In a Christmas Day message, Pope Leo XIV said that “responsibility is the sure way to peace,” and that “if all of us, at every level, would stop accusing others and instead acknowledge our own faults, asking God for forgiveness, and if we would truly enter into the suffering of others and stand in solidarity with the weak and the oppressed, then the world would change.”
Pope Leo, the first pontiff from the U.S. (and a reported Chicago White Sox fan) also discussed the birth of Jesus Christ, the event celebrated on Christmas. He noted that Jesus “was not welcomed, and a poor manger for animals was his crib,” when his mother, Mary was not allowed in an inn.
“The eternal Word of the Father whom the heavens cannot contain chose to come into the world in this way,” said the pope. “Out of love, he wanted to be born of a woman and so share our humanity; out of love, he accepted poverty and rejection, identifying himself with those who are discarded and excluded.”
He also said that: Jesus Christ is our peace first of all because he frees us from sin, and also because he shows us the way to overcome conflicts – all conflicts, whether interpersonal or international.”
At the close of a year when the Israel-Hamas War has continued in the Middle East, resulting in dire humanitarian aid issues in Gaza, as well as the continuation of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Pope Leo offered prayers for people impacted by both conflicts. Additionally, he called for peace around the world, citing other conflicts as well as natural disasters.
Earlier this year, Audacy reported that the pope also said that there needs to be “deep reflection,” regarding immigration policies in the U.S.
“In becoming man, Jesus took upon himself our fragility, identifying with each one of us: with those who have nothing left and have lost everything, like the inhabitants of Gaza; with those who are prey to hunger and poverty, like the Yemeni people; with those who are fleeing their homeland to seek a future elsewhere, like the many refugees and migrants who cross the Mediterranean or traverse the American continent; with those who have lost their jobs and those who are looking for work, like so many young people who struggle to find employment; with those who are exploited, like many underpaid workers; with those in prison, who often live in inhumane conditions,” Pope Leo said.