We believe with all the strength of our spirit that mankind has a

Hear, O children of faith and seekers of truth, the solemn words of Pope Paul VI: “We believe with all the strength of our spirit that mankind has a supreme, primary and irreplaceable need which can be satisfied only through Jesus Christ, the first-born among men, the head of the new humanity, in whom each individual reaches full self-realization.” These words shine like a beacon, calling not to mere belief, but to the very core of human existence. For they speak of a hunger deeper than bread, a thirst greater than water, and a longing that no earthly power can fulfill.

The meaning is mighty: every man and woman, though clothed in flesh and adorned with reason, bears within a void that yearns for the eternal. This void cannot be filled by wealth, nor by knowledge, nor even by love between mortals. It is an irreplaceable need, written upon the heart of humanity since its beginning. And according to the holy pontiff, that need finds its answer only in Jesus Christ, the one who stands as bridge between heaven and earth, as the head of the new humanity, gathering the scattered children of men into a family renewed.

The origin of these words lies in the Church’s proclamation after the Second Vatican Council, a time when the world was torn between faith and doubt, tradition and modernity. Pope Paul VI, successor of Peter, spoke them as both declaration and reminder: that amid progress, technology, and the noise of new philosophies, the eternal question of the human heart remains the same. Who am I? What is my destiny? And the answer, as he declared with the strength of spirit, rests not in passing powers but in Christ alone, the first-born among men, who reveals to each individual their true worth.

Consider, O listener, the life of Saint Augustine. In his youth, he sought satisfaction in pleasures of the body, in rhetoric, in power, and in philosophy. Yet none of these quenched his restless heart. Only when he turned to Christ did he find peace, uttering his immortal words: “Our hearts are restless until they rest in Thee.” His story is but one among thousands across the centuries, each bearing witness to the truth proclaimed by Paul VI: that only in Christ does man find his self-realization, his true identity, his home.

History also shows us what occurs when this truth is forgotten. Nations that exalt wealth as supreme, or power as the highest good, may prosper for a time, but they collapse from within, for they neglect the deeper hunger of their people. Rome, in all its splendor, offered bread and circuses, yet its soul decayed until it crumbled. But the humble followers of Christ, though poor and persecuted, flourished in spirit, for they drank from the wellspring that never runs dry. Thus is proven the wisdom of the Pope’s words: without Christ, humanity wanders; with Him, it rises renewed.

The lesson, O listener, is clear: do not seek your worth in things that pass away. Do not measure yourself by wealth, by rank, by beauty, or by power, for these fade like mist at dawn. Seek instead the supreme need, the One who answers the cry of the heart. In Christ, you are not lost among the multitudes, but known by name. In Him, your spirit finds peace, your labor finds meaning, and your destiny is revealed.

Therefore, in practice, make space each day for the eternal. Lift your mind in prayer, open your heart to the Gospel, and allow your spirit to be shaped not by the world but by Christ. Treat others as members of the same new humanity, honoring in them the image of the first-born, who unites us all. In this way, you will not only find your own self-realization, but you will also help build a world where the supreme need of mankind is met—not with fleeting shadows, but with the eternal light of the Son.