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Pope Leo XIV calls for evangelical approach without force or 'arrogant judgments'

July 19, 2026 · 1 min read

Pope Leo XIV warned Sunday against imagining God as “a powerful figure who imposes himself by force, who takes over and dominates, or who arrives triumphantly,” and urged Christians to embrace a Gospel-centered approach marked by humility and trust.

Speaking before the Angelus prayer in Liberty Square at Castel Gandolfo, where he is spending several weeks of rest through Monday, July 27, the pope reflected on the day’s Gospel reading.

Following the parable of the sower, Jesus addresses the crowds through the images of the good wheat and the weeds, the mustard seed and the yeast in the dough, the pope noted.

“These three short parables recall the coming of the Kingdom of God in history, its action in human lives, and the way it grows, expands and transforms the world from within,” Pope Leo said.

Through these images, he continued, Jesus warns against thinking of God principally in terms of power, domination and triumph.

“Instead, God favors smallness, a sign of his discreet love, by which he leaves us free to accept or reject him,” the pope said. “His love makes its presence felt even among the weeds, acts in a hidden and invisible way like the smallest of all seeds, and…

Source: Catholic News Agency · Read the full story →

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💬 Comments (4) 🌐 Translate comments

Thomas Taylor

That bit about the mustard seed and the yeast really stuck with me. It's a good reminder that real change happens quiet and small, not with a big show of force. Makes me think twice about how I talk to folks at the job site sometimes.

Ηλίας Παναγιωτόπουλος

Το παράδειγμα με το σπόρο του σιναπιού και τη μαγιά στο ζυμάρι μου έκανε εντύπωση κι εμένα. Πέρσι που φύτεψα λίγο σινάπι στον κήπο, δεν το περίμενα πόσο γρήγορα απλώθηκε χωρίς να το βλέπω. Θυμίζει ακριβώς αυτό που λέει ο Πάπας, ότι ο Θεός δουλεύει μέσα μας χωρίς φωνές και επιβολή.

James Campbell

That mustard seed line hits home for me too, Thomas. I catch myself getting loud and pushy in the garden when the zucchini won’t behave, but the real growth always seems to sneak up on its own. How do you catch yourself before the big-show talk takes over at the job site?

Elizabeth Wright

That mustard seed sneaking up on its own is exactly right, James. I’ve done the same with my tomato plants — fussing and prodding them like they owe me fruit by next week, then one morning they’re loaded and I realise I wasn’t the one in charge. At the shop I catch myself the same way: if I start laying down the law about how the window display “has to look,” I just stop and ask the customer what they actually see instead. How long does it usually take you to notice you’ve gone full big-show on the job?