Pope Leo’s Angelus Reflection for 29th Sunday in Ordinary Time
St Peter’s Square – Sunday, October 18, 2026
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Sunday Gospel: Matthew 22:15-21
Then the Pharisees went and took counsel how to entangle him in his talk.
And they sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are true, and teach the way of God truthfully, and care for no man; for you do not regard the position of men. Tell us, then, what you think. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?” But Jesus, aware of their malice, said, “Why put me to the test, you hypocrites? Show me the money for the tax.” And they brought him a coin. And Jesus said to them, “Whose likeness and inscription is this?” They said, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”
Pope Leo’s Angelus Reflection
Dear brothers and sisters,
The Gospel presents one of Jesus’s most well-known sayings: “Give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s and give to God the things that are God’s.”
It is important to consider these words in the context in which they were originally spoken.
The evangelist Matthew describes a hostile situation toward Jesus.
The Pharisees gather to see how they might trap him with his words.
They decide to send people to question him about a controversial matter: “Is it lawful to pay taxes to the emperor, or not?”
Jesus’ response is astute; it allows him to avoid the trap and exposes the hypocrisy of those who seek to test him.
He asks them to show him the coin used to pay the tax—a denarius.
They hand it to him, and Jesus asks, “Whose head is this, and whose title?”
They reply: “The emperor’s.”
He then declares, “Give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s and give to God the things that are God’s.” (vv. 17-21).
In Jesus, we see a God who is not afraid of history, but who comes to dwell within it.
His kingdom does not abolish human roles and responsibilities.
However, it calls us to live without compromise, free from selfish ambitions and unjust motives.
Above all, we should seek the Kingdom of God and his righteousness (Matthew 6:33).
It is striking that those same people praise Jesus even though their intentions are far from good: “Teacher, we know that you are sincere, teach the way of God in accordance with truth, and show deference to no one, for you do not show partiality to anyone.”.
Dear friends,
This is precisely what it means to “give to the emperor the things that are the emperor’s and to God the things that are God’s”: to be truthful and free from servile fear or hypocrisy; to be free to do good.
Let us pray to the Lord to help us live this way.
Let us also entrust ourselves to the intercession of the Virgin Mary.
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After the Angelus:
Dear brothers and sisters,
Today we celebrate the 100th World Mission Day.
Think how much missionary history has unfolded over these one hundred years!
Let us pray that the Church may remain faithful to the mandate of the Risen Lord:
“Go into all the world and proclaim the good news to the whole creation” (Mk 16:15).