Vatican City - In his Sunday Angelus reflections, Pope Francis encourages the faithful to emulate the first disciples by seeking the Lord and remaining close to Him, as this brings the fullness of life and eternal joy.

During his reflection on the Sunday Gospel, Pope Francis highlighted Saint Peter's affirmation of faith and trust in Jesus, where Peter says, "Lord, to whom can we go? You have the words of eternal life." The Holy Father noted that Peter’s words reflect the disciples' deep desire to remain with the Lord, having witnessed His teachings and miracles, and shared in His public and private life.

Pope Francis acknowledged the challenges faced by the disciples in following Jesus. They often struggled to understand His teachings and actions, particularly the radical love and mercy He showed, which transcended the norms of institutional religion and tradition. Despite these difficulties, Peter and the other apostles found in Jesus the answer to their deepest longings for life, joy, and love, experiencing the fullness of life that surpasses the limitations of sin and death.

The Holy Father emphasized that the challenge of following the Lord is relevant to each of us today. Like the disciples, we may struggle to understand and live by His example. The key, Pope Francis explained, is to stay close to the Lord—following His Gospel, receiving His grace in the sacraments, and being with Him in prayer. By doing so, we experience the beauty of having Jesus as our Friend and realize that "He alone has the 'words of eternal life.'"

Pope Francis invited everyone to reflect on the presence of Jesus in their lives and to consider whether they allow themselves to be touched and moved by His words.

“May Mary, who received Jesus, the Word of God, in her flesh, help us to listen to Him and never leave Him,” the Holy Father concluded.