God the Father continues to sow the seed of Jesus in our hearts, Pope tells pilgrims
July 13, 2026
The parable of the sower (Matthew 13:1-23) describes the “generosity and trust with which God sows his Word in our hearts and his power in us,” Pope Leo XIV said during his July 12 Sunday Angelus address (video).
“Jesus himself, the Word made flesh, who gave his life for our salvation, is the seed that the Father continues to sow throughout the world so that, by dying, he may bear much fruit,” Pope Leo told residents and pilgrims gathered in Liberty Square in Castel Gandolfo, where the Pope has been staying since July 5. “It is true that sometimes he finds in us hard and unresponsive soil, at other times distracted soil, like the beaten path, the rocky ground, or the thorny bushes.”
“Yet there are also moments when he finds receptive and fertile ground, and then miracles of love are set in motion that have the power to transform everything—as we ourselves have no doubt experienced in our own lives,” the Pope continued. “For this reason, the Father never ceases to sow, because he knows that the power of his love is stronger than our weakness.”
“Thus, from the generosity and trust with which the seed is sown, and from the humility and openness with which it is received, the fruits of the Holy Spirit grow within us and spread,” Pope Leo added. “Saint Paul teaches that they are ‘love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control’ (Gal 5:22). How greatly our world stands in need of these fruits: to be filled with them and transformed by them!”
The Pontiff concluded:
Let us therefore resolve, especially during these summer days of vacation, to make room for listening to, reading, and meditating on the Word of God, thereby fostering—together with rest and wholesome recreation—meaningful moments of silence and prayer. In this way, we shall return to our usual activities renewed in body and spirit, ready to proclaim the Good News of the Gospel and ever more capable of contributing to the growth of the Kingdom of God.
May Mary, Queen of the Apostles and Star of the Evangelization, help us.
Pope Leo then recited, in Latin, the Angelus, the Minor Doxology (three times), and the prayer for the faithful departed, before imparting his blessing.
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