On Wednesday, June 18th, Pope Leo XIV delivered a stirring general audience that centered on the Gospel account of Jesus healing the paralytic at the Pool of Bethesda, as found in John’s Gospel, Chapter 5. John Morales and Rome correspondent Ashley Noronha explored the pope’s message in depth, unpacking its powerful implications for a weary and often spiritually fatigued world.
The paralytic in the Gospel had been immobile for thirty-eight years. His long-suffering condition made him a symbol of those who have been spiritually stuck, those who, over time, have lost not only the strength to move but even the desire to hope. Pope Leo offered a profound interpretation of this miracle, describing the man’s paralysis as a mirror of spiritual apathy, which he identified as an even greater affliction than physical infirmity. This inner numbness, the pope explained, is what truly paralyzes us in our faith journey. It’s not always visible, but it saps our will to change, to grow, or to believe that transformation is still possible.
Bethesda, which translates to “house of mercy,” served as the perfect symbol for the Church in Pope Leo’s catechesis. Just as the pool in Jerusalem drew the sick and infirm in hopes of healing, the Church exists as a spiritual refuge for all who are weary, ashamed, or trapped in sin. It is within this house of mercy that one can encounter Christ and be made new. The pope challenged listeners not to view the Church as a cold institution, but rather as a living sanctuary of divine mercy, a pool where grace is always moving and healing is always available.
Jesus’ interaction with the paralytic was especially poignant. When asked why he had not yet been healed, the man said he had no one to help him into the water. Pope Leo pointed out that this excuse echoes through the hearts of many today. How often do we blame our circumstances, our past, or our loneliness for our inability to move forward in faith? These rationalizations can become barriers to grace, and while they may feel justified, they often conceal a deeper fear of hope and change.
In response, Pope Leo urged the faithful to take a bold, honest step forward. Healing may not always come in the way we expect, but it begins with the courage to ask. Just as Christ told the paralytic to “rise, take up your mat, and walk,” He invites each of us to reject complacency and begin again. The pope encouraged everyone, especially during this Jubilee Year, to recognize the paralysis in their own lives—whether born of shame, vice, fear, or exhaustion—and to surrender it to the mercy of God.
John and Ashley reflected on how timely this message is. In an era marked by burnout and deep spiritual confusion, Pope Leo’s words strike a hopeful note. The Church is not a museum for the perfect, but a field hospital for the wounded. The healing waters of Bethesda still flow through the sacraments, through community, through the simple act of asking for help.
The message is clear: mercy is waiting. But we must stand up, leave our excuses behind, and walk toward Christ.