Rome, 18 January (LaPresse) – No to ‘the temptation of success and popularity’ following the example of St John the Baptist. This was Pope Leo XIV's invitation in the Angelus. "How important his testimony is for us today! In fact, approval, consensus and visibility are often given excessive importance, to the point of conditioning people's ideas, behaviour and moods, causing suffering and division, and producing ephemeral, disappointing and imprisoning lifestyles and relationships. In reality, we do not need these “substitutes for happiness”. Our joy and our greatness are not based on fleeting illusions of success and fame, but on knowing that we are loved and wanted by our Father who is in heaven,‘ the Pope emphasised, before exhorting: ’Let us not waste time and energy chasing after what is only appearance. Let us learn from John the Baptist to keep our spirit alert, loving simple things and sincere words, living with sobriety and depth of mind and heart, contenting ourselves with what is necessary and finding, if possible, a special moment each day in which to pause in silence to pray, reflect, listen, in short, to “go into the desert” to meet the Lord and be with Him."