When Pope Leo XIV signed his apostolic exhortation titled “I have loved you” on October 4, 2025, he called for a renewed focus on seeing Christ in the faces of the poor. The document was released on the feast of St. Francis of Assisi and builds upon previous teachings about the Sacred Heart.

Cardinal Michael Czerny described the exhortation as “100% Francis and 100% Leo.” The message emphasizes that love is not only to be discussed but also lived out in solidarity with those who are vulnerable. Pope Leo stated, “in this call to recognize him in the poor and the suffering, we see revealed the very heart of Christ, his deepest feelings and choices, which every saint seeks to imitate.”

Pope Leo’s letter underscores that Christian love should be shown through concrete actions toward those most in need. He wrote, “On the wounded faces of the poor, we see the suffering of the innocent and, therefore, the suffering of Christ Himself.” According to Pope Leo, serving those who are marginalized is essential because they carry God’s presence.

He urged believers not to limit their faith to words but to take action by supporting people who are often overlooked. “Love for the Lord, then, is one with love for the poor,” he said. The pope identified various forms of poverty beyond material needs—social, spiritual, cultural, and existential—and pointed out newer forms such as isolation and exclusion.

Pope Leo addressed local realities like elderly individuals living alone or homeless in Hawai‘i and families facing housing challenges. He criticized economic systems that concentrate wealth among a few while exploiting many others as an “urgent moral crisis.”

The exhortation calls for a shift in priorities so that care for those experiencing poverty becomes central to Church life. Pope Leo wrote that “the Church experiences the lives of the poor as her very ‘flesh.’” He encouraged walking alongside them and including them in decision-making processes: “Contact with those who are lowly and powerless is a fundamental way of encountering the Lord of history.” Ignoring these groups risks undermining Christian discipleship.

He also noted that people experiencing poverty can teach valuable lessons about trust in God during hardship: “It is evident that all of us must let ourselves be evangelized by the poor and acknowledge the mysterious wisdom which God wishes to share with us through them.” Their perseverance makes them “missionaries of hope.”

Pope Leo emphasized practical compassion: “No sign of affection, even the smallest, will ever be forgotten, especially if it is shown to those who are suffering, lonely, or in need.”

While acts of charity remain important, Pope Leo called for addressing systemic causes such as unjust policies and social indifference. He wrote: “Love is above all a way of looking at life and a way of living it… A Church that sets no limits to love… is the Church that the world needs today. By its very nature, Christian love is prophetic: it works miracles and knows no limits.”

He concluded by encouraging ongoing efforts: “Through your work, your efforts to change unjust social structures, or your simple heartfelt gesture of closeness and support, the poor and you will come to realize that Jesus’ words are addressed personally to all of us: ‘I have loved you.’” The full text can be found at www.humandevelopment.va.