Ashley Noronha joined John Morales on Morning Air to reflect on Pope Leo’s most recent Wednesday General Audience, offered on the eve of Thanksgiving. Although the holiday belongs uniquely to the American experience, the Holy Father, formed by his Chicago upbringing, wove the spirit of gratitude into his teaching to his mostly Italian audience. He invited the Church to consider how thanksgiving naturally flows from the Pasch of Christ, since the Resurrection casts its light across every aspect of our lives.
At the heart of his address was the reminder that life itself is the most precious gift entrusted to us. The Paschal mystery reveals the true value of this gift, because Christ risen from the dead shows that life is meant to be lived with hope. The Holy Father acknowledged that challenges are woven into the human condition. No one chooses the burdens that arrive unannounced, yet each person bears the responsibility to face difficulties in a way that nurtures life rather than diminishes it. To live, he said, is to seek meaning, direction, and growth. These attitudes take root in hope, which becomes an interior strength that keeps us steady when suffering threatens to overwhelm us.
Pope Leo expressed concern for what he called a kind of spiritual illness spreading throughout the world, an illness marked by a diminishing confidence in the goodness of life. When this trust erodes, people forget that life carries a purpose that springs from God’s love. In response, the Pope urged the faithful to pray for renewed courage, the courage to live fully and to generate life wherever God places them. Christ is the model for this way of living, for the Lord embraced life even as he passed through death, and he now invites his disciples to share the same trust in the Father’s plan.
The Holy Father drew attention to the beauty of human love that welcomes new life into the world. A mother and father who receive a child with open hearts reflect God’s own tenderness, since no one loves life more than the Creator. Their generosity becomes a sign of the same divine love that brings hope into the world. In their fidelity, believers can recognize a daily reminder that life is always worth receiving and cherishing.
As he concluded, Pope Leo returned to the theme of hope, encouraging the Church to stand firm in the power of the Resurrection. Hope, he said, is not a vague feeling but the certainty that Christ has already gone before us. With this assurance, gratitude becomes more than a seasonal sentiment. It becomes a Christian posture, shaping how we face hardship, how we accompany others, and how we treasure the gift of life that God continues to sustain.