Reject superstition and follow Christ in freedom, Pope preaches at Mass in Angola

April 20, 2026

Pope Leo XIV celebrated Mass today (video) in Saurimo, a remote city in eastern Angola, and called on the faithful to reject superstition and follow Christ in freedom.

The Pontiff was driven to the site of the Mass, the Saurimo esplanade (video), after a visit to a nursing home. Pope Leo preached on John 6:22-29, the Gospel reading of Monday of the Third Week of Easter.

“The Lord looks into our heart and asks us whether we seek him out of gratitude or for our own self-interest, with calculation or with love “ the Pope said in his homily. “In fact, he said to those who were following him: ‘You are looking for me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate your fill of the loaves’“ (Jn 6:26).

“His words reveal the designs of those who do not want to encounter a person, but want to consume things,” Pope Leo continued. “The crowd sees Jesus as means to an end, a provider of services”—which led the Pope to warn:

This happens when genuine faith is replaced with superstitious practices, in which God becomes an idol that is sought only when it is advantageous to us and only for as long as it is. Even the most beautiful gifts of the Lord, which are always for the care of his people, become a pretext, a prize or a bargaining chip, and are misinterpreted by those who receive them.

The Gospel account, then, helps us to understand that there are erroneous motives for seeking Christ, particularly when he is considered to be a guru or a good luck charm. Even the motivation of the crowd is inadequate: they were not seeking a teacher whom they love, but a leader to applaud for their own advantage.

“How different is Jesus’ attitude toward us,” the Pope added. “Yet, he does not reject this insincere search, but encourages its conversion. He does not dismiss the crowd, but invites everyone to examine what stirs in our hearts.”

The Pope explained:

Christ calls us to freedom: he does not want servants or clients, rather he seeks brothers and sisters to whom he can totally dedicate himself. To respond with faith to this love, it is not enough to hear Jesus speak: one must accept the meaning of his words. Neither is it enough to see what Jesus does: one must follow and imitate him. When in the sign of shared bread we see the will of the Savior, who gives himself for us, only then do we draw closer to a true encounter with Jesus, which become discipleship, mission and service.

Turning to the first reading at Mass, the Pope said:

Sharing the Eucharist, the bread of eternal life, we are called to serve our people with a dedication that lifts up all who have fallen, rebuilds whenever violence destroys and shares with joy our fraternal bonds. Through us, the initiatives of divine grace bear good fruit especially in adversity, as the example of the first martyr Stephen shows us (cf. Acts 6: 8-15).

“Dear friends, the witness of the martyrs and of the saints encourages us and pushes us onto a path of hope, reconciliation and peace, along which the gift of God becomes the responsibility of the head of the household, in the Christian community, in civil society,” he continued, concluding:

Traveling together, in the light of the Gospel, the Church in Angola grows according to the spiritual fruitfulness that begins from the Eucharist and continues in the integral care of each person and of the entire people. In particular, the vitality of the vocations that you experience is a sign that you are responding to the Lord’s gift, which is always abundant for those who welcome it with pure hearts. Thanks to the Bread of Life, which we share today, we can continue on the journey of the whole Church, which has as its destination the Kingdom of God, whose light is faith and whose lifeblood is charity.

 

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Further information:

• Apostolic Journey to Angola: Holy Mass (Dicastery for Communication - Vatican Media, 4/20/26)