Pope Leo XIV deepens his catechesis on Vatican II, exploring Dei Verbum and the divine friendship that unites God and humanity through Revelation.
Newsroom (14/01/2026 Gaudium Press )At the General Audience in the Audience Hall on Wednesday, 14 January 2026, Pope Leo XIV returned to the central themes of the Second Vatican Council, turning his attention to one of its most profound documents: the Dogmatic Constitution Dei Verbum. Describing it as “one of the most beautiful and important” of the Council, the Holy Father invited the faithful to rediscover in it the mystery of divine friendship — a bond through which God, out of love, reveals Himself to humanity.
Quoting from the Gospel of John — “No longer do I call you servants… but I have called you friends” (Jn 15:15) — Pope Leo XIV explained that this single phrase encapsulates the heart of Christian Revelation. In Christ, he said, the relationship between God and humankind is fundamentally transformed: what was once a distant bond between Creator and creature becomes, through grace, an intimate friendship. “The only condition of the new covenant,” he affirmed, “is love.”
Drawing upon the reflections of Saint Augustine, the Pope recalled the ancient motto Amicitia aut pares invenit, aut facit — friendship is born between equals, or makes them so. Humanity, though not equal to God, is made similar to Him through the Son. The divine initiative, the Pope emphasized, does not abolish human fragility but ennobles it. Through the Incarnation, the eternal Word restores dialogue between heaven and earth, closing the distance sin had opened in Genesis. In Jesus, “the Covenant is new and eternal, and nothing can separate us from His love.”
Citing Dei Verbum itself, the Holy Father noted that the document beautifully articulates this truth: “Through this Revelation, the invisible God out of the abundance of His love speaks to men as friends and lives among them… so that He may invite and take them into fellowship with Himself.” This, said Pope Leo XIV, defines the dialogical nature of God’s self-revelation — a conversation with humanity nourished by love and friendship rather than fear or servitude.
He cautioned, however, against mistaking true dialogue for mere noise. “It is important to recognize the difference between words and chatter,” he warned. Authentic speech, whether divine or human, reveals identity and fosters communion. Likewise, God’s Word seeks relationship, inviting every believer into an encounter not of information, but of transformation.
From this insight, Pope Leo XIV drew a practical lesson for daily Christian life: friendship with God, like any friendship, must be cultivated. It begins with listening — allowing the Word to penetrate heart and mind — and continues in prayer. Within the liturgy, he explained, “we do not decide what to hear from the Word of God; it is He Himself who speaks to us through the Church.” But prayer also unfolds in silence, meditation, and reflection, spaces where the believer learns to speak honestly with God. “Only when we speak with God,” the Pope observed, “can we also speak about Him.”
The Holy Father likened the spiritual life to human relationships, where neglect or indifference can cause friendship to fade. The same, he said, can happen with divine friendship. It requires care, attention, and time. “If Jesus calls us to be friends,” he urged, “let us not leave this call unheeded. Let us welcome it, tend to it, and we will discover that friendship with God is our salvation.”
In summary, Pope Leo XIV framed Dei Verbum not as a theological abstraction but as a living invitation — to listen, to pray, and to respond. Through the Word made flesh, the believer enters the divine dialogue that renews the world from within. To live as friends of God, he concluded, is the essence of the Christian vocation.
As the audience concluded, Pope Leo XIV extended a warm greeting to English-speaking pilgrims from Ireland, Australia, Korea, and the United States. “Upon all of you and your families,” he said, “I invoke the joy and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ. God bless you all.”
- Raju Hasmukh with files form Vatican News
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