At today’s general audience in St. Peter’s Square, August 6, 2025, Pope Leo XIV delivered a catechesis on the Gospel of Mark 14:12-15. In this passage, the apostles ask Jesus where they should prepare the Passover meal. The Lord responds not only with instruction, but with a revelation: the room has already been prepared.
Pope Leo reflected on this moment with particular attention to the word “prepare.” It was not merely the apostles who made arrangements. Jesus Himself had already seen to every detail. The Holy Father explained that this act of preparation speaks to the heart of God’s relationship with each of us. Before we are even aware of our needs, God is preparing a place for us. This is not only true of physical spaces or material circumstances, but most especially of our hearts. God is continually at work, readying room within us to receive His grace, His presence, and His peace.
Our task, Pope Leo said, is not to initiate this work on our own, but to recognize and receive it with trust. God prepares, but He does not impose. His grace never overrides our freedom. Rather, it invites us to respond freely, with faith and responsibility. The Holy Father reminded the faithful that every time we attend the Holy Mass and receive the Eucharist, we are not merely fulfilling an obligation. We are entering into a moment that has already been lovingly prepared by Christ Himself. In turn, we are invited to become extensions of His will through the kindness, generosity, and friendship we show to others.
Pope Leo then offered a series of questions to guide the faithful in reflection: What spaces in my life need to be prepared for the Lord? Where am I being called to take the first step? To trust, to forgive, to let go?
These are not abstract questions. They call for concrete answers, lived out in daily life. The Lord, Pope Leo said, desires that we become humble preparers of His presence in the world. He is always ready to be received, but He entrusts to us the responsibility of making that welcome possible in our homes, our relationships, and our communities.
Toward the end of the audience, the Holy Father paused to acknowledge the historical weight of the day. Today marks the 80th anniversary of the bombing of Hiroshima. Pope Leo offered prayers and blessings for all who were affected physically, mentally, or socially. He spoke solemnly, saying, “Those tragic events remain a universal warning against the devastation caused by war, and particularly by nuclear weapons.” Instead of turning to war, turn to Our Lord and help Him to instill peace in our hearts and in the hearts of our enemies.
As the audience concluded, the message was clear: in a world that often forgets to prepare for what is holy, the Church is called to remember. God is preparing us for Himself. May we prepare a place for Him in return.