Pope Francis Says Without Courage Christians Fall Short

Pope Francis, in his recent Wednesday general audience in St. Peter’s Square, discussed the cardinal virtue of fortitude, explaining its essential role in confronting life’s internal and external challenges.

“A Christian without courage, who does not use his strength to do good, who does not want to bother anyone, is a useless Christian,” the Pope said.

During his address, Pope Francis pointed out that fortitude must be directed both inward, to combat personal fears and anxieties, and outward, to face life’s trials and adversities. He said “Fortitude is first and foremost a victory against ourselves.”

The pontiff further criticized the tendency to ignore the existence of evil in the world, stressing that fortitude enables individuals to acknowledge and confront these realities.

“Some pretend it does not exist, that everything is going fine,” he said, challenging the faithful to actively resist complacency.

In his call to action, Pope Francis urged the faithful to draw inspiration from Jesus and the saints in cultivating fortitude.

“Let us therefore rediscover in the Gospel the fortitude of Jesus, and learn it from the witness of the saints,” he concluded, encouraging a proactive embrace of this virtue to combat both personal and societal evils.

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