ROME — Pope Francis said Sunday that Jesus is not looking for “perfect Christians” or those who “never doubt.”
Drawing inspiration from the gospel reading of the day, which recounts Christ’s encounter with “doubting Thomas” after his resurrection, the pontiff told crowds gathered in Saint Peter’s Square for his Regina Caeli message that it is okay to doubt.
“By telling us the story of Thomas,” Francis said, “the Gospel tells us that the Lord is not looking for perfect Christians. The Lord is not looking for perfect Christians.”
“I am afraid when I see a Christian, some associations of Christians who believe themselves to be perfect,” he continued. “The Lord is not looking for perfect Christians; the Lord is not looking for Christians who never doubt and always flaunt a steadfast faith.”
“When a Christian is like that, something isn’t right,” he asserted, because the adventure of faith “consists of lights and shadows.”
We should not fear “crises of life and faith,” the pope declared. “Crises are not sins, they are part of the journey, we should not fear them.”
It is better “to have an imperfect but humble faith that always returns to Jesus, than a strong but presumptuous faith that makes us proud and arrogant. Woe to those, woe to them!” he stressed.
Jesus wants us to bring him “our needs and our unbelief,” he said. “He always comes back” because “he is patient and merciful.”
Jesus “always forgives, always!” Francis said, and all we need to do is turn to him in our need.
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