Pope Leo XIV invites us in this jubilee year to remember that hope is a source of joy at every age – and especially in old age, when it is supported by experience, faith, and a long journey through life. God, according to Scripture, often calls old people to important missions: Abraham and Sarah, Moses, Zechariah, and Elizabeth. Old age is not a barrier for Him, but an opportunity for a new blessing.
Today’s society, however, often overlooks older people, pushing them aside and leaving them in solitude. Therefore, the Pope calls for a “revolution of gratitude and care”: every parish, every community should become a place where older people feel welcome, needed, and loved. Visiting an elderly person is not just an act of kindness – it is a meeting with Christ, who is present in those who are weak, lonely, or forgotten.
The jubilee is a time of liberation – not just from sin, but also from isolation and indifference. Christian hope leads us to action, to renew relationships between generations. Young people need the witness of the elderly just as the elderly draw new strength from the love of their loved ones. Hope is born from relationships, from prayer, and from faith that endures even as the body weakens. We are all free to love, to pray, and to give ourselves to others.
Pope Leo XIV therefore encourages: especially in old age, let us persevere in trust in the Lord. Let us create unity in families, pray together, open our hearts to those in need, and joyfully pass on the faith we have lived. Thus, we will be a sign of hope for others and for the world at every age.
You can read the entire message here
