How to Win in Life: An Opportunity Missed for Pope Francis in Hungary
Pope Francis recently returned from his apostolic journey to Hungary (April 28-30). Of his various engagements, one of particular interest and importance was his address in Budapest on the 29th to the Catholic youth of Hungary. When a leader of prominence and influence has an opportunity to address the youth of a nation, he or she is always wise to embrace the occasion. When that figure is considered a spiritual leader and speaks on behalf of a church, the occasion is arguably more important and carries greater weight. Francis, therefore, was right in embracing the occasion given to him to address representatives of Hungary’s future.
What is concerning, however, at least from a biblical perspective, are the contents of the Pope’s speech. What the Pope said was not inappropriate or off-color. Not at all. Francis is a polished and experienced speaker and crafts his words and speeches well. He is a student of culture and is thus adept at connecting with his audience. Despite his abilities, the concerning aspect comes in the absence of the good news of what Jesus Christ accomplished for humanity on the cross and with his resurrection and victory over death. Absent was the hope that that victory gives to us all, especially to the youth of a nation that will shape its future.
In his speech Pope Francis presented Jesus as one who exists to help us realize our dreams. He is our coach and friend who is constantly cheering us on and providing us with what we need to succeed. “Jesus walks closely by our side” so that we are “fellow travelers of a God who listens to (our) needs and is attentive to (our) dreams…Jesus wants us to accomplish great things. He doesn’t want us to be lazy couch potatoes; he doesn’t want us to be quiet and timid; instead he wants us to be alive, active, ready to take charge and make history. He never disparages our expectations but, on the contrary, raises the bar of our desires.”
During his address Pope Francis posed a question that certainly would have resonated well with his listeners: “You may well ask: how do we win in life?” Employing a sports analogy, Francis said the answer to this question is being a team player, aiming high (setting ambitious goals and objectives), and then training to accomplish those aims. Training involves dialogue with Jesus, who listens to you, believes in you, brings out the best in you, and is the best of coaches.
Early in his speech Francis references John chapter 8 and the woman caught in adultery. The woman was surrounded by accusers, but when Jesus spoke, her accusers departed. Alone with her, Jesus asks: “Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?” (Jn 8:10). She answers, “No one, Lord” (v. 11). Francis then adds: “Even as she speaks, she realizes that God wishes not to condemn her, but to forgive her. Keep this in mind: God does not want to condemn, but to forgive. God always forgives. Don’t forget it! God always forgives; he is always there to lift us up whenever we fall! With him at our side, we should never be afraid to move ahead with our lives” (italics original).
All of this sounds nice, endearing, encouraging and inspiring. And while there are certainly aspects of truth to the Pope’s words, his speech ultimately lacks true value because it is void of the gospel of Jesus Christ. Francis, for example, makes no mention of why the adulterous woman was no longer condemned. It was because Christ had forgiven her of her sins. After proclaiming this good news he commanded her to “go and from now on sin no more” (v.11), which required a recognition of sin and a turning away from it to walk a new path. Earlier in the story it was the recognition of sin that caused the woman’s accusers to leave: “Let him who is without sin among you be the first to throw a stone at her” (v.7).
While Jesus is a friend and can be considered a coach or sorts, he is not so in the sense articulated by Pope Francis. The Bible does not present Jesus as coming alongside us and asking us what we want and helping us to achieve our dreams and aspirations, listening to us and coaching us as we journey through life. That is a false representation. Jesus, instead, calls his followers to drop everything, to die to self and to one’s own ambitions, and to follow him wholeheartedly. Indeed, the cost of true discipleship is great (Luke 14:25-33), and in fact it will require rejection at times. But great too is the reward for those who truly follow Christ (Luke 6:22-23). Only in dying to ourselves and to our own ambitions and desires can we truly know freedom. Coaching, therefore, comes through the study of God’s Word and obedience and submission to what it teaches.
“You may well ask: how do we win in life?” The answer to this question is not a sports analogy that encourages us to pursue our dreams while Jesus comes alongside and cheers us on as our coach. The answer to how we win in life is found in the redemptive work of Jesus Christ on the cross, where he claimed victory over death. The good news of the Bible is that we too can have victory over death when we confess our sins and trust in Christ’s work on the cross for the forgiveness of ours sins. Repentance and faith produce a new birth and reorient our desires and ambitions to reflect those of Christ for our lives. This indeed is very good news and is the hope for the future. This is the message for the youth of Hungary and for every nation. Unfortunately, however, it is absent in the Pope’s speech. Let us pray for the youth of Hungary, that they might hear the true gospel of Jesus Christ proclaimed in God’s Word. And may there be a great movement of the Holy Spirit in Hungary and throughout the world, so that many confess and turn from their sin, place their faith in Christ, and experience victory over death. To God be all the glory.