Pope Leon Calls Love Demanding of Detachment, Loss and Acceptance

During the Angelus prayer on St. Peter’s Square, Pope Leon taught that love can bear fruit only when it involves three elements: detachment, loss and the willingness to receive. Referring to the Gospel passage “Whoever loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me,” he urged believers to place Christ at the centre of all relationships, including family and marriage. He illustrated the point with couples who leave their homes to build new lives and children learning to make independent choices.

The pontiff warned that true love always entails some loss, contrasting a world obsessed with possession. He stressed that love “fruits only in giving oneself,” citing Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross. He also highlighted the importance of hospitality, urging Christians to offer simple acts such as a glass of water to the thirsty, and invited the faithful to ask Mary’s intercession as a model of self‑sacrificial love.