Pope Francis delivered his weekly public audience in St. Peter’s Square on March 29, 2023, where he warned against comfortable Christianity that keeps Jesus at a distance.
He urged the faithful to invite Jesus into their hearts, which he said would lead to a transformation of their beings.
According to the pope, being an “elegant Catholic” is not the same as being a holy one.
He asked his audience to consider whether they had allowed Jesus to enter their hearts and change them or if they were just keeping him at arm’s length.
The pope’s reflections on evangelization and apostolic zeal centred on St. Paul’s transformation from a persecutor of Christians to a great evangelist.
Pope Francis explained that Paul’s zeal for Judaism was converted by Christ to zeal for proclaiming and preaching the Gospel.
He emphasized that the encounter with the risen Lord is what transformed Paul’s entire being, and this is what changes the lives of all who allow Jesus into their hearts.
The pope noted that zeal is not good or bad in itself but depends on whether it is used virtuously or sinfully.
He highlighted how Paul’s humanity, passion for God, and glory were not annihilated but transformed by the Holy Spirit.
The pope stressed that the encounter with Jesus changes a person’s life from within, as it did for Paul.
He urged Christians to find and encounter Jesus, allowing him to change their lives and help them to help others.