YAOUNDE, Cameroon – Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass at Yaoundé-Ville Airport on Saturday in the final public event of his apostolic visit to Cameroon. Say Thousands believe that “no one should be left alone to face life’s adversities.”
Before departing for Angola, the Pope reflected on the Gospel account of Jesus walking on water and connected it to the fears, crises and social challenges facing both individuals and nations.
“Dear brothers and sisters, peace be with you! This is the peace of Christ, whose presence illuminates our path and calms the storms of life,” Leo said. “As we heard in the Gospel, faith does not protect us from upheavals and tribulations. Sometimes, it may seem that fear takes over. However, we know that even in these moments, Jesus does not abandon us.”
Citing St. John’s account of the disciples at sea, the Pope said that in Jewish tradition, water is “often a reminder of Hades, chaos, danger and death,” while also recalling the Exodus, when God led his people through water to freedom.
“Over the centuries, the Church has weathered many storms and ‘strong winds,'” he said. “We can also identify with the feelings of fear and doubt experienced by the disciples as they crossed Lake Tiberias.”
“There are moments when people feel overwhelmed, alone and weak,” he said. The Pope said, “But it is not so.” “Jesus is always with us, stronger than any power of evil. In every storm, He comes to us and repeats: ‘I am here with you: do not be afraid.'”
The mass for the Blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of the Apostles, included prayers from the faithful in French, English, Ewondo, Nnanga and Fulfulde.
Leo said that Christ does not always calm the storm immediately, but comes into the midst of danger and teaches his followers to live together in the same boat.
“He invites us not to distance ourselves from those people but to draw closer to them, to embrace them,” the Pope said. “No one should be left alone to face the adversities of life. For this reason, every community has the responsibility to create and maintain structures of solidarity and mutual aid in which, when faced with crises – whether social, political, medical or economic – everyone can give and receive assistance according to their capacity and needs.”
The Pope then turned to his views on social and political life, saying that Jesus’ words “It is I” remind Christians that each person’s contribution matters in a society based on respect for human dignity.
He said, “The exhortation to ‘be not afraid’ then takes on a broader meaning, even at the social and political level, as an encouragement to face problems and challenges – especially those related to poverty and justice – with a sense of civic and civic responsibility.”
Leo continued, “Faith does not separate the spiritual from the social.” “Indeed, it gives Christians the strength to interact with the world, to respond to the needs of others, especially the needs of the most vulnerable.”
He warned that isolated efforts are not enough to save a community and said that “what is needed is a communal commitment, which integrates the spiritual and moral dimensions of the gospel into the heart of local institutions and structures, making them instruments for the common good, not sites of strife, self-interest, or barren struggle.”
Referring to the day’s first reading from the Acts of the Apostles, the Pope recalled how the early Church faced its first internal crisis when some members were being overlooked in the daily distribution of food. The apostles responded by gathering together, praying, and creating new structures of service for the good of the community, he said.
He said, “By listening to the voice of the Holy Spirit and heeding the cry of the victims, he not only avoided division within the community, but he also equipped it with new tools suitable for its development, turning a moment of crisis into an opportunity for prosperity and development for all.”
Leo said that family and social life also sometimes requires “the courage to change mentalities and structures”, so that the dignity of the human person remains central and inequality and marginalization can be overcome.
He said, “God who became man identified himself with the least of all, and this makes preferential care for the poor a fundamental part of our Christian identity.”
At the end of the Mass, the Pope bid farewell to the people of Cameroon and praised the vibrancy and harmony of the local Church.
He said, “The Church in Cameroon is alive, young, rich in gifts and enthusiasm, energetic in its diversity and magnificent in its harmony.” “With the help of our Mother, the Virgin Mary, your joyful presence will continue to blossom.”
He added that “the strong winds of which life never lacks” can become “opportunities for growth in joyful service to God and your brothers and sisters through sharing, listening, praying, and a willingness to grow together.”
this story was first published By ACI Stampa, EWTN News’ Italian language partner service. It has been translated and adapted by EWTN News English.
