At the March 4 General Audience, Pope Leo XIV explores the Church’s human and divine dimensions through Lumen Gentium.
Newsroom (04/03/2026 Gaudium Press ) Under the clear skies above St. Peter’s Square, Pope Leo XIV continued his catechesis on the documents of the Second Vatican Council, turning once more to the Dogmatic Constitution Lumen Gentium. In this General Audience, the Holy Father delved into the mystery of the Church as both a visible institution and a spiritual body — a community where the human and the divine dwell together in harmony.
The Pope began by recalling that Lumen Gentium describes the Church as a “complex reality,” not because it is complicated or obscure, but because it unites diverse aspects into one living whole. In Latin, he reminded, complexus means “woven together,” a fitting image for a Church that joins heaven and earth in a seamless fabric of grace.
“The Church,” he said, “is a community of men and women who share the joys and struggles of faith, proclaiming the Gospel with all their strengths and weaknesses.” Yet, beyond the visible organization and human labor lies a divine reality: the Church is born from God’s saving plan, fulfilled in Christ and continually enlivened by the Spirit.
Humanity and Divinity Interwoven
Drawing from Lumen Gentium (§8) and the Catechism (CCC 771), Pope Leo XIV emphasized that the Church is both “an earthly community and the mystical body of Christ.” Within this paradoxical unity, the human does not overshadow the divine, nor does the divine erase the human. “She is a reality that is both human and divine,” the Pope said, “welcoming the sinner and leading him toward God.”
To illuminate the mystery, he pointed to the life of Jesus. Those who walked beside Christ experienced his humanity — his hands, his voice, his gaze — yet, through that humanity, they encountered the God who heals and redeems. In the same way, the Pope explained, the Church’s visible members and earthly structures become instruments through which Christ continues to act and reveal himself.
As Pope Benedict XVI once affirmed, there is no contradiction between the Gospel and the institutional Church; rather, “the structures of the Church serve for the realization and concretization of the Gospel in our time.” The idea of a pure, immaterial Church, detached from history, he noted, is an illusion — for the true Church of Christ is one that lives and breathes within the world.
Holiness in Humanity’s Fragility
What, then, is the holiness of the Church? According to Pope Leo XIV, it is not found in perfection but in presence — in Christ’s indwelling within his people. “Through the smallness and fragility of her members,” he said, “Christ continues to give himself,” revealing God’s preference for working through weakness.
He evoked the words of Pope Francis in Evangelii Gaudium (§169), urging the faithful to remove their sandals before the “sacred ground of the other.” Reverence for each person, he said, is a way of building up the spiritual edifice of the Church — one founded not merely on institutions but on communion and charity.
For Pope Leo XIV, charity remains the beating heart of ecclesial life. Citing an ancient sermon, he reflected: “If only we could all just let our thoughts dwell on one thing, charity! It surpasses all things and without it all things are worth nothing.” In charity, the Pope concluded, the Risen Christ is made present again and again, breathing life into his Church across time and place.
A Worldwide Greeting
Concluding his audience, Pope Leo XIV greeted English-speaking pilgrims from across the globe — from England and India to the Philippines, Singapore, Vietnam, and the United States. He extended his blessings to all, praying that this Lenten season might be a time of grace and renewal for families and communities alike.
“May the joy and peace of our Lord Jesus Christ,” he said, “fill your hearts and homes during this holy time.”
- Raju Hasmukh with files from Vatican.va
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