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Illustration: The tears of St. Peter by El Greco
Pope Leo’s Angelus Reflection for 21st Sunday in Ordinary Time
St Peter’s Square – Sunday, 23 August 2026
“Who is Jesus for me?”
Sunday Gospel: Matthew 16:13-20
When Jesus arrived in Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” They replied, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and still others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
Then he asked them, “But who do you say that I am?”
Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”
Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar Jona! Flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father in heaven has. I also tell you that you are Peter.
On this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hadeswill not overcome it.
I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.”
Then he strictly charged the disciples not to tell anyone that he was the Christ.
Pope Leo’s Angelus Reflection
Dear brothers and sisters,
This Sunday’s Gospel poses a question that speaks to each of us on our journey of faith: Who is Jesus for me?
The Gospel passage reveals how important this question is for the experience of discipleship.
Although the twelve apostles had shared much of their teacher’s life and ministry,
Jesus did not assume they knew him or understood the mystery of the Kingdom of God.
After asking them what people were saying about him, Jesus addressed them directly: “But who do you say that I am?”
Brothers and sisters, this is a fundamental question for the disciples of every age, and for each one of us.
Faith is not something that is given to us once and for all.
Rather, we must continually rediscover the face of Christ and his Gospel to more deeply understand his message and renew the choices we make in our lives, so they align with our beliefs.
This helps us overcome the temptation to think we already know everything and reduce faith to habit
Each day, we are asked: Who is Jesus to me, and what does his presence mean in my life? This question arises especially during prayer and meditation on the Gospel.
It also arises when we encounter the wounds and needs of our brothers and sisters and in relationships and situations that challenge our conscience the most.
In short, we can discover in our daily lives whether Jesus is merely a great historical figure who said and did important things or the Christ of God, sent to bring us into the love of the Father and transform our lives and the world.
Dear brothers and sisters,
Instead of retreating into our own convictions and religious certainties, let us remain open to an authentic relationship with Christ.
Sometimes, when it comes to the Christian faith, we are content with what we have merely “heard,” common assumptions, or what has been handed down to us—perhaps even with the best of intentions.
Yet, Jesus calls us to give a personal response, to know him more closely, and to allow ourselves to be shaped by our friendship with him through ever-new encounters.
This may require us to follow unfamiliar paths and make choices different from what we had imagined.
This is true for our personal journey, the journey of the Church, and our pastoral choices. Sometimes, we may think that continuing to do things as we have always done them is enough.
Instead, it is important to often ask ourselves: Who is the Lord to me?
Do I truly know him? What is his gospel asking of me today?
What steps and choices am I called to make??
Let us invoke the Blessed Virgin Mary, who sought God’s will through her Son, so that she may always guide us on our journey of faith.
