”.

He spoke to the crowds gathered in St. Peter’s Square for the recitation of the Angelus Prayer on this feast day, where the Church celebrates how Mary, at the moment of her conception, was preserved from original sin by a unique grace from God, given in view of the future merits of Christ’s redemption.

“The ‘yes’ of the Mother of the Lord is wonderful, but so also can ours be, renewed each day faithfully, with gratitude, humility and perseverance, in prayer and in concrete acts of love, from the most extraordinary gestures to the most mundane and ordinary efforts and acts of service,” the Pope emphasized.

“In this way, Christ can be known, welcomed and loved everywhere, and salvation can come to everyone.”

The Pope leaves us free to accept what he gives us

In his address, the Pope highlighted how the Lord gave the Virgin Mary “the extraordinary grace of a completely pure heart” in light of the coming of Christ. As the Angel Gabriel greeted her by saying “Hail, full of grace: the Lord is with you,” she discovered and welcomed her mission “with the wonder typical of the humble,” the Pope continued.

“With faith she responded with her ‘yes’: ‘Behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word’,” the Pope explained, citing the Gospel of Luke, verse 38.

He emphasized how this grace was able to bear fruit in Mary “because she, in her freedom, welcomed it, embracing the plan of God.” “The Lord always acts in this way: he gives us great gifts, but he leaves us free to accept them or not,” the Pope insisted.

He, in fact, cited St. Augustine, who said “we also believe, because that which came to be [in her] can also benefit us.” Pope Leo thus encouraged the faithful to believe simply as the Blessed Virgin did and welcome whatever mission God calls one to…

This report was originally published on the Website of Vatican News. Please click here to read the full text.