LEO XIV at the GENERAL AUDIENCE
St. Peter's Square on
Wednesday, June 11, 2025
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Catechesis Cycle – Jubilee 2025. Jesus Christ our hope. II. The life of Jesus. The parables. 9. Bartimaeus. «Courage! Get up, he is calling you!» ( Mk 10,49)
Dear brothers and sisters ,
With this catechesis I would like to turn our gaze to another essential aspect of Jesus' life, that is, his healings . For this reason I invite you to place before the Heart of Christ your most painful or fragile parts, those places in your life where you feel stuck and blocked. Let us ask the Lord with confidence to hear our cry and to heal us!
The character who accompanies us in this reflection helps us understand that we must never abandon hope, even when we feel lost. It is Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, whom Jesus met in Jericho (see Mk 10:40-52). The place is significant: Jesus is going to Jerusalem, but he begins his journey, so to speak, from the "hell" of Jericho, a city that is below sea level.
In fact, with his death, Jesus went to recover that Adam who has fallen and who represents each one of us.
Bartimaeus means “son of Timaeus”: it describes that man through a relationship, yet he is dramatically alone. This name, however, could also mean “son of honor” or “of admiration”, exactly the opposite of the situation in which he finds himself. [1] And since the name is so important in Jewish culture, it means that Bartimaeus is unable to live what he is called to be.
Unlike the great movement of people walking behind Jesus, Bartimaeus is still. The Evangelist says that he is sitting along the road, therefore he needs someone to put him back on his feet and help him to continue his journey.
What can we do when we find ourselves in a situation that seems to have no way out? Bartimaeus teaches us to appeal to the resources that we carry within us and that are part of us. He is a beggar, he knows how to ask, indeed, he can shout! If you really want something, do everything you can to get it, even when others scold you, humiliate you and tell you to give up. If you really want it, keep shouting!
The cry of Bartimaeus, reported in the Gospel of Mark – “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!” (v. 47) – has become a very well-known prayer in the Eastern tradition, which we too can use: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.”
Bartimaeus is blind, but paradoxically he sees better than the others and recognizes who Jesus is! Faced with his cry, Jesus stops and calls him (see v. 49), because there is no cry that God does not hear, even when we are not aware that we are addressing him (see Ex 2:23). It seems strange that, faced with a blind man, Jesus does not go to him immediately; but, if we think about it, it is the way to reactivate the life of Bartimaeus: he pushes him to get up, he trusts in his ability to walk. That man can get back on his feet, he can rise from his situations of death. But to do this he must make a very significant gesture: he must throw away his cloak (see v. 50)!
For a beggar, his cloak is everything: it is his security, it is his home, it is the defense that protects him. Even the law protected the beggar's cloak and required it to be returned in the evening if it had been taken as a pledge (see Exodus 22:25). Yet, many times, what blocks us are precisely our apparent securities, what we have put on to defend ourselves and which instead is preventing us from walking. To go to Jesus and be healed, Bartimaeus must expose himself to Him in all his vulnerability. This is the fundamental step for every journey of healing.
Even the question that Jesus asks him seems strange: “What do you want me to do for you?” (v. 51). But, in reality, it is not a given that we want to be healed from our illnesses; sometimes we prefer to remain still so as not to take on responsibilities. Bartimaeus’s answer is profound: he uses the verb anablepein , which can mean “to see again,” but which we could also translate as “to raise one’s gaze.” In fact, Bartimaeus does not only want to see again, he also wants to rediscover his dignity! To look up, you have to raise your head. Sometimes people are blocked because life has humiliated them and they only want to rediscover their own value.
What saves Bartimaeus, and each of us, is faith. Jesus heals us so that we can become free. He does not invite Bartimaeus to follow him, but tells him to go, to get back on the road (see v. 52). However, Mark concludes the story by reporting that Bartimaeus began to follow Jesus: he freely chose to follow the one who is the Way!
Dear brothers and sisters, let us confidently bring before Jesus our illnesses, and those of our loved ones, let us bring the pain of those who feel lost and without a way out. Let us cry out for them too, and let us be certain that the Lord will listen to us and stop.
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[1] This is the interpretation also given by Augustine in The Consensus of the Evangelists , 2, 65, 125: PL 34, 1138.
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Greetings
I cordially greet people from the French language, especially foreigners from Gabon, Suisse, Réunion and France. Doors with confidence in Jesus our fears, our limits and our difficulties, even the cells of our dreams. Portons also the souffrance de ceux qui se sentent perdus et ne trouvent pas d'issue. Cry also for others, and soyons certains that the Seigneur us écoutera et si chera sur us. That's why you're happy with your families.
[ I cordially greet the French-speaking faithful, especially the pilgrims from Gabon, Switzerland, Reunion and France. Let us confidently bring before Jesus our trials, our limitations and our weaknesses, as well as those of our loved ones. Let us also bring the suffering of those who feel lost and cannot find a way out. Cry out for them too, and be certain that the Lord will hear you and take care of you. God bless you and your families .]
