Pope Leo XIV on Sunday prayed for the victims and families affected by the recent flood disaster in Texas.
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The Holy Father, speaking in English, expressed his “sincere condolences” to “families who have lost loved ones, in particular their daughters, who were at the summer camp, in the disaster caused by flooding of the Guadalupe river in Texas in the United States” after praying the Angelus with pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square.
More than 20 children attending the all-girls summer camp are currently missing after flash floods struck Texas Hill Country in the early hours of July 4, CNN reported on Sunday.
Aid organizations, including the Catholic Charities Mobile Relief Unit, have since mobilized services to provide food, shelter, and water to flood victims forced to evacuate their homes.
The death toll continues to rise as rescue and recovery efforts enter into its third day. At least 50 people have been confirmed dead, according to CNN.
Pope Leo also asked his listeners on Sunday to pray for peace, and for those who live in a state of war: “Let us ask the Lord to touch the hearts and inspire the minds of governments, so that the violence of weapons is replaced by the search for dialogue.”
Daily cultivate the seed of the Gospel in your hearts
Reflecting on the Gospel scene when Jesus sent out 72 disciples into towns to prepare for his coming, the Holy Father said there are few people who “perceive” Jesus’ call to share the Christian faith with others.
“Dear brothers and sisters, the Church and the world do not need people who fulfill their religious duties as if the faith were merely an external label,” he said.
“We need laborers who are eager to work in the mission field, loving disciples who bear witness to the Kingdom of God in all places.”
The Holy Father emphasized that the places of mission can be found “in the particular situations in which the Lord has placed us,” such as in the family home, places of work and study, and other social settings.
“Perhaps there is no shortage of ‘intermittent Christians’ who occasionally act upon some religious feeling or participate in sporadic events,” the pope said. “But there are few who are ready, on a daily basis, to labor in God’s harvest, cultivating the seed of the Gospel in their own hearts.”
To become a disciple of Jesus and a laborer in the “mission field,” the Holy Father said priority must be placed on cultivating a “relationship with the Lord” through dialogue.
“We do not need too many theoretical ideas about pastoral plans,” he said. “ Instead, we need to pray to the Lord of the harvest.”
Pope Leo concluded his address asking the Blessed Virgin Mary “to intercede for us and accompany us on the path of following the Lord” to “become joyful laborers in God’s Kingdom.”
On Sunday, the pope departed for Castel Gandolfo where he will stay for a short period of rest during the summer.
This article was originally published by CNA.
