A Personal Relationship with Christ
For Francis, faith is deeply personal. He often encourages Christians to build a personal and intimate relationship with Jesus, calling Him a friend, teacher, and redeemer. In Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel), he states:
“I never tire of repeating those words of Benedict XVI: ‘Being a Christian is not the result of an ethical choice or a lofty idea, but the encounter with an event, a person, which gives life a new horizon and a decisive direction.’”
This “encounter” with Jesus, Pope Francis insists, is what transforms hearts and lives. It is the starting point for evangelization and authentic Christian living.
Jesus in the Poor and the Marginalized
Pope Francis sees Jesus especially in the faces of the poor, the vulnerable, and the marginalized. Drawing from the Gospel, he often repeats Jesus’ words: “Whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me” (Matthew 25:40). He challenges the Church to go to the peripheries of society and see Christ in those who suffer, urging compassion over judgment.
The Cross and Resurrection
The pope frequently returns to the image of the Cross as the ultimate expression of Jesus’ love. In his Good Friday meditations and Easter homilies, Pope Francis reflects on how Christ’s suffering is redemptive, and how His resurrection brings joy and hope to the world.
“The Cross of Christ is not defeat but victory. In it we see the triumph of love over hatred, of forgiveness over revenge, of peace over violence, of hope over despair.”
Jesus as the Good Shepherd
Another frequent theme in Francis’ teaching is Jesus as the Good Shepherd — gentle, merciful, and always seeking the lost. He often reminds clergy and the faithful to imitate Jesus’ tenderness, saying that pastors should “smell like the sheep,” meaning they should live close to their people and walk with them.
