Ahead of Lent 2026, Pope Leo XIV has urged Catholics to embrace listening, fasting, and community, highlighting the importance of abstaining from words that harm others to make room for hope and peace.
In his Lenten message released on Friday, the Pope encouraged believers to practice a “practical and often overlooked form of abstinence”: refraining from language that offends or hurts neighbors.
Lent, beginning on Ash Wednesday, February 18, offers Christians a chance to place God at the center of their lives. Pope Leo emphasized that every journey of conversion starts by allowing God’s word to touch the heart, renewing commitment to follow Christ through His passion, death, and resurrection.
The Pope stressed the value of listening—both to God and to those around us—as a pathway to authentic relationships. Sacred Scripture, he noted, guides Christians to respond to the cries of those who are suffering and marginalized.
Fasting, he said, helps believers recognize their true needs and hunger for justice, purifying desires and directing them toward God and good deeds. He cautioned that fasting should be approached with humility and faith, not pride, and that other forms of self-denial can also cultivate a sober, reflective lifestyle.
A major focus of Pope Leo’s message was the power of words. He encouraged Christians to “disarm” their language, avoiding harsh or slanderous speech, and instead cultivate kindness and respect in families, workplaces, social media, politics, and religious communities. By doing so, words of hatred can give way to expressions of hope and peace.
The Pope highlighted that listening and fasting are communal practices, meant to be experienced in parishes, families, and Christian communities. By responding to the needs of the poor and committing to conversion, believers can improve relationships and live with greater awareness of justice and reconciliation.
Pope Leo XIV concluded his message by calling on Christian communities to become welcoming spaces for those who suffer, urging all to practice fasting that extends to speech, ensuring that harmful words are replaced by understanding and compassion.
