Pope Francis has urged Christians to distinguish themselves by reaching beyond their limitations and bringing the Good News to all with an open and expansive attitude inspired by Jesus.
The pope drawing from the Gospel according to St. Matthew recounted the story of Jesus’ encounter with a pagan Canaanite woman, who persisted in seeking healing for her daughter despite initial resistance from Jesus.
The Pope noted that this encounter demonstrated a change in Jesus’ perspective, emphasizing that God’s call is not exclusive but open to all.
According to him during his weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square on Nov. 22 that when individuals hear God’s call to follow Him, it does not confer special privilege or belonging to an exclusive group of the perfect or the “elected.”
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Rejecting the notion of privilege, the Pope stressed that the divine call is a call to service, with God selecting individuals to serve everyone and to spread love to all.
Continuing his discourse on the “zeal for evangelization,” a theme drawn from his 2013 apostolic exhortation, “The Joy of the Gospel,” the Pope highlighted that the Gospel and the joy of God’s love are meant for everyone.
He quoted from his exhortation, emphasizing that everyone has “a right to receive the Gospel,” and Christians have a duty to share it without exclusion.
The Pope cautioned against viewing God’s call as a privilege, stressing that when God chooses individuals and forms pacts with them, it is always with the intention of reaching others.
He reminded Christians that the church’s universality, expressed through the term “catholic,” serves to prevent the temptation of associating Christianity exclusively with a particular culture, ethnicity, or system.
Pope Francis concluded by emphasizing that Christianity is not a select group but a universal calling, with God choosing some to love all, and the Gospel is intended for everyone.
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