Francis' magisterium is "revolutionary" because it goes to the center of the Gospel, of the Christian message. And when someone approaches that center, he discovers something unusual: "God - the Pope points out - is a master of surprises. He always surprises us, always waits for us. We arrive, and he is waiting. Always. The Gospel is accompanied by a sense of wonder and novelty that has a name: Jesus" (General Audience, January 25, 2023). 

The Magisterium of Francis follows this path which is profound truth and full life (cf. Jn 14:6). Christian life consists in accepting the love of God manifested in Christ, and this is the center of the Christian message.

The evangelizing journey of Francis is a journey of joy (exhortation Evangelii gaudium). It starts from faith (Lumen fidei), on the shoulders of the theological giant that was Benedict XVI. 

Like the colonnade built by Bernini in St. Peter's place in the Vatican, Pope Bergoglio's message opens his arms to all creation and proposes care for the earth, along with attention to the poorest (Laudato si'). 

His embrace then focuses on the men and women who populate the world, to remind them that we are all brothers and sisters (Fratelli tutti). And he ends by inviting them to share in the charity that flows from the Heart of Jesus (Dilexit nos). In this way, he shows once again the source and strength of the Christian way. Let us look at the main milestones of this path. 

Above all, a message of joy. The "program" of the pontificate is set out in the exhortation Evangelii gaudium ("The Joy of the Gospel," 2013). It was published at the end of the Year of Faith and as a fruit of the synod on the new evangelization. 

He is strongly committed to an ecclesial renewal centered on the evangelizing conversion of all Christians, beginning with pastors ("Church going forth"), and with special attention to the poorest and neediest in society. 

It presents the main themes and options of the pontificate such as: the advertisement faith and the beauty of the Gospel, mercy and hope, peace and social dialogue, the value of popular piety and the inculturation of the Christian message. It points out the spiritual motivations of the evangelizing task and provides other pastoral criteria.

In second place (although it was published months earlier), we consider the encyclical Lumen fidei. It expounds faith as light that opens up to love. It was written "by four hands" on a text of Benedict XVI - which completed a trilogy of encyclicals on the theological virtues: faith, hope and charity - enriched and signed by Pope Francis. 

Among its underlying themes is the connection between knowledge and love. Faith grants the knowledge of truth because it is "seeing with the eyes of Christ".

"Faith transforms the whole person-and through it family and social life-precisely because faith opens itself to love" (n. 26). When it is truly lived, Christian faith comes to transform also the relationship with nature and the meaning of both joy and suffering. 

This was followed by Laudato si' ("Praise be to you", 2015), an encyclical that proposes a new approach to ecology. financial aid faith financial aid us to discover the value of the created world and the duty to care for the earth. It is the first encyclical to present a Christian vision of ecology. It criticizes both a vision of man as lord and master of the world (without barriers) and the view that everything that exists has equal value (without any hierarchy).

Proposes an "integral ecology" that rejects individualism and rejects the poor. It condemns consumerism, the unjust exploitation of resources and indifference to climate change. 

It advocates a lifestyle based on solidarity, contemplation, respect for creation and sustainable development . 

For all this, he calls for an "ecological conversion" that is neither superficial nor circumstantial. 

Then came Fratelli tutti ("All brothers and sisters", 2020). At the center of creation, which is like a family home, is the human family. And in this family the person develops, open to society through friendship and in the great horizon of universal fraternity. 

Personal and group indidualism and closed nationalism are meaningless. We must reject the "throwaway culture" and the globalization of indifference to the most fragile. It is necessary to redirect politics and Economics for the "real" good of all. We must follow the paths of dialogue, peace and hard and generous service in order to achieve a more fraternal society, as Jesus teaches in the parable of the Good Samaritan. 

Finally, the Christian message, made a way for all, finds its center: the love of God manifested in the One who "loved us" (encyclical Dilexit nos, 2024). The Heart of Christ is the center of staff and social life, capable of renewing a world beset by individualism and consumerism. 

From there we can awaken to compassion, solidarity and justice. But this rediscovery calls for a conversion of our heart, leading us to contribute in our daily lives the small seed (cf. Jn 12:24) of a civilization of love. If we do not believe in this, what would be the light and strength of our embrace?