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The Apostolic and Evangelical Journeys of Jesus, Writ Large! Biblical Roots of a Papal Visit
Archdiocese of Washington ^ | 09-20-15 | Msgr. Charles Pope

Posted on 09/21/2015 8:02:17 AM PDT by Salvation

The Apostolic and Evangelical Journeys of Jesus, Writ Large! A Reflection on the Biblical Roots of a Papal Visit

September 20, 2015

blog9-20-2015

In the papal visit soon to unfold in this country we see writ large a process and pattern established by Jesus Himself. In this blog post we will look especially at the process of preparation and see that it is quite directly connected to the way in which Jesus operated.

To many readers of the gospel, who overlook the details, it could seem that Jesus and the Twelve just wandered about in a haphazard manner, charismatically deciding “on the fly” when and where to go. But according to Scripture, this is not the case.

Jesus had a plan, an itinerary of his journey, laid out rather carefully it would seem. Further, He sent “advance teams” on ahead to prepare the people for His arrival. Consider the following quotes:

Now after this the Lord appointed seventy others, and sent them in pairs ahead of Him to every city and place where He Himself was going to come. And He was saying to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few; therefore beseech the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest” (Luke 10:1-2).

And He sent messengers on ahead of Him, and they went and entered a village of the Samaritans to make arrangements for Him (Luke 9:52).

Further, His “apostolic band” required financial and personal support. Here, too, this support was not accomplished in some disorganized way; it was more organized than many today would think. Scripture attests to this:

Jesus journeyed from one town and village to another, preaching and proclaiming the good news of the Kingdom of God. Accompanying him were the Twelve and some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities, Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, Joanna, the wife of Herod’s steward Chuza, Susanna, and many others who provided for them out of their resources (Luke 8:1-3).

So the evangelical journeys of Jesus were not some haphazard wandering about.They visits were planned and the people were prepared. And here was the goal: that when Jesus entered, The crowd welcomed him, for they were all waiting for him (Luke 8:40).

It is like this with the upcoming visit of Pope Francis. The pope is the Vicar of Christ; that is, he is Christ’s representative. People are not clamoring to meet Jorge Bergoglio; they are eager to meet the Christ he represents and whose Vicar he is.

It is much like the visits of Jesus in ancient Galilee and Judea, just writ larger—much larger! The villages and towns of the ancient Holy Land were seldom larger than a thousand people. Only Jerusalem, Caesarea, and some of the Greek cities of the Decapolis were much larger. Today, metropolises contain millions of people and the distances between them are global!

Many have been preparing the cities of Washington D.C., Philadelphia, and New York for his coming, and crowds will greet the pope, the Vicar of Christ.

Consider well the complex preparations! Be grateful to those who have labored long and hard. There have been long hours, complex arrangements, publicity, fundraising, logistics, last-minute changes, public safety, and delicate negotiations with religious and government officials and private citizens.

I have personally observed the sacrifices that many at the Pastoral Center of the Archdiocese of Washington have made. Do not underestimate the personal price that many have paid to ensure that all is ready, safe, and organized.

Be grateful, too, for the many benefactors who have generously supplied funds for this visit. Gratitude is also due to government officials, the Secret Service, the D.C. Police, and many other “first responders” who stand ready for the arrival and poised to care for any difficulties that might arise. Acknowledgement is also due to many individuals and business owners who will be inconvenienced due to the festivities. We are and must be grateful for their patience and sacrifice!

Yes, it is the apostolic and evangelical journeys of Jesus, writ large. They were organized and underwritten. So is this one. Many sacrificed to prepare towns for Jesus; many here have done the same for the pope. The Scriptures are really not so distant after all. They are still fulfilled in ever larger and more visible ways.

Surely Pope Francis would be the first to say, “Viva Christo Rey!” Indeed, may Jesus Christ be praised!


