Jesus brings hope amid disappointment, Pope tells audience
June 18, 2025
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CWN Editor's Note: At his regular weekly public audience on June 18, Pope Leo XIV said that Jesus “reaches people in their pain,” and can help even those who feel trapped by past mistakes.
The Pope spoke about the healing of the paralytic at the pool of Bethesda, noting that the man had come to the pool for 38 years, hoping to be cured. The Pope said:
Jesus asks the paralytic a question that may seem superfluous: “Do you want to be well?” Instead, it is a necessary question, because when one is stuck for so many years, even the will to heal may fade. Sometimes we prefer to remain in the condition of sickness, forcing others to take care of us. It is sometimes also an excuse for not deciding what to do with our lives. Jesus instead takes this man back to his truest and deepest desire.
“In effect, what paralyzes us, very often, is disappointment,” the Pontiff remarked. He added: “Let us pray for all those who feel paralyzed and see no way out.”
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