Pope Francis Lent Quotes: Inspiration & Guidance For 2024 & Beyond
Do you seek a path to spiritual rejuvenation and a deeper connection with the divine? Lent, as articulated by Pope Francis, is not merely a season of obligation, but a profound opportunity for renewal, grace, and transformation.
To guide your journey through this sacred time, we offer insights drawn from the wisdom of Pope Francis, complemented by reflections from other spiritual luminaries. We invite you to explore these lenten quotes, internalize their essence, share their message, and allow them to inspire your personal pilgrimage.
Lent is, at its core, a time of renewal and grace. It is a period specifically designated for the entire Church, every community, and each individual believer to reflect on their spiritual lives and seek a closer relationship with God. The call to action is clear: What changes will you make this Lent?
Pope Francis himself offers practical guidance, urging us to "fast from hurting words and say kind words." He encourages us to move beyond negativity, imploring us to "fast from sadness and be filled with gratitude," "fast from anger and be filled with patience," "fast from pessimism and be filled with hope," "fast from worries and have trust in God," and finally, "fast from complaints and contemplate simplicity." This is not merely a list of restrictions, but a blueprint for a more compassionate and joyful existence.
Each year, during this period of the Church's liturgical calendar, Pope Francis provides profound wisdom and encouragement to guide us on our Lenten journey. The following quotes, spanning the years of his papacy, provide invaluable inspiration and direction.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Jorge Mario Bergoglio |
| Born | December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina |
| Title | Supreme Pontiff of the Catholic Church, Bishop of Rome, Sovereign of the Vatican City State |
| Papal Election | March 13, 2013 |
| Motto | Miserando atque eligendo (Having mercy, he called him) |
| Previous Positions | Archbishop of Buenos Aires (19982013), Cardinal (2001) |
| Religious Order | Society of Jesus (Jesuits) |
| Education | Master of Arts in Chemistry, Philosophy and Theology |
| Key Writings and Encyclicals | Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel), Laudato Si' (On Care for Our Common Home), Fratelli Tutti (On Fraternity and Social Friendship) |
| Areas of Focus | Social justice, environmental protection, dialogue between religions, care for the poor and marginalized |
| Significant Actions | Initiated reforms in the Vatican, promoted synodality in the Church, emphasized mercy and compassion |
| Reference Website | Vatican Website |
Padre Pios words echo this sentiment: Lent is the time for greater love, listen to Jesus thirst He knows your weaknesses. This highlights the core of Lent a time to deepen our faith and understanding of Jesus sacrifice.
Staying motivated throughout the Lenten season can be significantly enhanced by reflecting on the words of Pope Francis, Saint Catherine of Siena, Howard Thurman, and others who offer perspectives on faith and spirituality. In his teachings, Pope Francis emphasizes that Lent is a time to actively turn away from our sins and embrace Gods mercy and forgiveness, a crucial aspect of spiritual growth.
Pope Francis frequently reminds us, Lent comes providentially to reawaken us, to shake us from our lethargy. This powerful statement should resonate with each one of us, as it is an opportunity for all believers to rise above complacency. Lent is a period for believing, for welcoming God into our lives and allowing Him to make His dwelling among us. It is a season of prayer, of intensified prayer, more prolonged, more consistent, and more capable of addressing the needs of our fellow human beings.
Intercessory prayer, offering petitions before God for the numerous circumstances of poverty and suffering that exist in our world, is also a key focus. The second essential component of the Lenten journey is fasting, a discipline that is beneficial to the soul. In a message dated February 6th, the Pope's Lenten message was released, while the Holy Father remained in the hospital. Next week, the holy season begins, on Wednesday, March 5th.
May the hope that does not disappoint (cf. Rom 5:5), which is the central message of the Jubilee, be the focus of our Lenten journey toward the victory of Easter. As Pope Benedict XVI taught us in the encyclical Spe Salvi, the human being needs unconditional love." The teachings of His Holiness Pope Francis for Lent 2016 focused on the theme "I desire mercy, and not sacrifice" (Mt 9:13). The works of mercy serve as a significant path on the road of the Jubilee.
Mary, as a model of the Church that evangelizes by being evangelized, is key. The message is clear: stay motivated through the Lenten season by reflecting on the words of Pope Francis, Saint Catherine of Siena, Howard Thurman, and others. Getty Images reminds us that Lent is a holy time of spiritual discipline and connection with God. The following is the text of the Holy Father Francis message for Lent 2025, focusing on the theme Let us journey together in hope":
Message of the Holy Father. Let us journey together in hope. Dear brothers and sisters, we begin our annual pilgrimage of Lent in faith and hope with the penitential rite of the imposition of ashes. To help you, weve compiled 12 short quotes, from several different popes, on the meaning of Lent. We are all called to prayer, fasting, and almsgiving during this season, and these Pope quotes highlight the importance of each. Take a short moment out to read them, and be affirmed, encouraged and reawakened on our way towards Easter!
The Vatican has released Pope Francis Lenten message for 2025 titled Let us journey together in hope. Dated February 6, his message emphasizes conversion, communal unity, and faith in Gods promise of salvation. Pope Francis advice for Lent is to "fast from hurtful words." Connor Hartigan, March 07, 2025, shared a perspective: Pope Francis greets children at the conclusion of his general audience in the Paul VI Audience Hall at the Vatican.
It has real significance, as Pope Francis repeatedly reminds us, if one follows the example of the Good Samaritan. It has value if one adopts a sober lifestyle, if one lives a way of life that does not waste, a way of life that does not throw away. Vatican City, Feb 14, 2024 / 12:15 pm. On Ash Wednesday, Pope Francis said that Lent is a time to look inward at our true selves and to share our deepest desires, worries, and weaknesses with the Lord.
God has not grown weary of us. Let us welcome Lent as the great season in which He reminds us: I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery (Ex 20:2). Lent is a season of conversion, a time of freedom. Jesus himself, as we recall each year on the first Sunday of Lent, was driven into the desert.
February 22, 2023, marked the beginning of Lent with the celebration of Ash Wednesday. To celebrate this important liturgical season in preparation for Easter, here are 10 tips drawn from Pope Francis' teachings.
Pope Francis focuses on the three theological virtues in his Lenten message for 2021, inviting the faithful to renew our faith, draw from the living waters of hope, and receive with open hearts the love of God. With Lent right around the corner, enjoy these 75 quotes about Lent, the purposeful period of time that can involve giving things up Pope Francis.
Padre Pios words again remind us: Lent is the time for greater love, listen to Jesus thirst He knows your weaknesses. The Message of the Holy Father Pope Francis for Lent 2022: Let us not grow tired of doing good, for in due time we shall reap our harvest, if we do not give up. This powerful message encapsulates the essence of this season, reminding us that our actions, and our faith, ultimately will have an impact on our lives.
