Posted on 12/19/2014 9:40:24 PM PST by ebb tide
Vatican City, Dec 19, 2014 / 09:38 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Pope Francis cautioned Christians against an egoism that excludes the need for God in his homily at Mass on Friday, saying this attitude renders our lives sterile and prevents the Church from bearing fruit.
“This too makes me think of our mother Church and of so much sterility within our Mother Church,” the Pope told those present in the Vatican’s Saint Martha guesthouse chapel Dec. 19.
He noted that when too much emphasis is placed on our ability to choose to be good by following the commandments unaided by grace, “that pelagianism that all of us carry within our bones” grows, and the Church “becomes sterile.”
The roots of this sterile pelagianism – the belief that original sin did not damage human nature, and that man is still able to choose the good without divine assistance – come “from egoism (and) from power,” the Roman Pontiff continued, lamenting that there is “so much sterility within the people of God.”
Pope Francis centered his reflections on the day’s readings taken from Judges and the Gospel of Luke, which recount the birth of Samson and the announcement of Elizabeth’s pregnancy with John the Baptist.
He referred to how both women had been infertile, but miraculously received children through the intervention of God.
Since there are so many stories recounted in the Bible of women who found themselves in the same situation, it’s obvious that the Church wants us to reflect on the topic of sterility, the Pope said.
“From sterility, the Lord is able to restart a new lineage, a new life. And that is the message of today: when humanity is exhausted and can no longer go forward, grace comes, the Son comes and Salvation comes. And that exhausted Creation gives way to a new creation,” the Roman Pontiff continued.
With Christmas only a few days away, the message we get from these readings is about a second, new creation that comes when the world is exhausted, he said.
The Bishop of Rome pointed out how both Elizabeth and the mother of Samson were able to give birth because of the action of the Holy Spirit. The message this sends, he said, is that we must be open to God because there is nothing we can do on our own.
“This makes me think of our mother Church and of so much sterility within our Mother Church,” the Pope said, and noted that when she thinks she can act without God, “(the Church) believes she is capable of giving birth, (but) no, she can’t!”
Only when the Church opens to the newness of God and the strength of the Holy Spirit is she able to become a mother, he observed, noting that whenever she tells herself it is impossible to go on, the Holy Spirit comes to her aid.
“When the Church believes she can do everything, that she can take charge of the consciences of the people, walk along the road of the Pharisees, of the Sadducees, along the road of hypocrisy, the Church is sterile,” he said, and encouraged those present to pray for the Church.
He prayed that during the season of Christmas, the Church would be open to the gift of God, and that she would let herself “be surprised” by the Holy Spirit so that she can become a mother.
“Many times I think that in some places the Church is more like an entrepreneur than a mother,” the Roman Pontiff noted, and concluded by praying that the Lord would give the Church the “grace of fertility,” so that she can become a mother who follows the example of Mary.
He is talking to the universal/small ‘c’ catholic church of which we are all members?
He’s definitely an evangelizer in the way he continually reaches out to many groups and their leaders.
sounds like a one lung Pope may have gotten short of oxygen on the operating table .. He certainly won’t be the first Pope with ‘issues’.. but he could well be the last.. 8-o
No, I don't think he is:
“This too makes me think of our mother Church and of so much sterility within our Mother Church,” the Pope told those present in the Vatican’s Saint Martha guesthouse chapel Dec. 19.
Isn’t he speaking of “whitewashed tombs” and those who are pretenders or who don’t have a living faith? There are wolves everywhere, those who lurk and seek to destroy from within.
So much of what he says sounds like nonsensical blather, and the statements one CAN decipher frequently tend to conform to a syncretic pentecostal/Catholic world view seemingly of his own particular design.
Is he saying here that the Church's role in the formation of Catholic consciences leads to hypocrisy and sterility? What could be more spiritually sterile than rejecting the teachings of Christ and of His Church regarding the necessity for repentence ("Do penance, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand") and encouraging those living in an objective state of mortal sin to receive Holy Communion?
Cardinal Muller: "Doctrine and pastoral care are the same thing. Jesus Christ as pastor and Jesus Christ as teacher with his word are not two different people…There is no solution, since church dogma isn’t just some theory created by some theologians;” but instead it is “the word of Jesus Christ, which is very clear. I cannot change church doctrine.”"
Neither can the Pope nor his fellow "serene" theologians, although their words and actions indicate that they apparently believe otherwise.
He appears to hold himself up even above the Holy Catholic Church.
Begs the question as to whether he is, in fact, a believing Catholic.
Here is a more accurate picture of the typical Catholic parish:
http://www.firstthings.com/web-exclusives/2014/12/who-am-i-to-judge
That doesn’t explain the Pope’s “newness of God” comment.
Does this “newness” include Holy Communion for adulterers?
Sad story.
Our priest is not afraid to mention Confession and the need to avail one of the sacrament.
We also have an ongoing Faith Formation 101 for adults.
Along with 125+ other ministries — a lot of outreach to the world.
Your church bulletins must be small paperbacks.
How many Eucharistic Monsters do y'all have?
I was briefly administrator of a parish that had had two extremely liberal priests for a total of 20 years, or more. At the beginning of Lent, I preached on the Ten Commandments. I covered all ten. I mentioned contraception, of course. I was thanked for the homily about about six people. Over the six weeks of Lent, I had a total of 2 (two) confessions, both on Good Friday.
My experience is that hardly anyone who is of an age to be using The Pill goes to Confession, and only those who aren’t using contraception do go.
The Pill is Satan’s primary sacrament in modern times. It is no accident that it is a parody of the Eucharist, and was created and promoted by lapsed Catholics: Margaret Sanger and Dr. John Rock (who was a darling of Cardinal Cushing, tame house chaplain of the Kennedys).
Thank God I found an orthodox, traditional alternative to the novus ordo clown show. I shudder to think how blaise I was myself, and I shudder to think how many people are in a similar state now. Yet it's the attitude the hierarchy seemingly wants to cultivate.
Yes....many concerns also for Protestant Churches who are also on board...and some Evangelical Movements are circling as well...
Often wonder if the true church will indeed go underground before He comes....it’s not looking good for believers.
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