Pope on 'Superficial' Christians: They Can't Understand the Joy of Christ

By Vincent Funaro, Christian Post Reporter Thursday, June 27, 2013

Pope Francis illustrated the difference between Christians that try to separate Christ from Christianity and those who live out their faith without his joy in one of his homilies this week.

"The former have a 'superficial' happiness," he said. "The others live in perpetual state of mourning, but do not know what Christian joy is. They do not know how to enjoy the life that Jesus gives us, for they know not to talk to Jesus. They do not feel that they rest on Jesus with the firmness which the presence of Jesus gives."

He also explained how those Christians not only lack joy, but freedom as well as they are slaves to their rigidity, leaving the Holy Spirit with no place in their lives.

The Pope stressed the importance of Christians taking action in their faith instead of just constantly relaying beautiful words.

"In the history of the Church there have been two classes of Christians: Christians of words- those Lord, Lord, Lord- and Christians of action, in truth," he said. "There has always been the temptation to live our Christianity not on the rock that is Christ. The only one who gives us the freedom to say 'Father' to God is Christ, our rock."

"He is the only one who sustains us in difficult times," he continued.

Christians of words tend to separate their faith or religion from Christ throughout history, according to the Pope.

He explained that superficial Christians believe in God, and Jesus, but don't hold the Lord as their foundation. The other category consists of the joyless ones that hold to taking their faith so seriously that they "confuse solidity and firmness with rigidity."

Those who want true joy and freedom must make Christ their foundation and rely on the Holy Spirit, according to the Pope.

"It is the Spirit who gives us freedom! Today, the Lord calls us to build our Christian life on him, the rock, the one who gives us freedom, the one who sends us the spirit, that keeps us going with joy, on his journey, following his proposals," he said.