Pope at General Audience: Turn to Jesus – He Is Our Hope and Heals Us

Vatican City, June 25, 2025 : During his Wednesday General Audience in the Vatican, Pope Leo XIV urged the faithful to turn to Jesus in moments of despair and uncertainty, reminding them that Christ is always ready to heal, restore, and renew. “Jesus is our hope,” the Holy Father proclaimed, continuing his catechesis series on the Jubilee theme Christ our Hope.

Reflecting on two Gospel miracles, Pope Leo emphasised the transformative power of faith in Christ. “In life there are moments of disappointment and discouragement, and there is also the experience of death,” he acknowledged. “Let us learn from that woman, from that father: let us go to Jesus: He can heal us, He can revive us.”

Faith that heals and revives

The Pope’s reflection focused on two episodes from the Gospel of St Mark. The first tells of a woman who, after enduring years of illness and social rejection, reaches out in faith to touch Jesus. Her trust does not go unrewarded—Jesus heals her, declaring, “Daughter, your faith has saved you. Go in peace.”

The second miracle recounts Jesus raising a young girl from the dead. The girl's father, devastated by her passing, pleads with Jesus in faith. Despite being told the child had died, Jesus responds, “Do not be afraid; only have faith,” and proceeds to awaken her, saying, “The child is not dead but sleeping.”

“These two episodes,” Pope Leo explained, “reveal that when we turn to the Lord with trust and faith, nothing is beyond His capabilities.” He continued, “Jesus’ act shows us that not only does He heal from every illness, but He also awakens from death.”

He reminded listeners that while physical death may appear final, for God, “death of the body is like sleep,” and it is the death of the soul that should truly concern us.

A deeper call to spiritual nourishment

Highlighting the moment when Jesus instructs the girl's parents to feed her, the Pope pointed out Christ’s attentiveness to human needs. He invited parents to reflect on whether they are providing spiritual nourishment to their children—and whether they themselves are being nourished by the Gospel.

“Do we know how to give it to them? And how can we, if we ourselves are not nourished by the Gospel?” the Pope asked.

Transformation through grace

Pope Leo also noted that grace often works in unseen ways, gradually transforming our lives from within. “Sometimes, we are unaware of it,” he said, “but in a secret and real way, grace reaches us.”

However, he warned against a superficial faith: “Perhaps today too, many people approach Jesus in a superficial way, without truly believing in His power. We walk the surfaces of our churches, but maybe our heart is elsewhere!”

Concluding his message, Pope Leo reaffirmed that no situation is too grave for Jesus’ healing touch. “Let us go to Jesus,” he said once again. “He will make us new.”

Courtesy: Vatican News