At a recent General Audience, Pope Leo XIV reflected deeply on the words of Christ from the Cross, reminding the faithful that Jesus’ cry, “I thirst,” is far more than a physical statement. It is a revelation of divine love seeking our response.
According to Vatican News, Pope Leo said that Jesus’ thirst was “an expression of a profound desire: that of love, of relationship, of communion.” This thirst shows us that God Himself longs for us, for our love, our openness, and our trust. Jesus does not stand on the Cross as a triumphant conqueror, but “as a supplicant for love… He humbly asks for what He, alone, cannot give to Himself in any way.”
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The Pope noted that this moment invites us to see human need and fragility differently. “Our God is not ashamed to beg for a sip, because in that gesture He tells us that love, in order to be true, must also learn to ask and not only to give” (Vatican News). True love is not prideful, but willing to receive.
This teaching strikes at the heart of our modern struggle for independence and control. The Pope emphasized that “salvation is not found in autonomy, but in humbly recognizing one’s own need and in being able to express it freely.” Even the Son of God allowed Himself to be “overcome by this thirst,” showing us that need is not weakness — it is the way back to God.
Pope Leo reminded the faithful that this is the Christian paradox: God conquers evil not by overpowering it but by “accepting the weakness of love to the very end” (Vatican News). It is in admitting our thirst for meaning, justice, and forgiveness that we step out of the hiding place of sin. “Jesus saves us by showing us that asking is not unworthy, but liberating,” the Pope said.
For Catholics, this message is a powerful invitation. We are called to pray honestly, to express our needs to God without shame, and to seek communion with one another. As Pope Leo concluded, “Let us not be afraid to ask, especially when it seems to us that we do not deserve. Let us not be ashamed to reach out our hand. It is right there, in that humble gesture, that salvation hides.”
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