Posted on 05/19/2016 7:24:36 PM PDT by ebb tide
At this point in the pontificate of the former Archbishop of Buenos Aires, it is fair to ask whether Francis is able to deliver even one sermon or address on Sacred Scripture that does not twist it to suit his idiosyncratic, liberal Jesuit theology.
The latest example is the Address of the Audience of May 11 wherein Francis, yet again, bends the parable of the prodigal son to his peculiar notion of Divine Mercy. “The mercy of the father is overflowing, unconditional, and is shown even before the son speaks,” says Francis of the father who sees his lost son returning. That is misleading at best, as the father’s mercy is plainly conditional on the son’s return following his repentance.
Of that repentance, however, Francis makes light: “Certainly the son knew he had erred, and he recognized it: ‘I have sinned… treat me as one of your servants.’ But these words fade away before the father’s forgiveness.” What is that supposed to mean? The son’s repentance does not “fade away” but rather is the very reason he returns home and is able to be forgiven. Without that conversion, the father could not have received him, because, as the father himself says, his son “was dead.” Likewise, the soul in the state of mortal sin is dead. Francis simply ignores the true meaning of Our Lord’s parable.
From this distortion Francis leaps to the false conclusion that both the faithful son, who protests that his brother has been treated too indulgently, and his prodigal brother, who returns home because he is starving and repentant, “act according to a logic extraneous to Jesus: if you do good, you will receive a reward, if you do evil you will be punished; and this is not the logic of Jesus, it is not!”
Really? It appears that Jesus disagrees with Francis: “And they that have done good things, shall come forth unto the resurrection of life; but they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of judgment (John 5:29).”
Of course, the good we do that is meritorious in God’s sight is enabled by His grace; we do not save ourselves by being do-gooders. But Francis here seems to dispense with good works entirely, in the manner of Martin Luther, while suggesting that God never punishes those who do evil because His mercy is “unconditional.”
On the other hand, Francis, who habitually contradicts himself, has demanded from the rich precisely good works toward the poor as the condition for salvation and avoiding hell, while suggesting that atheists can be saved by doing good.
How much longer will this confusion go on? Only God knows. Meanwhile, in Rome, a worldwide coalition of concerned clergy and laity has petitioned Francis “to recognise the grave errors in the recently published Apostolic Exhortation, Amoris Laetitia, in particular those sections which will lead to the desecration of the Holy Eucharist and to the harming of our children, and to withdraw the Apostolic Exhortation with immediate effect.”
When in the history of the Church have members of the faithful been compelled to make such a plea to a Roman Pontiff? Never. Our Lady of Fatima, intercede for us!
I’m not convinced this pope has ever read the Bible.
the previous 3 or 4 Popes seemed far better acquainted with Scripture
This is a Devil Pope.
A beguiling deceiver.
They need to fire the guy. Give him a severance package and tell him to find another gig.
I think more Catholics will simply stop reacting to whatever he has to say. It will become a matter of tuning a voice out and waiting till they leave, the way I’m doing with anything Obama has to say.
I always thought the “prodigal Son” was more about the one who stayed home.
I call this divine punishment for adhering to doctrine in lieu of doing the hard work of figuring out the answers to questions of the spirit by oneself.
with the previous couple of Popes, I learned by reading what they had to say about Scripture
with this Pope, I find myself tripping over his letters, sometimes wind up shaking my head too
and even start writing respectful rebuttals ... before deleting them since he isn’t likely to ever read them anyway
I do not figure I will ever agree with everything any individual person teaches or preaches, even a Pope. But, the last couple of Popes wrote things that were/are definitely well-worth reading..... just saying....
Could it be about umbrage taken by God's chosen people when the Apostles ministered to the gentiles? I'm not saying it is but the analogy fits.
Aside from all of the doctrinal problems with what he writes and says, this pope really comes across as someone who isn't terribly bright.
And slowly the Church is starting to do the right thing for this Error...
“Meanwhile, in Rome, a worldwide coalition of concerned clergy and laity has petitioned Francis “to recognise the grave errors in the recently published Apostolic Exhortation, Amoris Laetitia, in particular those sections which will lead to the desecration of the Holy Eucharist and to the harming of our children, and to withdraw the Apostolic Exhortation with immediate effect.””
God Bless
Saint John Paul II and Pope Benedict both appeared to be very good and yes, intelligent and very well-studied men
especially so, actually.
I got spoiled..... ha!
(alas!)
It is looking more every day that this man’s job is to promote and foist ecumenism.
+1
“I call this divine punishment for adhering to doctrine in lieu of doing the hard work of figuring out the answers to questions of the spirit by oneself.”
Not saying this just to be argumentative, but it would be hard to be further from the truth.
bookmark
79 years old, one lung, eats too much, flies into apoplectic tantrums...
Francis just has a lot of bad translators. He’s really an OK guy! /s
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