The Pontiff’s apostolic exhortation is filled with warnings, encouragement, explanations, and challenges, all rooted in a pastor's love for the flock.

Pope Francis and the Gospel of Joy

William L. Patenaude

...the vision of the Church held by Francis and his predecessor includes Christians giving witness that crosses need not be avoided out of fear—especially fear that when we give all we are, we will be left with nothing. 

[Charity is] “the unity of the Church; and more, it is the real, sober, working love of the Christian heart. And that means that every act of genuine Christian love, every work of mercy is in a real and authentic sense sacrifice, a celebration of the one and onlysacrificium christianorum.” — Joseph Ratzinger, 1954[1]

“Jesus’ sacrifice on the cross is nothing else than the culmination of the way he lived his entire life. Moved by his example, we want to enter fully into the fabric of society, sharing the lives of all, listening to their concerns, helping them materially and spiritually in their needs, rejoicing with those who rejoice, weeping with those who weep; arm in arm with others, we are committed to building a new world. But we do so not from a sense of obligation, not as a burdensome duty, but as the result of a personal decision which brings us joy and gives meaning to our lives.” — Pope Francis, Evangelii Gaudium, 269, November, 2013

Pope Francis’ exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (“The Joy of the Gospel”) continues and reinforces a vision of the Church found in the early studies of the future Pope Benedict XVI—a vision that was central to Benedict’s teachings as the Successor of St. Peter. InEvangelii Gaudium, Francis draws from his own experiences and in his own way continues his predecessor’s vision. In doing so, he is making clear that the one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church stands at a critical juncture in a dangerous time. This makes Francis’ exhortation a simple one: as Christians have done in ages past, the faithful today must live the Gospel always, everywhere, and radically. They must rely on the grace of God and relentlessly and sacrificially “love in the present,” as a young Joseph Ratzinger put it.

For Francis, it is precisely this essential Christian understanding of an incarnational love of neighbor—one made possible by an even more essential relationship with God—that will continue to carry the Church through and beyond any age hostile to the light, the truth, and even the joy of the Gospel.


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