As I write this message, I cannot still help but feel the joy and hope in my heart at recognizing God’s grace in giving us a new pope, Leo XIV. I firmly believe that the Holy Spirit guided the hearts and minds of the Cardinals in electing him during the Conclave. Thank God, with Pope Leo XIV’s leadership, we continue to walk together as pilgrims of hope, armed with the power of the Holy Spirit to proclaim the Gospel of Love, Life, and Mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ to all people, near and far, reaching out to the “peripheries” of the world, as Pope Francis urged us to do.
In his first Mass as pope in the Sistine Chapel on the Friday morning following his election, Pope Leo XIV shared this message with the Cardinals:
“I want to repeat the words from the Responsorial Psalm: ‘I will sing a new song to the Lord, because He has done marvels,’ and indeed, not just with me but with all of us. My brother Cardinals, as we celebrate this morning, I invite you to reflect on the marvels the Lord has done, and the blessings that He continues to pour out on all of us through the Ministry of Peter.”
This is the same sentiment I would like to share with you, my dear parishioners. I urge you to recognize God’s marvelous works in your lives so that, with deep gratitude, you can respond to His call to know, love, and serve Him. You are not just called to succeed in any profession and to make money, but also to serve your family, the Church, and especially those in need and marginalized in our society. You are called to spread His love and mercy, and to share your faith and hope in Him with a world beset by deep division, war, greed, materialism, and corruption. God calls us to this greater mission, and I hope we all keep reminding ourselves and one another of it.
I have great hope for our Church, especially as I see more young people recognizing their thirst for God and for something deeper and more meaningful in life. They understand that it’s the Joy of the Gospel, the Person of Jesus Christ—the Pearl of Great Price—that can fill their “hunger” and quench their “thirst.” Therefore, I ask you, families, to foster our Christian faith by following God’s commandments, living the Gospel, and proclaiming it without hesitation, shame, or fear. Do not get lost in the materialistic illusions of this world. Respond to the hungers of your heart, and, as Pope Leo XIV proclaimed from the balcony of the Vatican on his election, let us be courageous in bringing peace and unity among us. His words must reverberate in our homes, schools, neighborhoods, churches, and society:
“Therefore, without fear, united hand in hand with God and among ourselves, we move forward. We are disciples of Christ. Christ precedes us. The world needs His light. Humanity needs Him as the bridge to allow it to be reached by God and His love. Help us, too, and help each other to build bridges, with dialogue, with meetings, uniting us all to be one people, always in peace.”
The plea of Jesus in today’s Gospel is also one that we must always keep in mind:
“I give you a new commandment: love one another. As I have loved you, so you also should love one another. This is how all will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.”
In Christ’s love,
Fr. Rodel “Odey” Balagtas
* * *
The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints expressed by the author do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Asian Journal, its management, editorial board and staff.
* * *
Fr. Rodel “Odey” Balagtas is the pastor of Incarnation Church in Glendale, California
