Vatican City: During the Sunday Angelus, Pope Leo XIV reflected on the Gospel parable of the Pharisee and the tax collector, urging the faithful to embrace humility and honesty in their relationship with God. Addressing pilgrims from the window of the Apostolic Palace, the Pope contrasted the two figures: the self-assured Pharisee, proud of his apparent righteousness, and the repentant tax collector, fully aware of his shortcomings.

Speaking shortly after celebrating the Jubilee Mass for synodal teams and participatory bodies, Pope Leo highlighted the stark difference in their prayers. The Pharisee’s prayer, he explained, is “rooted in self-praise and spiritual pride, attentive to law and duty but poor in love, weighed down by calculations of giving, having, and measuring debts, lacking mercy.” In contrast, the tax collector’s prayer is simple and sincere: “O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.”

The Pope stressed the courage of the tax collector, who confronts God directly, unshielded by status or power. “He does not remain in the comfort of what he knows, nor hide behind fear or authority. Alone, he comes to the Temple, risking judgment, and humbly bows before the Lord,” Pope Leo said.

He explained that salvation is not earned by flaunting merits or concealing faults, but through honest self-presentation before God, oneself, and others. Quoting Saint Augustine, the Pope likened the Pharisee to a sick person who hides his wounds out of pride, while the tax collector willingly exposes his, opening himself to healing. “We are not surprised that the tax collector, unashamed of his weakness, went home healed,” he remarked.

Pope Leo encouraged the faithful to follow the tax collector’s example: to confront their faults openly, take responsibility, and entrust themselves to God’s mercy. “Let us not be afraid to acknowledge our mistakes,” he urged, emphasizing that this humility fosters inner renewal and nurtures God’s Kingdom, “which belongs not to the proud, but to the humble.”

In calling for sincerity, self-reflection, and trust in divine mercy, Pope Leo’s Angelus message resonated as a timely reminder that true spiritual growth begins with humility and courage.