Christians should bring “the pain of those who feel lost and without a way out” to Jesus Christ, according to Pope Leo XIV.

The pontiff was speaking during his General Audience on Wednesday, and referring to the parable of the blind beggar Bartimaeus found in the Gospel of Mark.

“With this catechesis I would like to bring our attention to another essential aspect of the life of Jesus, namely his healings. For this reason, I invite you to bring before the Heart of Christ your most painful and fragile parts, those places in your life where you feel stuck and blocked,” Leo told the people in St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican.

He pointed out Bartimaeus was in Jericho, which the pope called the “underworld” of the Holy Land, since it was below sea-level.

“Indeed, Jesus, with his death, went to take back that Adam who fell to the bottom and who represents each one of us,” the pope said.

“Bartimaeus means ‘son of Timaeus’: The man is described through a relationship, and yet he is dramatically alone. This name, though, could also mean ‘son of honour’ or ‘of admiration’, exactly the opposite of the situation in which he finds himself. And since the name is so important in Jewish culture, it means that Bartimaeus fails to live up to what he is called to be,” Leo explained.

He notes that unlike the great movement of people who walk behind Jesus, Bartimaeus is still, with the Gospel saying he is sitting by the roadside, and needs someone to lift him up onto his feet and help him resume 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 we have within us and which form a part of us. He is a beggar, he knows how to ask, indeed, he can shout! If you truly want something, you do everything in order to be able to reach it, even when others reproach you, humiliate you and tell you to let it be. If you really desire it, you keep on shouting!” Leo said.

The pope said the cry of Bartimaeus – “Jesus, son of David, have pity on me!” – has become a very well-known prayer in the Eastern Christian tradition as, “Lord Jesus Christ, Son of God, have pity on me, a sinner.”

“Bartimaeus is blind, but paradoxically he sees better than the others, and he recognizes who Jesus is! Before his cry, Jesus stops and has him called, because there is no cry that God does not hear, even when we are not aware we are addressing him,” the pope said.

“It seems strange that, in front of a blind man, Jesus does not go immediately to him; but, if we think about it, it is the way to reactivate Bartimaeus’ life: He spurs him to get up again, He trusts in his ability to walk. That man can get up on his feet again, he can rise from the throes of death. But in order to do this, he must perform a very meaningful gesture: he must throw away his cloak!” Leo continued.

He explained that for a beggar, the cloak is everything: It is his safety, it is his house, it is the defence that protects him.

“And yet, many times, it is precisely our apparent securities that stand in our way – what we have put on to defend ourselves and which instead prevent us from walking. To go to Jesus and let himself be healed, Bartimaeus must show himself to Him in all his vulnerability. This is the fundamental step in any journey of healing,” the pope said.

Leo continued by saying even the question that Jesus asks the blind beggar – “What do you want from me?” – seems strange to the reader.

“But, in reality, it is not given that we want to be healed from our ailments; at times we prefer to stay still so as not to take responsibility. Bartimaeus’s reply is profound: He uses the verb anablepein, which can mean ‘to see again,’ but which we can also translate as ‘to look up.’ Indeed, Bartimaeus does not want only to see again; he wants to regain his dignity! To look up, we must raise our heads. At times people are stuck because life has humiliated them, and they just want to find their worth again,” Leo explained.

“What saves Bartimaeus, and each one 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 set out on his way. However, Mark concludes the story by saying that Bartimaeus began to follow Jesus: He freely chose to follow him, He who is the Way,” he continued.

At the end of his audience, Pope Leo made an appeal for the victims of the tragedy that took place in the school in Gaza.

Two weeks ago, over 30 people were killed after Israel bombed Fahmi Al-Jargawi School in Gaza City.

On Tuesday, an independent United Nations commission report, said Israel was attempting the “extermination” of the Palestinian population in Gaza.

“What is particularly disturbing is the widespread nature of the targeting of educational facilities, which has extended well beyond Gaza, impacting all Palestinian children,” said commission chair Navi Pillay, a former UN high commissioner for human rights, in a statement.

“Children in Gaza have lost their childhood. With no education available, they are forced to worry about survival amid attacks, uncertainty, starvation and subhuman living conditions,” said Pillay.

On Wednesday, Pope Leo called for prayers for victims in Gaza schools.

“I am close to the families, teachers, and schoolmates. May the Lord receive these children of His in His peace,” the pontiff said.

Follow Charles Collins on X: @CharlesinRome