Pope at Audience: God Forgives, Lifts Up, and Restores Trust

Vatican, 1 October, 2025: During his weekly General Audience at the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV reminded the faithful that God forgives without resentment, lifts up those who are broken, and restores trust. He encouraged believers to look to Christ as the perfect example of moving beyond wounds without bitterness and cultivating inner peace.

Christ’s Resurrection remains the source of hope, the Pope said during his Wednesday catechesis in the series Jesus Christ Our Hope. He began by recalling that the heart of our faith and the centre of our hope are rooted in Christ’s Resurrection.

The Pope highlighted that the mystery of the Resurrection surprises not only because the Son of God rose from the dead, but also because of the manner in which He did so. "Indeed, Jesus’ Resurrection is not a bombastic triumph, nor is it revenge or retaliation against his enemies," he reflected. Instead, "It is a wonderful testimony to how love is capable of rising again after a great defeat in order to continue its unstoppable journey."

How Human Responses Differ from God’s

Pope Leo observed that human reactions often differ from Christ’s. "When we get up again after a trauma caused by others, often the first reaction is anger, the desire to make someone pay for what we have suffered." In contrast, the Risen One emerges from death without seeking revenge. "He does not return with gestures of power, but rather with meekness he manifests the joy of a love greater than any wound and stronger than any betrayal."

Not Paralyzed by Fear

Jesus does not assert His superiority but appears to His friends with discretion, respecting their capacity to accept Him. He seeks communion, helping them overcome guilt. In the Upper Room, He entered the closed space of those paralysed by fear, bringing them a gift beyond expectation: peace.

‘Peace Be With You’

The Pope reflected on the simplicity of Jesus’ greeting, "Peace be with you!" and its profound gesture: showing His hands and side, bearing the marks of the Passion. There is no hint of resentment; the Risen Lord is fully reconciled with His suffering. These wounds do not reproach but affirm that God’s love surpasses betrayal and failure. "Even in the moment of our failure, God did not retreat. He did not give up on us."

Transfiguring Wounds into Mercy

While human beings may dismiss betrayals with phrases like "it doesn’t matter" or "it is all in the past," true peace eludes us. Jesus, however, offers His wounds as proof of forgiveness, showing that Resurrection transforms the past into a hope of mercy rather than erasing it.

God Forgives and Restores Trust

Through words of peace, Christ entrusted the Apostles with the mission of reconciliation, breathing the Holy Spirit upon them—the same Spirit that sustained Him in obedience and love to the Cross. From that moment, they could no longer remain silent about the reality that "God forgives, lifts up, and restores trust."

We Are Sent to Bear Witness

Pope Leo concluded by underlining that the Church’s mission is not to wield power but to share the joy of God’s love, given even when undeserved. This strength enabled Christian communities to grow. "The Lord shows us His wounds and says: Peace be with you," the Pope reminded, urging the faithful to be witnesses of His peace in the world.

Courtesy: Vatican News