Pope at Angelus: Trust God’s timing and carry the Gospel everywhere

Vatican City, January 25, 2026: During his Angelus address on Sunday, Pope Leo XIV reflected on the start of Jesus’ public ministry, urging Christians not to be paralysed by fear, hesitation or unfavourable circumstances. Instead, he encouraged the faithful to trust in God’s timing and to bring the Gospel into every sphere of human life as a force for fraternity and peace.

Reflecting on the Gospel account of the calling of the first disciples, the Pope invited the faithful to consider two key moments: when Jesus began his preaching and where that mission unfolded.

Trusting God’s time

The Pope noted that Jesus began preaching “when he heard that John had been arrested,” a moment that appeared anything but favourable. The situation was marked by uncertainty and tension, yet it was precisely then that Jesus proclaimed hope, announcing: “The kingdom of heaven has come near.”

This detail, Pope Leo said, speaks powerfully to believers today. In personal life and within the Church, inner struggles or difficult circumstances can lead people to think that the time is not right to proclaim the Gospel, to make decisions, or to initiate change.

Such hesitation, he warned, can lead to paralysis. Excessive caution risks imprisoning believers in indecision, while the Gospel calls them to trust boldly. God, the Pope reminded the faithful, is always at work. Every moment is God’s time, even when individuals feel unprepared or situations appear unfavourable.

A mission without borders

Turning to the place where Jesus began his ministry, Pope Leo highlighted Capernaum in Galilee, a region shaped by commerce, cultural exchange and religious diversity.

By choosing Galilee, Jesus revealed a mission that reaches beyond narrow boundaries. The region’s multicultural character showed a Messiah who crosses borders and proclaims a God who draws close to all people.

God, the Pope explained, excludes no one. He does not come only for the ‘pure’ but enters fully into the complexity of human situations, relationships and cultures.

Overcoming isolation

From this perspective, Pope Leo urged Christians to resist the temptation to withdraw from the world. The Gospel, he said, must be lived and proclaimed in every setting, acting as a leaven of fraternity and peace among people of all cultures, religions and nations.

Following with joy

Concluding his reflection, the Pope encouraged the faithful to respond generously to the Lord’s call. Like the first disciples, Christians are invited to follow with joy, trusting that every time and every place in their lives is filled with God’s presence and love.

Pope at Angelus: Trust God’s timing and carry the Gospel everywhere

Latest News