Can the Lenten season truly transform the human heart and lead us towards a more profound understanding of faith? Pope Francis believes it can, emphasizing the power of hope and the transformative journey of conversion as central to this sacred time.
In his message for Lent 2025, Pope Francis paints a vivid picture of the Lenten journey as a shared pilgrimage, a time to reflect on our lives and to open ourselves to the grace of God. The Pope encourages the faithful to use this period as an opportunity for profound self-examination, asking ourselves if we are ready to answer Gods call to change and to walk together in peace and hope. The message, delivered despite the challenges of his hospitalization, is filled with inspiration and offers a guiding light for all who seek a deeper relationship with Christ. Dated February 6, 2025, and made public on February 25, it serves as a call to action, urging Catholics to focus on the essential pillars of conversion, unity, and hope.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Jorge Mario Bergoglio |
| Born | December 17, 1936, Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| Nationality | Argentine |
| Education | Master's degree in Chemistry, Philosophy, and Theology |
| Ordained | December 13, 1969, as a priest |
| Episcopal Ordination | June 27, 1992, as Auxiliary Bishop of Buenos Aires |
| Elevation to Cardinal | February 21, 2001, by Pope John Paul II |
| Elected Pope | March 13, 2013 |
| Pontificate Theme | "Miserando atque eligendo" ("Having mercy and choosing") |
| Key Initiatives | Emphasis on mercy, concern for the poor, environmental protection, and synodality |
| Notable Encyclicals | "Lumen Fidei" (2013) (with Pope Benedict XVI) "Evangelii Gaudium" (2013) "Laudato si'" (2015) "Fratelli Tutti" (2020) |
| Website | Vatican Website |
The upcoming Lenten season is, as Pope Francis reminds us, more than just a time of sacrifice; it is also a time of profound hope. He encourages us to look forward to the Resurrection, the culmination of our faith. In his message for Lent 2025, the Pope underlines the need for Christians to identify with the hardships of others, particularly migrants, and to embrace the compassion that comes from recognizing our shared humanity. He emphasizes the importance of living a life of constant conversion, choosing to walk in peace and hope alongside our fellow human beings.
The theme of "journeying together in hope" resonates throughout Pope Francis's messages, and is central to his understanding of the Lenten experience. This is not just a solitary endeavor; it is a shared pilgrimage. This is reflected in the Popes call for the Church to embrace synodalityto walk together, to listen to each other, and to strive for a deeper understanding of God's will for us. As such, the Lenten season becomes an opportunity to deepen our relationships with God and with one another, fostering a spirit of fraternity, justice, and peace.
Pope Francis, in his messages, draws a clear parallel to the Israelites' journey from slavery to freedom as described in the Book of Exodus. He urges the faithful to view the Lenten season as a time of spiritual pilgrimage, a passage from the chains of sin to the freedom offered by Christ. He emphasizes the message of the Jubilee, stating that "the hope that does not disappoint" should be the focus of our journey toward the victory of Easter. This hope, rooted in the unconditional love that Pope Benedict XVI spoke of in Spe Salvi, is the bedrock upon which our faith is built.
The annual Lenten pilgrimage begins with the penitential rite of the imposition of ashes, a stark reminder of our mortality and the need for repentance. The Church invites us to open our hearts to Gods grace, allowing us to celebrate with joy the Paschal victory of Christ over sin and death. The Pope reminds us that Lent must be lived intensely, allowing us to become instruments of peace, fraternity, and justice, reflecting the core of the Gospel message.
The Popes Lenten message for 2024 centered on the Book of Exodus, drawing the faithful's attention to the theme Through the desert God leads us to freedom. This focus underscores the Lenten journey as one from bondage to spiritual renewal and liberty, a profound message of hope amid difficulty. The season of Lent, beginning with Ash Wednesday on March 5 and ending on Holy Thursday, April 17, in the year 2025, provides a specific time frame to dedicate oneself to this spiritual practice.
Pope Francis underscores that Lent is not just a time for individual introspection but also a time to consider the community aspect of faith. He reminds us of the importance of the synodal journey walking together. He encourages us to review our individual relationships with God, recognizing that faith can be more than outward appearances. In the midst of this period, we are called to walk with compassion, acknowledging the difficulties faced by those who are struggling. Through reflection and prayer, we must open ourselves to the promise of eternal life.
Pope Francis's words encourage us to look upon Lent as a time to renew our relationship with God, as each individual and the entire Church move forward together. He underscores that Lent is a time of grace (2 Cor 6:2), where God gives us much before asking of us.
In 2023, the Holy Fathers Lenten message focused on Lenten penance and the synodal journey, aligning the period of reflection with the need for the church to walk together. This period of reflection is an excellent opportunity to examine key Christian values, such as prayer, fasting, and almsgiving. The episode of the Transfiguration of Jesus, as recounted in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, offers a model for this season.
The Pope reminds us that Lent is a time for prayer, including more intense, prolonged, and assiduous prayer, addressing the needs of our brethren. He encourages intercessory prayer to intercede before God for those in situations of poverty and suffering, and the second key element of the Lenten journey is fasting.
The act of penance and sacrifice during Lent is not an end in itself, but a means to an end a way of opening ourselves to God's grace and allowing ourselves to be transformed by it. It calls us to be less self-absorbed and more attuned to the needs of others, especially those who are marginalized and suffering.
As we begin this new Lenten season, let us embrace Pope Francis's call to journey together in hope. Let us use this time to reflect, to pray, to fast, and to give alms. Let us strive to live our lives as a constant journey of conversion, choosing to walk in peace and hope, always mindful of the victory of Easter that awaits us.
