Pope Leo XIV Calls for a Missionary Church: “The Harvest Is Plentiful”

In a powerful Angelus address at Saint Peter’s Square on July 6, Pope Leo XIV reignited the Church’s missionary zeal, urging the faithful to become “joyful laborers in God’s harvest” amid a world longing for meaning, justice, and salvation.

Reflecting on the day’s Gospel (Luke 10:1–12, 17–20), the Pope drew inspiration from Jesus’ sending of the seventy-two disciples, calling it a clear sign of the Church’s universal mission. “The hope of the Gospel is meant for all peoples,” he said. “Such is the breadth of God’s heart and the abundance of His harvest.”

While God continues to sow seeds of longing for truth and salvation in human hearts, the Pope lamented that too few respond with commitment. “There are few laborers to go out into the field sown by the Lord,” he said. “Few who perceive, with the eyes of Jesus, the good grain ready for gathering.”

Pope Leo cautioned against reducing faith to a superficial identity or occasional practice. He challenged Christians to embrace daily discipleship and evangelization—not merely as a duty, but as a joyful witness to God’s Kingdom. “The Church and the world do not need people who fulfill their religious duties like a ritual,” he said. “We need men and women of mission—disciples who sow the Gospel in their homes, workplaces, communities, and among the poor and forgotten.”

He emphasized that the foundation of all mission is not strategy, but prayer. “We do not need more plans. We need to ask the Lord of the harvest to send workers,” he said, urging deeper intimacy with God as the source of strength for authentic evangelization.

The Pope also invoked the Blessed Virgin Mary, calling her “the first missionary disciple,” and encouraged all Christians to follow her example by generously saying “yes” to God’s call to share the Gospel.

After praying the Angelus, Pope Leo warmly greeted pilgrims who had come from across the world—many braving the heat to walk through Rome’s Holy Doors during the Jubilee Year. He welcomed groups from Poland, Ukraine, and various regions of Italy, expressing his admiration for their faith and perseverance.

With visible emotion, the Holy Father offered his condolences to families in the United States mourning the tragic loss of young girls caught in a flash flood at a summer camp along the Guadalupe River in Texas. “We pray for them,” he said tenderly.

The Pope renewed his appeal for peace in a world marred by violence and war. “Peace is the desire of all peoples and the cry of those torn apart by conflict,” he said. “May the Lord inspire those who govern to silence weapons and choose the path of dialogue.”