In his Apostolic Exhortation Dilexi Te, Pope Leo XIV reminds us that our love for God is shown most truly in how we love the poor. In their faces, we meet Christ himself — wounded, hopeful, and calling us to compassion.
The Holy Father challenges the false promise of happiness found in wealth and comfort, and urges us to find true joy in mercy, solidarity, and service. He reminds us that following Christ means opening our hearts to those who suffer and allowing their stories to shape our own.
“Love for the Lord, then, is one with love for the poor… This is not a matter of mere human kindness but a revelation: contact with those who are lowly and powerless is a fundamental way of encountering the Lord of history. In the poor, he continues to speak to us.” (Dilexi Te, 5)
“On the wounded faces of the poor, we see the suffering of the innocent and, therefore, the suffering of Christ himself.” (Dilexi Te, 9)
“The illusion of happiness derived from a comfortable life pushes many people towards a vision of life centered on the accumulation of wealth and social success at all costs, even at the expense of others and by taking advantage of unjust social ideals and political-economic systems that favor the strongest. (Dilexi Te, 11)
May we be moved to recognize the face of Jesus in our brothers and sisters, especially the least, the forgotten, and the suffering.