Pope Leo: God's grace is freely given and must be shared

Source: Vatican Media

During the Angelus on Sunday, with pilgrims in St Peter's Square, Pope Leo XIV reflected on the abundance of God's grace and every Christian's mission to share Christ's forgiveness with all people.

Recalling on the day's Gospel (Mt 9:36-10:8), Pope Leo said: "The Son of God looks at the people; He looks at humanity: He sees the oppression that burdens and the violence that causes strength to fade.... He sees the wounds of war and the emptiness of consumerism. He sees faces reduced to masks, families torn apart by evil, and young people misled by false ideals."

Jesus sees and loves us, said the Pope, noting that His compassion is both fraternal closeness and an expression of His desire to redeem us.

As He saw so many people who were like "sheep without a shepherd," Jesus sent His disciples into the world with the task of offering God's comfort to everyone who suffers.

Our task as Christians, said Pope Leo, is to bring "charity where there is misery, hope where there is affliction, and faith where there is distrust."

The Pope noted that the Gospel names the first twelve workers, from Peter to Judas Iscariot, as a reminder that even Jesus' followers can betray Him. Yet, the Gospel remains a living and true word that spans the centuries, always staying the same but ever young, fresh, and liberating.

"When the Gospel is proclaimed and lived out," he said, "evil crumbles like a disease that passes away, like a night giving way to dawn, like death conquered by the risen One."

Jesus' gaze thus transforms reality by filling us with His love and leading us to continue the mission of the apostles to share His free gift. "Jesus' gift is entirely free, for its value exceeds all measure: it is impossible to merit or 'buy' it," said the Pope. "This grace is the beautiful name of God's mercy, which seeks us out wherever we are, to draw us to Himself."

In conclusion, Pope Leo XIV encouraged Christians to evangelize the world by sharing God's forgiveness with the world in service to the poor and commitment to justice.

"Let us invoke the help of the Virgin Mary, full of grace," he said, "so that we may respond with joy and courage to the mission to which Jesus calls us."

Philippine earthquake

Speaking after the Angelus, Pope Leo expressed his sorrow for the 37 people who were killed in the massive 7.8 earthquake which struck and its aftermath and asked everyone to pray for the victims and their families.

"I assure my closeness to the people of the Philippines, who were struck a few days ago by a strong earthquake," he said. "I pray for the deceased and their families, for the injured, and for all those who are suffering because of this calamity."

Beatifications

Pope Leo then welcomed the beatifications of several new Blesseds from various parts of the world.

He recalled the Czech diocesan priests: Fr Venceslao Drbola and Fr Giovanni Bula, martyred for their faith by the Communist regime in 1952 and Fr Giovanni Świerc and eight companions, Polish Salesian priests who died in Auszwitz during World War Two.

"All were beatified as martyrs, because they were victims of persecution by totalitarian regimes on account of their fidelity to Christ," he said.

Pope Leo also pointed to Blessed Nazareno Lanciotti, an Italian missionary priest who was beatified in Mato Grosso, Brazil, on Saturday, saying he defended the poorest and most vulnerable.

"May the example and intercession of these courageous witnesses sustain the mission of priests and of the whole Church," he said.

Watch the Vatican Media video on today's Angelus: www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLR1yyHSn2s

Read the official text: https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2026/06/14/0514/00975.html