Illustration: Portrait of St. Thomas by Antonio del Castillo y Saavedra, c. 1649
Pope Leo’s Angelus Reflection for 12 Sunday in Ordinary Time
St Peter’s Square – Sunday, 21 June 2026
Gospel reading: Matthew 10:26-33
Have no fear of men; for nothing is covered that will not be revealed or hidden that will not be known.
What I tell you in the dark, utter in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops.
And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather fear him who can destroy both soul and body in hellAre not two sparrows sold for a penny?
And not one of them will fall to the ground without your Father’s will.
But even the hairs of your head are all numbered.
Fear not, therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows.
So everyone who acknowledges me before men, I also will acknowledge before my Father who is in heaven; but whoever denies me before men, I also will deny before my Father who is in heaven.
Dear brothers and sisters,
In the Gospel reading (above), Jesus sends the disciples out on their mission and addresses them with this exhortation: “What I say to you in the dark, tell in the light; and what you hear whispered, proclaim from the housetops”.
He draws a parallel between what we hear “in private,” or in the secret of our hearts, and what we are called to proclaim to everyone.
He reminds us that proclaiming the Gospel is, above all, the sharing of a personal encounter with him, which is unique to each of us.
The strength of any apostolate comes from the work of the Holy Spirit within us
and the authenticity of our response, not from techniques and tools.
St. Thomas Aquinas said that preaching is passing on to others what we have contemplated.
Contemplation is not an exclusive experience reserved for saints, monks, or hermits. We can all do it by setting aside quiet moments amidst the commitments of our daily lives to enter in silence before God.
– to listen to his voice.
– to entrust our joys and concerns to him,
– to review our lives with him.
This helps us have a firmer and more conscious faith and, consequently, be credible and free disciples. We become men and women capable of reflecting the light of the Gospel in every setting and situation of life and bearing witness to it, even where its value is not understood or accepted.
St. Matthew, the author of the biblical passage above, wrote for communities whose lives were difficult.
They faced hostility and persecution, as many Christians still do today in various parts of the world.
They were greatly tempted to become discouraged and to let weariness or fear overcome them.
Just as it was then, it is challenging to remain faithful to Jesus’s teachings and proclaim his word. This means responding to hatred with love, arrogance with meekness, and discouragement with perseverance.
For this reason, we must strengthen our faith and our mission through an intimate relationship with him.
This gives us the strength to continue sharing his message of hope, love, and peace with everyone, in every circumstance, and not to despair.
The world greatly needs it!
May the Virgin Mary help us be missionary disciples of the Lord Jesus, each according to our vocation.
