At the Chrism Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica, Pope Leo XIV invites priests, bishops, and all Christians to embrace their challenges with trust in God and “spread the fragrance of Christ where the stench of death reigns.”
By Devin Watkins Pope Leo XIV presided at the Chrism Mass on Holy Thursday in St. Peter’s Basilica, joined by hundreds of bishops and priests who renewed the promises they made at their ordination. In his first homily for the Chrism Mass as the Bishop of Rome, the Pope reflected on the mission to which God calls every Christian, which he said is the very same mission as that of Jesus. “Each of us takes part in it according to our own vocation in a deeply personal obedience to the voice of the Spirit, yet never without others, never neglecting or breaking communion!” he said. Ahead of the Easter Triduum, which begins with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper later on Holy Thursday, Pope Leo said the culmination of the Christian liturgical year has the power to transform human pride, heal wounds, reconcile us, and gather us together. The Holy Father went on to reflect on three aspects of the Christian mission: detachment, encounter, and the possibility of misunderstanding and rejection. As members of Christ’s Body, Christians—and especially ordained ministers—are sent out in service of His people, which requires us to leave behind attachments that are familiar and certain so that we can venture into something new. “There is no mission without reconciliation with our past, with the gifts and limitations of the upbringing we have received,” he said. “But, at the same time, there is no peace without setting out, no awareness without detachment, no joy without risk.” In self-emptying, we discover a fundamental secret of mission, which is that everything we let go of is given back to us multiplied in ways we cannot imagine. Pope Leo XIV then spoke about “the law of encounter,” which he said has often been distorted historically by a desire for domination. “It is now a priority to remember that neither in the pastoral sphere nor in the social and political spheres can good come from abuse of power,” he said. Many great missionaries have borne witness, he said, to “quiet, unobtrusive approaches, whose method is the sharing of life, selfless service, the renunciation of any calculated strategy, dialogue and respect.” The Holy Spirit makes Jesus present to His priests, working harder and better than they do and teaching them to welcome and follow Christ, he said. “To establish this harmony with the transcendent,” he said, “we must go where we are sent with simplicity, respecting the mystery that every person and every community carries within them.” Christians are guests, wherever they are, added the Pope, noting that in places where secularization has taken hold, we must learn to learn ways to communicate the Gospel of Jesus effectively. Pope Leo then turned to the possibility of being misunderstood or rejected, which he said is the most radical element of the Christian mission. Accepting the cross is an essential part of mission and has the power to bring true transformation to society and ourselves. “The imperialist occupation of the world is thus disrupted from within; the violence that until now has been the law is unmasked,” he said. “The poor, imprisoned, rejected Messiah descends into the darkness of death, yet in so doing he brings a new creation to light.” Even when we experience failure or our own shortcomings, we must learn to trust that God’s grace will help us to face unforseen circumstances, as the saints have before us. In conclusion, Pope Leo XIV urged Christians to overcome any sense of powerlessness or fear as we proclaim Christ’s death and resurrection. “In this dark hour of history,” he said, “it has pleased God to send us to spread the fragrance of Christ where the stench of death reigns. Let us renew our ‘yes’ to this mission that calls for unity and brings peace.”