By Kristen Kinkopf ‘91

In reviewing the things that Pope Francis said and did during his visit, I was deeply touched by his explanation that a joyful life is not the same thing as a comfortable life.

He shared his belief that all of us have the desire to live a meaningful and joyful life, and that finding joy in the midst of life’s struggles can be difficult. “Our daily routine can often lead us to a kind of glum apathy which gradually becomes a habit,” he said, “with a fatal consequence: our hearts grow numb.”

For Pope Francis, a heart that is numb is a real risk in modern life. He has spoken of this danger many times before and warns against its manifestation on a global scale; he refers to that as the “globalization of indifference.”

This is a challenging message for all of us. Think about how this works: the more we do not engage, the more we avert our eyes from men, women, and children who are in need and who are trying to get our attention, the easier it becomes for us to look away and ignore their needs. Our hearts are less and less moved by their suffering.

So he asked the crowd a really important question: “What can we do to keep our hearts from growing numb, becoming anesthetized?”

He then answered this question by explaining that a fulfilling life—a life of joy—is found in loving and serving others “through giving ourselves away.” He pointed to the example of Jesus, who reached out to others even when it was difficult or uncomfortable. Jesus rejected a secure, comfortable life and embraced every person he encountered as a sister or a brother worthy of his love and presence.

As Pope Francis explained:

Jesus always embraced life as he saw it. In faces of pain, hunger, sickness and sin. In faces of wounds, of thirst, of weariness, doubt, and pity. Far from expecting a pretty life, smartly-dressed and neatly groomed, he embraced life as he found it. It made no difference whether it was dirty, unkempt, broken. Jesus said: Go out and tell the good news to everyone. Go out and in my name embrace life as it is, and not as you think it should be. . . . Go out to those who are burdened by pain and failure, who feel that their lives are empty . . . .

Pope Francis believes that the key to a meaningful, joyful life is to go out into our real and messy world, to keep moving forward despite the difficulties we face, and to give ourselves away.

As countercultural and paradoxical as it may seem, he told the crowd that our lives grow richer, more full of joy, when we give ourselves away. And our hearts become numb when we shut ourselves away in comfort, security, or fear and ignore cries of our brothers and sisters who are starving for the food—or the love—we have to give them.

So what does this mean for us? I think Pope Francis would recognize that “going out into the real and messy world” is very hard work; he would urge us to support and encourage each other. I also think he would say that changing the lives of others by loving, serving, teaching, and working for justice also changes us—it changes our hearts.

Kristen Kinkopf is Director of Mission Integration for Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Baltimore.