In the Feb. 15 Angelus message in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Leo XIV offered a powerful reflection on the Gospel from the Sermon on the Mount (Mt 5:17–37), calling Catholics to move beyond a “minimal righteousness” and embrace the radical love at the heart of God’s Kingdom.
“In order to guide us on this journey, he reveals the true meaning of the precepts of the Law of Moses,” the Pontiff remarked. “They are not meant to satisfy an external religious need of feeling ‘righteous’ before God, but to bring us into a relationship of love with God and with our brothers and sisters. For this reason, Jesus says that he did not come to abolish the Law, but to bring it to fulfillment (cf. v. 17).”
What fulfills the Law – what is true righteousness – is love, Jesus said, the Pope explained. Jesus’ striking contrasts—“You have heard it said… but I say to you”—between the scribes’ and Pharisees’ “formal religious righteousness” and the righteousness of the Kingdom of God reveal this deeper call.
“This approach is very important, because it shows that the Law was given to Moses and the prophets as a way to come to know God and his plan for us and for history or, to use an expression of Saint Paul, as a pedagogue who guided us to him (cf. Gal 3:23-25),” the Pope explained. “But now, God himself, in the person of Jesus, has come among us, bringing the Law to fulfillment, making us children of the Father and giving us the grace to enter into a relationship with him as children and as brothers and sisters among ourselves.”
Pope Leo also noted Jesus’ teaching that it is not enough to avoid physical violence if we wound others with our words. It is not enough to avoid adultery if a marriage lacks tenderness, respect, and shared purpose. The righteousness of the Kingdom demands interior conversion, a transformation of the heart.
The Pontiff encouraged those gathered to join him in asking the Blessed Mother to pray for the faithful.
“May she intercede for us, help us to understand better the Kingdom of God and to live out its call for righteousness,” he said.
After the Angelus, Pope Leo shared how his heart went out to the people of Madagascar, who have recently suffered through two cyclones, flooding and landslides. Cyclone Gezani, which struck the country on Feb. 10, killing at least 38 people and injuring at least 374, according to officials, Vatican News reported Feb. 15.
The Pontiff also extended warm wishes to millions celebrating the Lunar New Year across East Asia and beyond, praying that the festivities strengthen family bonds and foster peace.
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