I extend a warm welcome to the English-speaking pilgrims and visitors taking part in today's Audience, especially those coming from England, Scotland, Belgium, Cameroon, Zimbabwe, China, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, Canada , United States of America. As we prepare to celebrate the Solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity this coming Sunday, I invite you to make of your hearts a welcoming dwelling for the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. God bless you all!
Liebe Brüder und Schwestern German Sprache, ich lade euch ein, mit euren Krankheiten des Leibes wie also der Seele zu Jesus zu kommen – mit demselben Vertrauen, mit dem Bartimäus betete: „Herr Jesus Christus, Sohn Gottes, hab Erbarmen mit mir Sünder.“
[ Dear German-speaking brothers and sisters, I invite you to bring your illnesses, both those of the body and those of the soul, before Jesus with the same trust that inspired Bartimaeus' prayer: “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have mercy on me, a sinner.” ]
I cordially greet the pilgrims of the Spanish language, especially the groups coming from Spain, Mexico, Ecuador and Venezuela. I invite you to lift up with faith before Jesus our sick ones and our queried souls; let us not be indifferent to the pain of the brothers who feel lost and lost, until they give them their voice; Be sure that the Lord will educate and act upon us. Let us pray to God, through the intercession of the Most Holy Mary, who may grant us the grace to follow what is the Path, Jesus our Lord. Much thanks.
我向讲中文的人们致以亲切的问候。亲爱的弟兄姐妹们，愿你们在生活中体验到圣神的工作，从而散发出信仰的喜乐。我降福大家！
[ I extend my cordial greetings to the Chinese-speaking people. Dear brothers and sisters, I wish you to experience the work of the Holy Spirit in your life, to radiate the joy of faith. My blessing to all! ]
I cordially welcome the pilgrims of the Portuguese language, in a special way to the Choir of Ancient Orpheonists from the University of Coimbra, to the ranks of the Brazilian Military Ordinary and to the various groups coming from Portugal and Brazil. We pray to the Lord that we are cured of our illnesses. God vos beneçoe!
[ I cordially welcome the pilgrims of the Portuguese language, in a special way to the choir of ancient Orpheonists from the University of Coimbra, to the ranks of the Brazilian Military Ordinary and to the various groups coming from Portugal and Brazil. We pray to the Lord that we are cured of our illnesses. God vos beneçoe! ]
أُحيِّي المُؤْمِنِينَ النَّاطِقِينَ باللُغَةِ العَرَبِيَّة. أدعوكُم إلى أنْ تَقتَدُوا بِبَرطيماوُس الأعْمَى الَّذي عَرِفَ بإيمانِهِ أنَّ يسوعَ هو المُخَلِّصُ الحَقِيقيّ، فانفَتَحَتْ له أبوابُ الخَلاص. Let's go!
[ I greet the Arabic-speaking faithful. I invite you to follow the example of the blind Bartimaeus, who thanks to his faith understood that Jesus is the true Savior and the doors of salvation opened for him. May the Lord bless you all and protect you always from all evil! ]
Pozdrawiam serdecznie wszystkich Polaków. W czerwcu celebrujecie nabożeństwo poświęcone Najświętszemu Sercu Pana Jezusa. Zachęcam was, byście pielęgnowali tę tradycję, przedstawiając Sercu Chrystusa, które jest źródłem życia i świętości, wasze troski i nadzieje. Ufnie proście Pana, aby pozwolił wam poznać swoje Serce i wysłuchał waszego wołania! Wszystkim wam błogosławię.
[ I cordially greet all the Poles. In June, celebrate the pious devotion to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. I encourage you to cultivate this tradition, entrusting your worries and hopes to the Heart of Christ, source of life and holiness. Ask the Lord with confidence to let you know his Heart and hear your cry! My blessing to all .]
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APPEAL
I would like to assure my prayers for the victims of the tragedy that occurred in the school in Graz. I am close to the families, teachers, and classmates. May the Lord welcome these children of his into his peace.
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I extend a warm welcome to the Italian-speaking pilgrims. In particular, I greet the pilgrimage of Italian and international Chartered Accountants and Accounting Experts. You play a significant role in managing financial resources and supporting businesses and individuals. I encourage you to carry out your work with integrity and responsibility, contributing to the well-being of society and economic growth in an ethical and fair manner.
I also greet the Sisters of the Holy Cross of Menzingen, who are celebrating their General Chapter; the Sisters of Charity of Our Lady of Good and Perpetual Help; the Marist Brothers of the Schools; the Sisters of the International Union of Superiors General. May this meeting with the Successor of Peter be an incentive for you to continue fervently on your journey of faith, so as to create communities capable of expressing an incisive evangelical witness in today's world.
I affectionately welcome the Movement for Ethics, Culture and Sport, as well as the faithful of Sant'Elpidio a Mare, San Ferdinando di Puglia and Moliterno. May the Lord accompany you and make you courageous disciples at the service of the good and of others.
Finally, my thoughts go to the young people, the sick and newlyweds. Next Sunday we will celebrate the solemnity of the Most Holy Trinity. I hope that the contemplation of the Trinitarian mystery will lead you ever more deeply into divine Love, to fulfill the will of the Lord in every circumstance.
My blessing to everyone!
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