TOPICS: Apologetics; Catholic; History; Theology
KEYWORDS: catholic; popefrancis
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1 posted on 09/21/2015 8:02:17 AM PDT by Salvation
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To: All

Complete title:

The Apostolic and Evangelical Journeys of Jesus, Writ Large! A Reflection on the Biblical Roots of a Papal Visit


2 posted on 09/21/2015 8:02:53 AM PDT by Salvation ("With God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26)
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To: Salvation

Other than the fact that there is no Biblical justification for a Pope, I suppose.


3 posted on 09/21/2015 8:03:26 AM PDT by GingisK
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To: Salvation

So Pope Francis = Jesus because they both had advance teams or Pope Francis represents Christ. Either way a huge stretchy LOL insanity.


4 posted on 09/21/2015 8:07:41 AM PDT by xone
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To: GingisK
Maybe your bible has a page ripped out?
"I also say to you that you are Rock, and upon this Rock I will build My Church; and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it"

5 posted on 09/21/2015 8:08:56 AM PDT by agere_contra (Hamas has dug miles of tunnels - but no bomb-shelters.)
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To: Salvation

“The pope is the Vicar of Christ; that is, he is Christ’s representative.”

Two strikes.

Neither found in the pages of Holy Scripture.

He does seem to be the Marxis/Global Warming Vicar.


6 posted on 09/21/2015 8:10:26 AM PDT by aMorePerfectUnion ( "Forward lies the crown, and onward is the goal.")
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To: agere_contra

“Maybe your bible has a page ripped out?”I also say to you that you are Rock, and upon this Rock I will build My Church; and the gates of Hell will not prevail against it”

1. You best read a good translation that reflects the Greek.

2. Apostolic succession was invented in the Second Century as a reaction to Gnosticism, according to “Pope” Benedict.


7 posted on 09/21/2015 8:12:27 AM PDT by aMorePerfectUnion ( "Forward lies the crown, and onward is the goal.")
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To: Salvation

“But evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse, deceiving, and being deceived.”
—2 Timothy 3:13

Almost every day I wonder if Free Republic has any deceivers who have themselves been deceived.


8 posted on 09/21/2015 8:13:20 AM PDT by .45 Long Colt
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To: Salvation

Pope Francis I have noticed has ended up being a “lighting rod”, in that he is either loved or hated.


9 posted on 09/21/2015 8:14:04 AM PDT by Biggirl ("One Lord, one faith, one baptism" - Ephesians 4:5)
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To: aMorePerfectUnion

....Or has good English, which is much more important, such as for example, the RSV or in my case, the RSVCE, “CE” stands for Catholic Edition.


10 posted on 09/21/2015 8:15:43 AM PDT by Biggirl ("One Lord, one faith, one baptism" - Ephesians 4:5)
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To: GingisK
Other than the fact that there is no Biblical justification for a Pope, I suppose.

Among other things like a celibate priesthood, transubstantiation, immaculate conception, purgatory...

11 posted on 09/21/2015 8:19:55 AM PDT by DungeonMaster (The federal government retards me.)
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To: Salvation

Quote from article- People are not clamoring to meet Jorge Bergoglio; they are eager to meet the Christ he represents and whose Vicar he is.

Maybe this guy represents, follows, and teaches ‘another jesus’? A Roman one. A false Christ - an ‘antichrist’(if definition of anti in my concordance is accurate)

Man, wouldn’t that be a punch in a gut to Christianity today..
Daughter Protestants included.

And he is coming around an autumnal equinox- those are big for sun worship too..

Like a big sign for anyone to see.. If they had eyes to see..


12 posted on 09/21/2015 8:20:23 AM PDT by delchiante
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To: agere_contra

The Scriptures repeatedly tell us Christ is that rock upon which His church is built.

“and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank from the spiritual Rock that followed them, and the Rock was Christ.” (1 Corinthians 10:4)

“This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.” (Acts 4:11)

“For no one can lay a foundation other than that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ.” (1 Corinthians 3:11)

“The Lord is my rock” (Psalm 18:2) “And who is a rock, except our God?” (Psalm 18:31).

