Pope Francis speak on the Church that 'says Yes'
May 02, 2013
In his homily at a Mass on May 2, Pope Francis said that a Church that “says Yes” is naturally more appealing than a Church that “says No.”
Reflecting on the Acts of the Apostles, and the debate over whether Gentiles should be required to obey the rules of Judaism, Pope Francis told the congregation that the Church must be careful not to make it too difficult for people to embrace the faith.
“When the service of the Lord becomes a heavy yoke, the doors of the Christian community are closed,” the Pope said. “No one wants to come to the Lord.”
Rather than emphasizing rules, the Pope said, Christian evangelists should stress “that through the grace of the Lord Jesus we are saved.” When people recognize the love of Jesus Christ, he said, then they are prepared to accept the rules of Christian conduct. “It is from this very love that the observance of his commandments is born,” he said.
The Pope said that for someone trusting in God’s love, even saying No is not a negative. The believer, he said, will say: “I will not do this or that because I love the Lord.”
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