In his latest General Audience, Pope Leo XIV invited the faithful to rediscover the peace and strength that come from walking with Christ. Speaking to pilgrims gathered in St. Peter’s Square, the Holy Father reflected on how “to journey with Jesus means to experience being sustained despite everything—to have our thirst quenched and to be refreshed amid the hardships and struggles that, like heavy stones, threaten to block or divert our path through life,” according to Vatican News.
Hope Beyond Human Limits
Continuing his catechesis series “Jesus Christ, Our Hope,” Pope Leo acknowledged that the Christian life is marked by contrasts—joy and sorrow, success and discouragement, fulfillment and waiting. “At times, we feel joyful; at other times, sad,” he said. “We live busy lives, focusing on results… Other times, we remain suspended—awaiting success or recognition that never comes.”
This tension, the Pope explained, reveals the human heart’s deep yearning for something greater. We were not made for emptiness but for divine fullness. “We were not created for lack, but for fullness—to rejoice in life, and life in abundance,” he said, reminding the faithful that only God can satisfy that thirst for meaning.
The Living Source of Hope
According to Vatican News, Pope Leo emphasized that this inner desire finds its fulfillment in the Risen Christ. “This certainty is what we call hope,” he said. “It’s not mere optimism—optimism often collapses under the weight of disappointment. But hope, Christian hope, promises and fulfills.”
The Pope described Jesus as “the wellspring that satisfies our thirst—the infinite thirst for fullness placed in our hearts by the Holy Spirit.” This hope, he explained, does not depend on favorable circumstances but flows from the unchanging reality of Christ’s Resurrection—a mystery that continues to transform every moment of human history.
The Peace That Endures
Quoting St. Augustine’s Confessions, Pope Leo reflected on the soul’s longing for divine beauty: “You exhaled fragrance, and I drew in my breath and pant for You. I tasted, and now I hunger and thirst. You touched me, and I burned for Your peace.”
Pope Leo linked this ancient yearning to the promise of eternal life: “Jesus, in His Resurrection, has guaranteed a permanent source of life… He alone can refresh us along our earthly pilgrimage and offer us a peace that endures into eternity,” he said, according to Vatican News.
Christ Walks Beside Us
In closing, the Pope reminded listeners that Jesus does not remain distant from human suffering. “The Risen Jesus does not offer answers ‘from above,’ detached from our pain,” he said. “Instead, He walks with us—on a road that is often difficult, painful, and mysterious.”
When life feels overwhelming and our hearts grow weary, Christ remains near. “When our flask is empty, when thirst becomes unbearable, only He can fill it,” the Pope affirmed. And even when sin or despair cause us to stumble, we are never abandoned. “Rise again and stand on your feet,” Pope Leo urged. “The Risen Christ guarantees that we will arrive and leads us home—to a place where we are awaited, loved, and saved.”
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