Vatican City – On June 17, in the solemn yet intimate setting of the Ducal Hall of the Apostolic Palace, a simple yet deeply human encounter took place. Pope Leo XIV received the family of Giovanni Giordano, assistant to the Chaplain of the Carabinieri at the “V.B. Salvo D’Acquisto” Barracks in Tor di Quinto, Rome.
Among those present were his wife and their young son—a lively, tireless child, full of surprising energy. During the long wait, no one could quite keep him still: he dashed from one side of the room to the other, offering little attention or conversation to those around him. He seemed to inhabit a world entirely his own, where waiting was simply a pause to be filled with play.
But at the first sight of the Holy Father, something unexpected and deeply moving happened. While we adults remained composed, emotional, perhaps even a little awed by the sacredness of the moment, the boy’s face lit up: he dropped everything and, without hesitation, ran toward the Pope, wrapping him in a spontaneous, genuine embrace.
No filters, no hesitation—only the purity of a child’s heart, which instinctively recognizes what is true, good, and welcoming. Pope Leo XIV smiled, returning that simple yet profound gesture with tenderness. As Augustinians, we cannot help but be challenged by such an evangelical scene: “Unless you become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven” (cf. Mt 18:3).
It is in moments like these that Providence seems to whisper to us: sometimes, it is those with a free soul who most clearly recognize the beauty and fatherhood of God.
p.B.S.
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