Pope Leo XIV emphasized the importance of emptying oneself to allow God’s action in personal lives during a December 29 audience with pilgrims from St. Thomas of Villanova Parish in Alcalá de Henares, Spain. The event took place in the context of the Jubilee Year of Hope, which the Holy Father described as “a particularly significant time for the Church”.
The Pope recalled the figure of St. Thomas of Villanova, an Augustinian Spanish bishop, highlighting his openness to God’s action and intense spiritual life. “In his life and in his writings, he reveals to us an unceasing search for continuous prayer; that is, a holy restlessness to be in God’s presence at every moment,” Pope Leo said.
The pontiff encouraged the faithful to recognize their talents and put them at the service of the community, citing St. Thomas’s sobriety, simplicity, selfless labor, and apostolic zeal. He also emphasized the saint’s love for the poor, reminding the pilgrims that “the poor are not only someone to be helped but the sacramental presence of the Lord”.