Pope Francis is pushing Catholics to shake up the status quo.  In three different forums earlier this week, Francis promoted his call for Christians to seek a radical transformation of ourselves and our world.

Sunday Homily : “The Living God sets us free! Let us say ‘Yes’ to love and not selfishness. Let us say ‘Yes’ to life and not death. Let us say ‘Yes’ to freedom and not enslavement to the many idols of our time. In a word, let us say ‘Yes’ to the God who is love, life and freedom, and who never disappoints…”

Letter to David Cameron on the G8 Summit (Monday): “Therefore concern for the fundamental material and spiritual welfare of every human person is the starting-point for every political and economic solution and the ultimate measure of its effectiveness and its ethical validity.  Moreover, the goal of economics and politics is to serve humanity, beginning with the poorest and most vulnerable wherever they may be, even in their mothers’ wombs. Every economic and political theory or action must set about providing each inhabitant of the planet with the minimum wherewithal to live in dignity and freedom, with the possibility of supporting a family, educating children, praising God and developing one’s own human potential. This is the main thing; in the absence of such a vision, all economic activity is meaningless.  In this sense, the various grave economic and political challenges facing today’s world require a courageous change of attitude that will restore to the end (the human person) and to the means (economics and politics) their proper place. Money and other political and economic means must serve, not rule, bearing in mind that, in a seemingly paradoxical way, free and disinterested solidarity is the key to the smooth functioning of the global economy.”

Speech Calling for Christian Revolutionaries (Monday): “A Christian who is not a revolutionary today isn’t a Christian…Love is the greatest force for transforming reality because it breaks down the walls of selfishness and fills the chasms that keep people far from one another…In the Gospel there’s the beautiful passage about the shepherd who realizes that one of his sheep is missing and he leaves the 99 to go out and find the one. But, brothers and sisters, we have only one. We’re missing 99! We must go out and find them.”