“So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Christ Jesus himself being the cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole structure, being joined together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord. 22 In him you also are being built together into a dwelling place for God by the Spirit.” (Ephesians 2:19-22)

I could go on and on and on. The point is this: be very careful about any church built on anyone other than Christ and that includes that little weak rock Simon Peter.


13 posted on 09/21/2015 8:25:07 AM PDT by .45 Long Colt
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To: aMorePerfectUnion
Christ spoke Aramaic, not Greek. The word he used was Cephas.

You are Cephas and upon this Cephas I will build my church.

The man we commonly call St Peter was actually called Cephas.

Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon son of John. You will be called Cephas

And - referring to his disagreement with Peter - Paul writes "When Cephas came to Antioch..."

Christ called Peter Cephas. Cephas is the Rock upon which Christ built His Church.

The only reason for the Petros/Petra difference in the Greek are the rules of Greek grammar. The chief apostle is a male and cannot be called Petra, so he is called Petros.

But the words of Christ were in Aramaic. So when Christ says:

You are Cephas and upon this Cephas I will build my church.

... there's no inflection. The word Cephas is the same both times. No possibility for confusion exists.

14 posted on 09/21/2015 8:31:14 AM PDT by agere_contra (Hamas has dug miles of tunnels - but no bomb-shelters.)
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To: Biggirl; Salvation
A lightning rod, indeed. The priest at yesterday's mass preached a great sermon on the epistle appointed for the day in the extraordinary form.

I, then, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to live in a manner worthy of the call you have received, with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another through love, striving to preserve the unity of the spirit through the bond of peace: one body and one Spirit, as you were also called to the one hope of your call; one Lord, one faith, one baptism; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all.

He said there are those who will try to divide us during the pope's visit and we must not be drawn into their game. He said we will read headlines proclaiming "Catholics Divided on Doctrine" and "Pope's Comment Reveals Division Within Church."

He reminded us that we are drawn together as Catholics by the Spirit, and those who seek to divide us are inspired by--I'm paraphrasing now--something not of the Spirit.

I will no longer play their game by saying uncharitable things about this pope and I'm sorry for comments I've made in the past about him.

15 posted on 09/21/2015 8:37:24 AM PDT by Oratam
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To: .45 Long Colt
And yet Christ Himself built His Church upon Cephas.

How do we know this? He told us.

You are Cephas and upon this Cephas I will build my church.

And then Christ makes it plain that He gives Cephas a special authority:

I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven."

16 posted on 09/21/2015 8:37:25 AM PDT by agere_contra (Hamas has dug miles of tunnels - but no bomb-shelters.)
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To: Salvation

“It is much like the visits of Jesus in ancient Galilee and Judea, just writ larger”

John Lennon - The Beatles are more popular than Jesus.

Pope Francis - I’m bigger than Jesus.

I’m just joking around on this, don’t take it too seriously.

I enjoyed the small study in this of Jesus’ ministerial operation. Those were all interesting passages, easy to overlook.


17 posted on 09/21/2015 8:41:20 AM PDT by ifinnegan
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To: agere_contra

The church is built on the work done by the apostles and prophets, but CHRIST is the rock, He is the cornerstone. You have been woefully deceived.


18 posted on 09/21/2015 8:42:12 AM PDT by .45 Long Colt
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To: agere_contra

A “rock” ain’t a Pope. This was a reference to Peter. Peter traveled the known civilized world bringing people to Salvation through Christ. Peter did build the church, one town at a time. He was not anointed as some king-like entity.


19 posted on 09/21/2015 8:43:01 AM PDT by GingisK
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To: DungeonMaster
Among other things like a...

Yeah, and sale of indulgences, worship or prayer through Jesus' mother, worship and prayer to man-appointed saints, and so on. The Catholic Church has run way off the rails, and only partially returned. Luther had a field day.

20 posted on 09/21/2015 8:45:28 AM PDT by GingisK
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