The Costly Call of Living the Gospel A Bold Reminder for Christians Today

The Costly Call of Living the Gospel

A Bold Reminder for Christians Today

Today’s American Christians find themselves at a crossroads. Many congregations are wrestling with fear, reluctant to proclaim the unfiltered gospel for fear of alienating their members. Father Richard’s homily reflects an unsettling reality: divisions within churches mirror the broader divisions in society. With honesty and urgency, he challenges believers to ask themselves whether their faith truly reflects the teachings of Christ or whether they are merely going through the motions of church attendance, lost in a cycle of power, wealth, and comfort. I call that to be Christians of the flesh. Don’t get me wrong; I was one of them for most of my life. But no longer. I do my best to live as a Christian of the Spirit. It’s not an easy route, but even Jesus said it would not be easy.

Father Richard’s homily from 2017 serves as a sharp reminder of the radical nature of Christ’s teachings in a world increasingly defined by division. Rooted in Matthew 5:43-48, the call to “love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you” confronts modern believers with a stark choice: Will we embody the radical love that Jesus demands, or will we settle for a superficial faith that aligns with cultural comforts rather than divine truth? Father Richard’s message is not just an observation; it is an urgent plea for personal and societal transformation if Christianity is to retain its power and purpose.

Father Richard Rohr’s criticism is poignant. The ancient commandment to “love your neighbor” was already difficult in practice, yet Christ pushes believers further by demanding love for their enemies. This, according to the homily, is where the gospel becomes uncomfortable. It calls for a higher standard that contrasts sharply with the ethos of self-interest and polarization so prevalent in modern society. Father Richard’s words hold a mirror to the audience, exposing the gap between professed faith and lived reality. Are Christians today willing to risk living the gospel in its entirety, or have they reduced their faith to hollow rituals devoid of transformative power?

At the heart of this homily is an invitation—and a challenge. Richard Rohr insists that Christian life is not passive. Silence, he warns, is complicity. To pretend we lack the power to make a difference is to abdicate responsibility and allow injustice to persist unchecked. For him, living the gospel means stepping into the messiness of the world with courage and love, even when it feels inconvenient or dangerous. It means praying not just for friends and allies but also for political leaders and those with whom we disagree, recognizing that every small act of love, no matter how seemingly insignificant, has the potential to ripple outward and bring about meaningful change.

The homily also raises an uncomfortable but essential truth: Christianity without action is empty. “Thanks be to God,” Father Richard Rohr reminds his audience, must be more than a verbal response; it must be reflected in how believers live their lives. His challenge is direct: If Christians do not embody Christ’s teachings through acts of love, even for their enemies, then the faith they profess becomes meaningless. Without the courage to live differently—to stand against deceit, violence, and self-interest—the church risks becoming indistinguishable from the world it is meant to transform.

This homily serves as both a wake-up call and a rallying cry for Christians to reclaim the radical essence of their faith. The message is clear: the time for complacency is over. Now, more than ever, the world needs Christians to mobilize, convert their hearts, and live the gospel with unwavering conviction. This requires more than grand gestures; it begins with small, deliberate acts of love and prayer, even for those deemed enemies. In a time of moral and spiritual crisis, Father Richard’s homily calls for a return to the core of the Christian mission—a life marked by sacrificial love, transformative prayer, and fearless engagement with the world.

Father Richard’s challenge to believers echoes far beyond the walls of any single church, calling on Christians everywhere to confront the difficult truths of their faith. Will they risk living the gospel, even when it means stepping into uncomfortable spaces and facing opposition? Or will they retreat into silence and inaction, allowing the world to dictate the terms of their faith? His message leaves no room for passivity: the choice is urgent, and the stakes are high. To follow Christ fully means embracing the discomfort of love, even when it feels impossible. Anything less, as Father Richard suggests, is a betrayal of the very gospel Christians claim to uphold.

The cost of living the gospel may be high, but Father Richard’s homily makes it clear that the alternative—a faith without love, courage, or conviction—is far more devastating. The call to action is simple yet profound: Christians must live what they believe, loving even their enemies, and praying for a world in desperate need of transformation. In doing so, they will not only honor Christ’s teachings but also rediscover the power of the gospel to change hearts, communities, and nations.

Father Richard Rohr is a Franciscan Priest who is the founder of The Center for Action and Contemplation. This article is a reflection of the 2017 homily that can be found here. There is no such thing as being Non-Political