During Sunday Mass on July 13, at the Parish of St. Thomas of Villanova in Castel Gandolfo, Pope Leo XIV reflected on the Parable of the Good Samaritan, calling on the faithful to imitate Christ’s compassion and love.
Celebrating the Eucharist while on his summer retreat, the Holy Father reminded those present: “Once we are healed and loved by Christ, we too can become witnesses of His love and compassion in our world.”
Preaching on the Gospel of the day (Luke 10:25–37), Pope Leo said the parable of the Good Samaritan "constantly challenges our dormant or distracted consciences" and warns against a faith that is satisfied with outward observance but lacks true mercy.
“How we look at others is what counts,” the Pope said, “because it reveals what is in our hearts.”
He emphasized that the Good Samaritan is a figure of Christ, one who sees humanity in its wounded state and refuses to walk by. “In Jesus, the Good Samaritan, God came down to walk with us, to heal our wounds, and to pour out His love and mercy.”
Pope Leo called on Christians to allow their hearts to be moved by the suffering of others, reminding them that to follow Christ means to “have eyes that do not look away, hands that help, and shoulders that carry the burdens of others.”
“If we realize deep down that Christ loves us and cares for us,” he said, “we too will be moved to love in the same way.”
Referring to the road from Jerusalem to Jericho, Pope Leo said it symbolizes the path of all who suffer in today’s world, those wounded by sin, poverty, conflict, and oppression.
He challenged his listeners, “Do we look and walk by, or do we open our hearts like the Samaritan?”
Quoting Pope Benedict XVI, Pope Leo highlighted that Jesus turns the question of “who is my neighbor” on its head: it is not about others being neighbors to us, but about us becoming neighbors through love.
In conclusion, Pope Leo XIV urged, “Let us look to Christ, the Good Samaritan. Let us listen to His voice. For He says to each of us, ‘Go and do likewise.’”
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
Latest News
