Pope Leo XIV prayed the Angelus with the faithful in St Peter’s Square on Sunday, his first scheduled event since being released from Rome’s Gemelli Hospital on Saturday following surgery to remove a portion of his right lung.

Thousands of pilgrims and visitors were present in the Square to greet the Holy Father and join him for the weekly Marian devotion.

‘Render unto Caesar’

In his reflection ahead of the Angelus, Pope Leo commented on “one of Jesus’ best known sayings: ‘Therefore render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s’.”

Jesus’ was responding to a question about taxes that was intended to trap him. But “the Teacher’s response” the Pope said, “is astute, for it allows him to avoid the trap and exposes the hypocrisy of those who seek to put him to the test.”

Pope Leo draws out the conclusion we should come to when reading this passage: “In Jesus, we contemplate a God who is not afraid of history, but comes instead to dwell within it. His kingdom does not abolish human roles and responsibilities.”

Be truthful, free to do good

Instead, the Pope continued, Jesus calls us “to live without compromise, free from selfish ambitions and unjust motives, seeking above all the Kingdom of God and His righteousness”. At the same time, the Pope notes that hypocrisy of those in the Gospel who praised Jesus, “even though their intentions are far from good.”

Summing up, Pope Leo explained, “This is precisely what it means to ‘render to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s’: to be truthful, free from servile fear or hypocrisy, free to do good.”