Pope Leo XIV: Death is ‘a hope for the future’ Celebrating Mass for the Commemoration of All the Faithful Departed at Rome\u2019s Verano Cemetery, Pope Leo XIV invited Catholics to contemplate death \u201cnot so much as a recollection of the past, but above all as a hope for the future.\u201d The pope said the Christian vision of death is not one of despair or nostalgia but of confident expectation rooted in the resurrection of Christ. \u201cOur Christian faith, founded upon Christ\u2019s Paschal mystery, helps us to experience our memories as more than just a recollection of the past but also, and above all, as hope for the future,\u201d he said in his homily. He encouraged the faithful not to remain \u201cin the sorrow for those who are no longer with us,\u201d but instead to look forward \u201ctowards the goal of our journey, towards the safe harbor that God has promised us, towards the unending feast that awaits us.\u201d \u201cThis hope for the future brings to life our remembrance and prayer today,\u201d the pope continued. \u201cThis is not an illusion for soothing the pain of our separation from loved ones, nor is it mere human optimism. Instead, it is the hope founded on the Resurrection of Jesus who has conquered death and opened for us the path to the fullness of life.\u201d Pope Leo emphasized that love is the key to this journey. \u201cIt was out of love that God created us, through the love of his Son that he saves us from death, and in the joy of that same love, he desires that we live forever with him and with our loved ones,\u201d he said. He urged Christians to anticipate eternal life by practicing charity in their daily lives. \u201cWhenever we dwell in love and show charity to others, especially the weakest and most needy, then we can journey towards our goal, and even now anticipate it through an unbreakable bond with those who have gone before us.\u201d \u201cLove conquers death,\u201d he said simply. \u201cIn love, God will gather us together with our loved ones. And, if we journey together in charity, our very lives become a prayer rising up to God, uniting us with the departed, drawing us closer to them as we await to meet them again in the joy of eternal life.\u201d Concluding his homily, the pope invited those mourning loved ones to turn to the Risen Christ as their sure source of comfort and promise. \u201cEven as our sorrow for those no longer among us remains etched in our hearts, let us entrust ourselves to the hope that does not disappoint,\u201d he said. \u201cLet us fix our gaze upon the Risen Christ and think of our departed loved ones as enfolded in his light.\u201d \u201cThe Lord awaits us,\u201d he added. \u201cAnd when we finally meet him at the end of our earthly journey, we shall rejoice with him and with our loved ones who have gone before us. May this promise sustain us, dry our tears, and raise our gaze upwards toward the hope for the future that never fades.\u201d This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA\u2019s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA. Receive the most important news from EWTN Vatican via WhatsApp. It has become increasingly difficult to see Catholic news on social media. Subscribe to our free channel today EWTN Vatican on WhatsApp Diego L\u00f3pez Col\u00edn Would you like to receive the latest updates on the Pope and the Vatican Receive articles and updates from our EWTN Newsletter. More news related to this article Pope Francis Remains In Critical Condition At Rome hospital, Receives Blood Transfusion For the First Time in Synod’s History, Over 50 Women to Participate as Voters Vatican News: Pope Francis announces Church\u2019s first World Day of Children The Sacred Home of Mary in Loreto Pope Francis: Do not abandon grandparents and elderly; remain close to them 5 Holy Doors: What Every Catholic Should Know Ahead of Jubilee 2025<\/p>\n