Fresh from formally taking possession of the Basilica of St. John Lateran—his cathedral as the Bishop of Rome—Pope Leo XIV delivered his first General Audience in this new role on Wednesday morning, continuing his series of catecheses on the parables of the Gospel. Today’s reflection focused on one of the most beloved and challenging parables: the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25–37).

The Holy Father opened by recalling the context of the parable: a lawyer asks Jesus what he must do to inherit eternal life. Jesus responds by redefining what it means to be a “neighbor,” revealing that the path to eternal life is paved not with self-focus but with compassion and encounter. In the busyness of our modern lives, Pope Leo noted, it’s easy to believe we don’t have time to stop for others. But busy-ness, he emphasized, does not excuse a lack of compassion.

Our lives are made up of encounters, Pope Leo said. It is in these encounters, especially with the fragile and wounded, that we discover who we really are. He challenged the faithful to consider their response when faced with the suffering of others: Do we cross to the other side of the road, or do we draw near with mercy?

The Pope drew a powerful parallel between the injured traveler in the parable and those in our world who have been stripped of their dignity, security, or hope. Sometimes, we are the ones left wounded in the open. In both giving and receiving compassion, we come to know ourselves more deeply and allow God to work through us.

At the heart of the message was a Christological insight: Christ himself is the Good Samaritan—the one who comes close, who binds our wounds, and who pays the cost to restore us. But more than just recognizing Christ in the parable, Pope Leo urged the faithful to imitate him. When we stop to help others in need, we are allowing Christ to live through us.

This catechesis set the tone for a papacy deeply rooted in encounter, mercy, and the Gospel’s call to love our neighbor—not in theory, but in action. As the Holy Father continues to reflect on the parables, his words call each of us to examine our lives, our distractions, and our opportunities to be instruments of God’s compassion in a wounded world.