Pope Leo XIV: Tears Can Be the Most Powerful Prayer of All

On a rain-soaked morning in Rome, Pope Leo XIV addressed the faithful gathered in St. Peter's Square, reflecting on the deep spiritual value of tears.

 

Despite the inclement weather, the Holy Father made his way through the square, offering blessings, especially to children, before commencing his weekly catechesis.

 

He began by acknowledging that expressions of pain, much like those of Jesus during his final moments on the cross, are not signs of weakness but can embody desire, surrender, and prayer.

 

"At times, what we are unable to say in words, we express with the voice," Leo stated. "When the heart is full, it cries. And this is not always a sign of weakness; it can be a profound act of humanity."

 

He emphasized that while society often views crying as something to be repressed, the Gospel assigns immense value to our cries, portraying them as "an invocation, a protest, a desire, a surrender."

 

"It can even be the extreme form of prayer, when there are no words left," he continued.

 

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Addressing the pilgrims, many of whom were shielding themselves from the rain, Pope Leo reflected on the culmination of Jesus' earthly life: his death on the cross.

 

He highlighted that "on the cross, Jesus does not die in silence."

 

After fulfilling his mission, Jesus "uttered a loud cry and breathed his last." For the Holy Father, "that cry contains everything: pain, abandonment, faith, offering. It is not only the voice of a body giving way but the final sign of a life being surrendered."

 

Recalling Jesus' poignant question, "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?", Pope Leo noted that in that moment, Jesus experienced silence and absence. However, "it is not a crisis of faith but the final stage of a love that is given up to the very end."

 

"Jesus' cry is not desperation, but sincerity, truth taken to the limit, trust that endures even when all is silent," he emphasized.

 

He added that "it is there, in that broken man, that the greatest love manifests itself. It is there that we can recognize a God who does not remain distant but who traverses our pain to the very end."

 

The pope further explained that crying can be a "spiritual gesture," often being one's first act after birth and a means to stay alive.

 

"One cries when one suffers, but also when one loves, one calls, one invokes. To cry out is saying who we are, that we do not want to fade away in silence, that we still have something to offer," he added.

 

Leo encouraged the faithful not to suppress their tears, warning that keeping everything inside "can slowly consume us."

 

He insisted that "Jesus teaches us not to be afraid to cry out, as long as it is sincere, humble, addressed to the Father. A cry is never pointless if it is born of love."

 

Concluding his message, Pope Leo XIV urged the faithful to learn from the Lord to give a "cry of hope when the hour of extreme trial comes."

 

"Not to hurt, but to entrust ourselves. Not to shout at someone, but to open our hearts. If our cry is genuine, it can be the threshold of a new light, of a new birth," he said.

 

Following the audience, the pope took time to greet newlyweds and individuals with disabilities, including a young child in a wheelchair, in the Vatican's Paul VI Hall.

 

His words resonated deeply with those present, offering a profound perspective on the power of tears as a form of prayer and connection with the divine.

 

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