Pope Leo has urged Catholics to “disarm” their language this Lent, calling on believers to abstain from harsh words and rash judgment.
In his Lenten message for 2026, the pope called on Christians to open themselves to listening, fasting and community, placing God back at the centre of their lives.
“Let us begin by disarming our language, avoiding harsh words and rash judgment, refraining from slander and speaking ill of those who are not present and cannot defend themselves,” he said.
“Instead, let us strive to measure our words and cultivate kindness and respect in our families, among our friends, at work, on social media, in political debates, in the media and in Christian communities.”
The pope also encouraged Christians to cultivate an openness to listening to God and to those around them. He urged compassion for the poor, whose struggles, he said, challenge “our lives and economic systems, as well as the Church”.
On Ash Wednesday, Pope Leo asked Catholics to ask the Lord for “the gift of true conversion” at the start of the 40-day penitential season of Lent.
The pope encouraged people to approach Lent as a time of “conversion of heart” so that “we may better respond to His love for us and share that love with those around us.”
“At the beginning of Lent, I urge you to live this liturgical season with an intense spirit of prayer so that you may arrive, inwardly renewed, at the celebration of the great mystery of Christ’s Resurrection, the supreme revelation of God’s merciful love,” Pope Leo added in Italian at the close of the audience on a sunny winter day in Rome.
The Pope led a procession on Rome’s Aventine Hill from the Benedictine Basilica of Sant’Anselmo to the Dominican Basilica of Santa Sabina on Ash Wednesday, marking the beginning of Lent.
(Picture Courtesy: Reuters)
