Pope Leo XIV encouraged Catholics to deepen their personal relationship with Jesus, warning that Christian faith cannot simply rest on familiar ideas, inherited assumptions, or established routines.

During his Sunday Angelus in St. Peter’s Square on August 23, the Holy Father reflected on Christ’s question to His disciples in Matthew’s Gospel: Who do you say that I am?

Pope Leo explained that this question remains essential for every Christian. Knowing about Jesus is not the same as knowing Him personally. The faithful are called to encounter Christ continually through prayer and the Gospel, allowing that friendship to shape their decisions and bring their lives into greater conformity with the faith they profess.

Such a relationship also guards against reducing Catholicism to habit. The Pope encouraged the faithful to remain receptive to what Christ is asking of them today rather than assuming they already possess all the answers.

That openness may lead Christians in unexpected directions. Pope Leo said this applies not only to individual discipleship but also to the life of the Church. Pastoral decisions cannot always be made simply by repeating what has been done before. Instead, Catholics must continually discern where the Lord is leading them.

Prayer and meditation on Scripture are essential to that discernment, but Christ also makes His call known through ordinary life. Pope Leo pointed especially to encounters with people who are suffering or in need, as well as situations that challenge the conscience and demand a faithful response.

Ultimately, the Holy Father invited Catholics to consider whether Jesus is merely an important figure from history or truly the Christ sent by the Father. A living faith recognizes Him as Lord and remains open to His grace, allowing Him to transform both our daily lives and the world around us.