Pope Leo XIV at Angelus: ‘Even when confused like Peter, dialogue with the Lord’

Castel Gandolfo, August 30, 2026 — Pope Leo XIV has urged Catholics to speak honestly with Jesus in moments of confusion and uncertainty, drawing on St. Peter’s struggle to understand Christ’s path to the cross.

Speaking during the Sunday Angelus in Castel Gandolfo, the Pope reflected on the day’s Gospel from St. Matthew, in which Jesus tells His disciples that He must suffer, die and rise again.

The Pope noted that this revelation did not match the disciples’ expectations of a triumphant Messiah who would defeat their enemies. St. Peter, surprised and disappointed, even rebuked Jesus, saying: “God forbid it, Lord! This must never happen to you.”

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Pope Leo said Peter’s reaction reflects a deeply human struggle that many believers experience.

“For us, too, it is not always easy to understand and accept God’s ways, especially when they are very far from our own,” he said. At such moments, he added, people may be tempted to think that God is mistaken, or that He is not listening or does not care about them.

The Pope said St. Peter’s response teaches two important lessons. First, believers should never stop their dialogue with the Lord, even when they struggle to understand His will.

“We are confidently to tell Him our difficulty in understanding what He is asking of us,” Pope Leo said, encouraging the faithful to approach Jesus with honesty and trust.

The second lesson, he explained, is to avoid judging God’s work according to personal expectations. Instead, Christians are called to listen prayerfully and humbly to what God reveals through events, including those that are difficult to understand.

Jesus’ strong response to Peter — “Get behind me, Satan!” — was followed by a call to deny oneself, take up one’s cross and follow Him. Pope Leo noted that Peter eventually accepted this challenge and remained faithful to Christ throughout his life, even to martyrdom.

The Pope invited the faithful to ask for the same sincerity shown by Peter: “humbly telling Jesus what we truly feel, even when our hearts are confused”. At the same time, he encouraged them to develop Peter’s docility in accepting God’s will beyond their own expectations.

Concluding his reflection, Pope Leo entrusted the faithful to the Blessed Virgin Mary, who remained obedient to God’s plan even at the foot of the cross. He prayed that Mary’s example would help Christians remain faithful and trusting when God’s ways are difficult to understand.

Courtesy: Vatican News