Pope Leo XIV is calling Catholics to place love at the center of their relationship with God, reminding the faithful that genuine Christian charity must extend beyond words and become a living expression of faith through service, compassion, and concern for others.
In two recent addresses, the Holy Father emphasized that love of God and love of neighbor cannot be separated, urging Christians and consecrated religious alike to recognize Christ in those around them, particularly the poor and vulnerable.
During his Sunday Angelus reflection on October 25, Pope Leo XIV drew attention to one of the most fundamental questions in Scripture: “Which commandment in the law is the greatest?”
According to EWTN News, the pope explained that the foundation of Christian love is not simply acknowledging God’s existence but developing a personal relationship with Him.
“Indeed, it is not enough to know that God exists, that he is the only God, or that he is the Almighty. The Lord seeks a personal relationship with us: The one true God wants to become our God,” Pope Leo said.
He emphasized that the commandment to love is not merely a religious requirement but a response to the love God has already shown humanity.
“Our love can be authentic only when it is a response to his love, which always precedes us,” the pope explained.
That love, he continued, must involve the whole person—heart, soul, and mind—and transform how Christians see and treat one another.
Through a relationship with Christ, believers learn to overcome selfishness and recognize that their lives are meant to become gifts to others.
The Holy Father also warned that without love, even outward expressions of religious devotion lose their deeper purpose.
Quoting St. Thérèse of the Child Jesus, he recalled that “Love alone” makes “the Church’s members act.”
Without that love, Pope Leo warned, “our faith would be deprived of its essence, our good works would be reduced to mere moralism, and our hope would be in vain.”
The pope returned to this understanding of Christian charity during a separate meeting on Monday with the Sisters of Charity of St. Joan Antida Thouret, who were gathered for their General Chapter.
According to Vatican News, Pope Leo encouraged the religious congregation to remain firmly rooted in Christ while continuing its mission of serving those in need.
Addressing the sisters, he emphasized the importance of caring for the whole person, including both spiritual and material needs.
“I emphasize this because, in a society like ours, which tends to fragment the human person, dividing people not only from one another but also, more seriously, within themselves, this dimension of charity is fundamental to restoring, promoting, and truly respecting the dignity of every person, especially the poorest and those most in need,” the pope said.
“Treasure it, cultivate it, and spread it.”
His remarks reflected the congregation’s mission of serving others through the example of its founder, St. Joan Antida Thouret, whose commitment to charity continues through the sisters’ presence in 32 countries.
Pope Leo encouraged the congregation to keep Christ at the center of its mission, reminding the sisters that closeness to God strengthens their ability to serve others.
“Continue your work with generosity: it is precious in the eyes of God and the Church,” he told them.
The pope’s message of love also extended to those suffering from violence and humanitarian crises.
Following Sunday’s Angelus prayer, Pope Leo expressed concern for the people of Yemen, particularly those in Taiz facing shortages of food, water, and medical care.
He appealed for an end to hostilities and urged respect for the right of people throughout the region to live in peace.
The Holy Father also offered prayers for victims of a terrorist attack against Orthodox Christian worshippers at the Church of St. George in Hamoud, Jordan.
Looking ahead to the October 27 gathering in Assisi commemorating the 40th anniversary of the historic interreligious meeting convened by St. John Paul II, Pope Leo urged continued prayer for peace and renewed commitment to dialogue.
“Never before has it been so clear that wars, as well as sowing death and destruction, impoverish and harm the world. May the Lord inspire choices of dialogue and peace!” he said.
Across these messages, Pope Leo XIV presented a consistent vision of Christian life in which faith is inseparable from charity, human dignity, and responsibility toward others.
Whether expressed through religious service, care for the poor, reconciliation, or efforts toward peace, authentic love begins with God and finds its fullest expression in how Christians respond to the needs of their neighbors.
As the Holy Father reminded the faithful during his Angelus address, “We cannot truly love God unless this love overflows into love for our brothers and sisters.”
For Catholics, his message offers a renewed invitation to examine not only how they profess their faith, but how they live it each day through the love of Christ.
