Pope on Christ the King: Never shrink from love and truth

By Devin Watkins

As the Church celebrates the annual World Youth Day on the Solemnity of Christ the King, Pope Francis witnessed the handover of the WYD Cross and icon of Mary Salus Populi Romani.

At the conclusion of Mass in St. Peter’s Basilica on Sunday, several Portuguese young people handed over the WYD symbols to a delegation from South Korea, as they prepare to host World Youth Day in Seoul in 2027.

In his homily, the Pope called these symbols a sign and invitation for Christians to live out the Gospel without becoming discouraged and never ceasing to hope.

As the Church’s liturgical year came to a close, he urged the faithful to feel uplifted by the certainty of Christ’s eternal kingdom.

Young people, said Pope Francis, should take courage from Jesus’ faithfulness to God in the midst of trials and public humiliation.

Like Him, they too sometimes feel “accused” for following Jesus and face pressure to conform to ways that are contrary to the Gospel.

“Do not be afraid of ‘condemnations’!” he said. “Have no worries; sooner or later, their criticism will fall through, their condemnations will prove false, and their superficial values will be revealed for what they are: illusions.”

He noted that love is the only thing that will remain, and so we must embrace the eternal gift of God’s love.

Only love brings happiness

Pope Francis went on to say that Jesus never sought to gain the support or “approval” of authorities, since He rejected the “mentality of power.”

God, he noted, loves each of us as we are, so we have no need to seek worldly approval on social media or by any other means.

“Before Him, the innocence of your dreams are worth more than success and fame, and the sincerity of your intentions are worth more than worldly approval,” he said.

No amount of worldly affection can make us happy, said the Pope, since “only the free gift of love can bring us happiness.”

Bearing witness to truth

The Holy Father then emphasized the importance of truth, which frees us from the chains of self-sufficiency, injustice, and unhappiness.

“Christ, who is the way, the truth and the life, by stripping Himself of everything and dying on the cross for our salvation, teaches us that only in love can we live, grow and flourish in our full dignity,” said the Pope.

He pointed to the Christian witness of Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati, whom he will canonize during the Jubilee for Young People in early August 2025.

The young Italian, said the Pope, reminds young people that “just getting by” is not their goal. Rather, he said, Christians want to live fully and strive to “bear witness to truth in charity, loving one another as Jesus loved us.”

God’s everlasting love

In conclusion, Pope Francis assured the faithful that world events have not escaped God’s watchful eye, saying “it is not true that history is written by oppressors and tyrants.”

Christ, the just and merciful King, he said, will ultimately sit in judgment over each person.

“He corrects us when we fall, but He never ceases to love us,” concluded the Pope. “If we wish, He picks us up so we can continue our journey with joy.”