The Pontiff called for the resumption of negotiations to reach “a just political solution,” rejected military actions and unilateral decisions that alter the status quo of the holy places, and warned that the intensification of violence continues to place the civilian population in grave danger.
In his reflection before the Angelus, he also invited the faithful to rediscover the Kingdom of God as the true treasure of life and warned against a consumerist culture that “always creates new needs” without ever satisfying the heart.
Below are the words of Leo XIV:
Dear brothers and sisters, happy Sunday!
At the heart of Jesus’ teaching lies the mystery of the Kingdom of God, which today’s Gospel compares to a pearl and a treasure (cf. Mt 13:44-52). The parables convey the surprise of those who find what they could never have expected, to the point that selling or leaving everything no longer seems a renunciation, but a gain. Indeed, from the very first pages, the evangelists describe Jesus’ call to follow him as something irresistible: free, certainly, but urgent and capable of eliciting an immediate response moved by desire. This is a first important aspect of the way God draws near and allows himself to be found: the encounter with his Kingdom is a turning point that does not limit, but expands life. If something must change now, it is to have more possibilities, not fewer.
There is a second aspect to which Jesus seems to attach great importance: the one who finds the treasure hidden in the field is probably a farmer; the pearl, on the other hand, is recognized as being of great value by a merchant, perhaps a traveler. Two further parables follow in which the protagonists are fishermen and a scribe expert in things old and new. There are others, moreover, in which the Kingdom is glimpsed in a woman kneading flour, in another who puts the house in order, in a king planning war, in a man designing a tower, in stewards managing payments or investments, in shepherds and farmers. In short, the Kingdom of God reveals its priceless beauty in diverse ways, but calls everyone—men and women, young and old, poor and rich—to a profound renewal. All can understand it and feel drawn to it.
Even today, the Church is a communion of people differing in origin, culture, abilities, and level of responsibility, yet all called to recognize themselves as “one” in Jesus Christ: He is the hidden treasure, the precious pearl, the net that gathers what is scattered. From the beginning, in fact, Jesus called and gathered around him people who otherwise would never have known one another. In this way he showed that God makes no distinction of persons and that his choice is a preferential love for the little ones and the outcast.
Brothers and sisters, we have only to ask for a gift, the same one young King Solomon asked for (cf. 1 Kgs 3:5,7-12). It is the gift of identifying the pearl of great price, of knowing how to recognize the treasure for which it is worth selling everything. While the consumer industry alters our taste, always creating new needs in order to sell us answers that do not satisfy and sometimes poison the heart, we must learn to grasp what truly matters: the treasure of our relationship with God, which opens us to joy and helps us live our relationships with one another better.
May the intercession of Mary, Seat of Wisdom, direct our desire for life toward Jesus, so that it may be fulfilled in its fullness.
After the Angelus
Dear brothers and sisters:
Yesterday in Lebanon, Elia Hoayek, Patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites from 1899 to 1931 and founder of the Congregation of the Maronite Sisters of the Holy Family, was beatified. For more than thirty years he led the Maronite Church with great dedication and pastoral sensitivity. A man of dialogue and hope, he was a brilliant ecclesial, social, and political reference point, to the extent that he was called the “Father of Greater Lebanon.” May the prayer and intercession of the new blessed always accompany the Maronite faithful throughout the world and obtain the gift of peace for the entire people of Lebanon, who are so dear to me.
I continue to follow with concern the persistence and resurgence of violence in the Holy Land, of which many civilians have recently also been victims, both in the West Bank and in Gaza. I make an urgent appeal for the resumption of negotiations for a just political solution, based on the dignity and equal rights of every person; and for the rejection of new military actions and unilateral decisions, particularly those that violate respect for and the status quo of the holy places of all religions.
I likewise reiterate my appeal regarding the situation throughout the Middle East, where the intensification of military operations has once again brought violence and destruction, placing the lives of numerous civilians at grave risk and worsening the shortage of drinking water and electricity. From the depths of my heart, I exhort all parties involved to suspend attacks and urgently reopen spaces for dialogue and diplomacy, in order to reach as soon as possible the peace so longed for by the entire region.
Let us continue to pray for all the peoples of the world who suffer because of war. May the Lord touch the hearts and enlighten the minds of those responsible, so that reconciliation and peace may soon be achieved.
In the face of the devastating fires that in recent days have affected several localities in France and Spain, I express my closeness and invite everyone to pray for those affected and for the work of the rescue teams.
Today the VI World Day of Grandparents and the Elderly is being celebrated, whose theme is inspired by the words of the prophet Isaiah: “I will never forget you” (Is 49:15). Let us together thank the Lord for the gift that the elderly represent for the Church and society, and let us commit ourselves to respecting and valuing their precious role, as well as to ensuring them, always, the care and assistance they deserve.
I greet with affection all who are present here, both residents and those who have come from various parts of Italy and the world!
A special welcome to the pilgrims of the Work of the Church and to the bishops accompanying them; a welcome and special greeting to the children of the “House of Mercy” in Chortkiv, Ukraine, guests of the parish of St. Michael the Archangel in Nocera Superiore; to the young people of the parish of Manerbio; to the participants in the International Youth Meeting organized on the occasion of the bicentenary of the death of St. Jeanne Antide Thouret; to the young pilgrims of the Catholic student movement Önze-Lieve-Vrouw Ster-Der-Zee from Maldegem, Belgium, as well as to the students of the Carabinieri Cadet School of Velletri, accompanied by the chaplain and their officers.
I greet the members of the Catholic Men Association of Cameroon.
I extend a special greeting to the participants in the “Peach Festival” of Castelgandolfo, who have come bringing their fruits to be blessed.
This afternoon in Rome, along the banks of the Tiber, the procession of the “fiumarola” Virgin will take place. May Mary, Mother of Jesus, grant those who take part in this beautiful tradition, and all of us, to live each day according to the teachings of the Gospel.
I wish you all from my heart a happy Sunday!