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Rome correspondent Ashley Noronha joins John Morales for Relevant in Rome, where she reports on the Holy Father’s recent General Audience – which centered around Jesus’ Agony in the Garden of Gethsemane.
Pope Leo XIV held his Wednesday General Audience inside Paul VI Hall because of significant heat in Rome. After the audience, he went to St. Peter’s Basilica to greet and thank those who could not fit inside.
His catechesis focused on Christ in Gethsemane. He said that Jesus did not go to the Cross out of frailty, but he gave up His life out of sincere love for us. The Pope described that love as mature and completely free. In the Gospel of John, we hear that Jesus bravely approached His hour. The Pope said, “Jesus had prepared His whole life for this dramatic and sublime hour”. The Lord certainly experienced trouble in His soul, but He still moved with courage.
Pope Leo explained what true hope truly is, and it doesn’t try to run away from pain or hardship. We are meant to love even in the midst of hardship or suffering. The Holy Father urged you to pray for the strength to not give up – to always love even when life is difficult.
He closed with a plea for peace in the Holy Land. He asked for a permanent ceasefire, the release of all hostages, full humanitarian access, and respect for international humanitarian law.