Practice penance generously during Lent, Pope tells pilgrims
February 22, 2026
Pope Leo XIV encouraged pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square for today’s midday Angelus address to “practice penance generously” during Lent (video).
Reflecting on Matthew 4:1-11, the Gospel reading of the First Sunday of Lent, Pope Leo said that “after fasting for forty days, [Jesus] feels the weight of his humanity: physically, through hunger, and morally, through the devil’s temptations.”
“In this, he experiences the same struggle we all face on our journey,” Pope Leo continued. “By resisting the evil one, he demonstrates how we, too, can overcome the devil’s deception and snares.”
The Pope explained:
Through this Word of life, the liturgy invites us to view Lent as a luminous path. By means of prayer, fasting and almsgiving, we can renew our cooperation with the Lord in the crafting of our lives as a unique masterpiece. This involves allowing him to cleanse the stains and heal the wounds of sin, as we commit to letting our lives blossom in beauty until they attain the fullness of love—the only source of true happiness.
Pope Leo acknowledged that “there is always the risk of discouragement or of being drawn to easier paths to satisfaction, such as wealth, fame and power (cf. Mt 4:3–8). These temptations, which Jesus himself faced, are merely poor substitutes for the joy for which we were created.” Thus, “while penance makes us aware of our limitations, it also grants us the strength to overcome them and to live, with God’s help, in deeper communion with him and with one another.”
“In this time of grace, let us therefore practice penance generously, alongside prayer and works of mercy,” the Pope added. “Let us create space for silence by turning off televisions, radios and cell phones for a while. Let us meditate on the Word of God, approach the Sacraments, and listen to the voice of the Holy Spirit who speaks to us in our heart. Let us also listen to one another—in our families, workplaces and communities. Let us dedicate time to those who are alone, especially the elderly, the poor and the sick.”
The Pontiff concluded:
By giving up what is superfluous, we can share what we save with those in need. Then, as Saint Augustine taught, our prayer offered in this way—“in humility and charity, by fasting and giving, by restraining ourselves and pardoning, by paying out good deeds and not paying back bad ones, by turning away from evil and doing good” (Sermons, 206, 3)—will reach heaven and give us peace. We entrust our Lenten journey to the Virgin Mary, our Mother who always assists her children in times of trial.
Pope Leo then recited, in Latin, the Angelus, the Minor Doxology (three times), and the prayer for the faithful departed, before imparting his blessing.
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