Pontiff reminds faithful that hope in Jesus sustains humanity amid life’s struggles
Vatican City: During his Wednesday General Audience in St. Peter’s Square, Pope Leo XIV offered a moving reflection on the sustaining presence of Christ in human life, reminding the faithful that even amid suffering and uncertainty, Jesus never ceases to uphold us. The Pope continued his catechesis series titled “Jesus Christ, Our Hope,” focusing on how faith in the Risen Lord quenches our spiritual thirst and renews our strength.
“To journey with Jesus,” the Pope said, “is to experience being carried forward, even when everything seems heavy to find refreshment in the midst of fatigue and light in the shadows that obscure our path.”
Drawing on the everyday experiences of joy and struggle, Pope Leo spoke about the inner paradox of human life. “Sometimes we are full of joy; at other times, weighed down by sorrow. We achieve success and recognition, only to find ourselves again in moments of doubt or emptiness,” he reflected. “We all desire happiness, and yet, lasting happiness often slips away.”
This tension, the Pope said, reveals both our human limitation and our divine yearning. “We are made for something greater for fullness, not emptiness,” he noted. “Deep within us is a longing that no role, power, or possession can satisfy. Only the One who sustains this longing can fill it only God.”
Pope Leo described this divine assurance as the true essence of Christian hope a force far deeper than mere optimism. “Optimism can falter when life disappoints us,” he said, “but hope endures, because it is anchored in Christ, who conquered death.”
“The Risen Jesus,” he continued, “is the wellspring that satisfies every thirst the living source of joy and renewal that never runs dry.” The Resurrection, he reminded, is not a past event but a living reality that continues to transform hearts and history.
Quoting St. Augustine’s Confessions, Pope Leo spoke of the burning desire for God that lies in every soul: “I tasted, and now I hunger and thirst. You touched me, and I burn for Your peace.”
“Jesus,” he said, “has guaranteed a permanent source of life. He is the Living One, the Lover of Life, the Victor over death. Only He can renew us on our earthly pilgrimage and offer the peace that endures into eternity.”
The Pope emphasized that Jesus does not remain distant from human pain. “The Risen Lord does not offer answers from afar. He walks with us, sharing the dust of our roads and the weight of our crosses.”
“When we are exhausted, when our thirst becomes unbearable, He alone can fill our empty cup,” the Pope declared. “He is not only our companion He is our destination.”
Pope Leo acknowledged the fragility of human nature, saying that sin often causes us to stumble or lose hope. But he urged believers never to remain fallen. “Rise again,” he said, “for the Risen Christ walks before you. He assures us that we will reach home a place where we are awaited, loved, and saved.”
Concluding his reflection, the Pope reminded the faithful that only Christ gives peace that endures a peace “the world cannot offer nor take away.” Through every trial and triumph, he said, “Jesus sustains us always, despite everything.”