Jesus said to his disciples: “But I say to you, whoever is angry with his brother will be liable to judgment; and whoever says to his brother, ‘Raqa,’ will be answerable to the Sanhedrin; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ will be liable to fiery Gehenna. Therefore, if you bring your gift to the altar, and there recall that your brother has anything against you, leave your gift there at the altar, go first and be reconciled with your brother, and then come and offer your gift.” Matthew 5:24

Pope Leo’s Lenten 2026 message encourages us to listen more deeply to the Word of God and to fast from using hurtful words.

With dedicated mindfulness and a desire to do God’s will, I can learn to monitor my words. I can choose words that are life-giving and reflect wisdom, peace, kindness, reconciliation, hope for unity and mercy—and shine the light of love and goodness in our troubled world.

Today I will ask the Spirit to help me scrutinize how I communicate with myself and others. I will commit to a new habit of fasting from using written or spoken words that discount, disparage, discourage, or denigrate anyone.