Commenting on the Gospel of this Eleventh Sunday in Ordinary Time (Mt 9:36-10:8), the Pontiff highlighted that all people are included in Jesus’ gaze, a gaze that does not remain indifferent to human suffering. “Jesus sees and loves,” the Pope affirmed, recalling that the Son of God contemplates the concrete reality of the men and women of every age and has compassion on their wounds.
Leo XIV noted that Christ sees “the oppression that crushes and the violence that takes away strength,” but also the consequences of a society marked by consumerism, family fragmentation, and the loss of authentic role models for young people. Faced with this reality, Jesus’ compassion is not a mere sentimental reaction, but an effective will for redemption.
The Holy Father recalled the Gospel image of the crowds as “sheep without a shepherd” and presented Christ as the Good Shepherd who knows each person’s heart and cares for it. From this concern for the salvation of souls arises the sending of the apostles and, with them, the Church’s permanent mission.
According to Leo XIV, the task entrusted by Christ to his disciples consists in bringing “God’s consolation to those who suffer,” offering charity where poverty exists, hope where affliction reigns, and faith where distrust has taken hold. It is a mission rooted in the gratuity of the gift received from God.
The Pope also dwelt on the choice of the Twelve Apostles, noting that among them are both Saint Peter and Judas Iscariot. This circumstance, he pointed out, shows that the possibility of betraying Christ always accompanies human freedom, yet does not prevent the Gospel from preserving intact its truth and saving power throughout the centuries.
“The Kingdom of heaven has come near,” the Pontiff recalled, quoting Christ’s words. An announcement that remains timely because in Jesus Christ God truly draws near to every person, every people, and every nation.
Leo XIV insisted that when the Gospel is proclaimed and lived with fidelity, evil recedes and reality begins to be transformed. The Church, born of Christ’s loving initiative, is called to continue the apostolic work under the Gospel mandate: “Freely you have received, freely give.”
In the final part of his reflection, the Pope recalled that evangelization does not arise from human strategies or particular interests, but from the divine mercy received gratuitously. Therefore, the Christian mission is made concrete in forgiveness, service to the poorest, and commitment to justice—visible manifestations of the presence of the Kingdom of God in the midst of the world.