Caring for others, serving life is the ‘supreme law,’ pope says

By Carol Glatz, Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — Serving life by caring for others is “the supreme law” that comes before all of society’s rules, Pope Leo XIV said.

“Imitating the example of Jesus, the Savior of the world, we too are called to bring consolation and hope, above all to those who are experiencing discouragement and disappointment,” he said before reciting the Angelus with thousands of visitors gathered in the square in front of the papal summer villa of Castel Gandolfo July 13.

Pope Leo arrived at the small hilltop town south of Rome July 6 for a brief vacation until July 20. He celebrated Mass in the Church of St. Thomas of Villanova July 13, and then recited the noonday prayer from the steps in front of the papal villa under a sky that oscillated between dark rainy clouds and bright bursts of sun.

In his reflection before the prayer, Pope Leo spoke about the human yearning for eternal life, that is, “for salvation, for an existence free from failure, evil and death.”

Eternal life is “not something to be gained by force, begged for or negotiated,” he said. It is something to be “inherited” by God alone, as parents do with their children.

“That is why Jesus tells us that, in order to receive God’s gift, we must do his will,” the pope said, which is to love “the Lord your God with all your heart” and “your neighbor as yourself.”

“In order to live eternally, we do not need to cheat death, but to serve life, by caring for others in this, our time together,” the pope said. “That is the supreme law that is prior to all society’s rules and gives them their meaning.”

“God’s will is the law of life that the Father himself was the first to follow, by loving us unconditionally in his Son, Jesus,” Pope Leo said.

Jesus “shows us the meaning of authentic love for God and for others,” he said. “It is a love that is generous, not possessive; a love that forgives without question; a love that reaches out and never abandons others.”

“In Christ, God made himself a neighbor to each and every man and woman. That is why each of us can and should become a neighbor to all whom we meet,” he said.

By opening one’s heart to God’s will, he said, “we will become artisans of peace every day of our lives.”

After greeting the many groups present in the square, including members of the pastoral community of Blessed Augustine of Tarano from the Colegio S. Augustin in Chiclayo, Peru, the pope shook hands with a number of special guests who were by the wooden barricades between the villa’s entrance and the square.

It was the first Angelus address at the summer villa by Pope Leo, who returned to the tradition of taking a summer break at the villa in Castel Gandolfo.

Pope Francis, instead, had spent his summers residing at the Vatican and had led just one Angelus from the papal villa July 14, 2013.

Rather than giving his address from the villa’s balcony, like his predecessors, Pope Francis had addressed the crowd at street level from the open front door of the villa. Pope Leo did the same.

“Dear brothers and sisters, I am pleased to be with you here in Castel Gandolfo,” Pope Leo said to great applause and cheers. He greeted those present and thanked “all of you for your warm welcome.”