Pope Francis died in Rome this morning. He wasn’t just a figurehead in a white robe—he was one of the most globally recognized spiritual voices of the 21st century. Whether or not you agreed with him, his message cut through a noisy, divided world with a consistent challenge: Care more. Judge less. Follow Jesus into the margins.
While his theology didn’t always sit well with every tradition, his insistence on justice, compassion and humility resonated with Christians across denominations. These five teachings show why his legacy still matters—especially to those outside the Catholic Church.
1. Welcoming the Stranger Isn’t Optional
Francis didn’t mince words when it came to how Christians should treat immigrants and refugees. In his World Day of Peace message for 2018, he called out leaders who “foment fear of migrants” and warned that doing so “sows violence, racial discrimination and xenophobia.”
He pushed believers to expand legal pathways, defend human dignity, and stop using national security as a spiritual excuse to ignore suffering.
“Protecting has to do with our duty to recognize and defend the inviolable dignity of those who flee real dangers,” he wrote.
In other words, if you claim to follow Jesus, closing the door on desperate people isn’t just unkind—it’s un-Christian.
2. Don’t Dismiss the Kids with Megaphones
The day after students packed streets around the country for the March for Our Lives protest, Francis delivered a message directly to the new generation of leaders rising up. On Palm Sunday, March 25, 2018, he said, “Young people, you have it in you to shout. It is up to you not to keep quiet.”
Francis saw how easy it is for older generations to dismiss youthful activism as naive or noisy—“There are many ways to silence young people and make them invisible”—and he pushed back hard. He believed the Church should amplify young voices, not tune them out. Because sometimes, the ones shouting in protest are the only ones speaking the truth.
Francis also believed young people could be a spark for broader cultural renewal. “A single individual is enough for hope to exist, and that individual can be you. And then there will be another ‘you,’ and another ‘you,’ and it turns into an ‘us.’ And so, does hope begin when we have an ‘us’? No. Hope began with one ‘you.’ When there is an ‘us,’ there will be a revolution.”
3. Faith Isn’t a Weapon—or a Wall
Francis took a lot of heat from conservative American Catholics who didn’t like how much he talked about the poor, the planet or the political implications of the gospel. His response? Sharp and unapologetic.
In August 2023, he told fellow Jesuits, “There is a very strong, organized, reactionary attitude” in the American Church, warning that when faith becomes an ideology, “you lose the true tradition.”
He wasn’t anti-doctrine—he was anti-weaponized religion. He believed Christianity should evolve in its understanding of moral questions, not get stuck defending outdated power structures.
“The vision of the doctrine of the church as a monolith is wrong,” he said. “When you go backward, you make something closed off, disconnected from the roots of the church. I want to remind these people that backwardness is useless, and they must understand that there’s a correct evolution in the understanding of questions of faith and morals.”
4. Generosity Means Looking People in the Eye
Francis emphasized that prayer should lead to tangible acts of compassion.
“You pray for the hungry. Then you feed them. That’s how prayer works,” he said.
He also challenged people to practice generosity with dignity. “Tossing money and not looking in [their] eyes is not a Christian way to behave.” Giving isn’t just about the act—it’s about the posture. If your generosity lacks compassion, it’s just charity cosplay.
When asked whether Christians should give money to panhandlers—even if they might spend it on alcohol—Francis was clear: yes.
In a February 2017 interview, he said, “If a glass of wine is the only happiness he has in life, that’s OK. Instead, ask yourself, what do you do on the sly? What ‘happiness’ do you seek in secret?”
From Francis’ view, being generous isn’t about controlling outcomes. It’s about reflecting God’s mercy. But he also challenged people to do it with dignity.
“Tossing money and not looking in [their] eyes is not a Christian way to behave,” he said.
If your giving lacks compassion, it’s just charity cosplay.
5. Hypocrisy Is a Scandal
Francis didn’t tolerate performative faith. In a homily on February 23, 2017, he called out Christians who flaunt their church attendance or affiliations but live lives void of justice or integrity.
Christians who exploit people, lead double lives or engage in “dirty” business are better off not calling themselves believers, according to the Pope, CNN reported.
He said, “So many Christians are like this, and these people scandalize others. How many times have we heard — all of us, around the neighborhood and elsewhere — ‘But to be a Catholic like that, it’s better to be an atheist.’ It is that: scandal.”
Francis characterized scandal as “saying one thing and doing another” and gave examples of such sin, including money laundering to business owners taking beach vacations while not paying their employees an adequate wage. He believed God cared less about your religious résumé and more about how you treated people.
Francis wasn’t perfect. But he tried to live and lead like someone who actually took Jesus seriously—especially the parts that most people skip over. His words pushed past doctrine and aimed straight for the heart: Love radically. Serve humbly. Resist apathy. If you’re a Christian who wants your faith to mean something, you can’t ignore that.
