Posted on 09/07/2013 5:48:38 AM PDT by markomalley
Christians must never forget that the centre of their life is Jesus Christ. That was the message of Pope Francis at Mass this morning at the Casa Santa Marta. The Pope emphasised that we must overcome the temptation to be “Christians without Jesus” or Christians that seek only devotions, without Jesus.
Pope Francis dedicated his whole homily to the centrality of Jesus in the life of the Christian. “Jesus,” he said, “is the centre. Jesus is the Lord. And yet, he maintained, this is not always understood well, “it is not easily understood.” Jesus is not a lord of this or that, but is “the Lord, the only Lord.” He is the centre that “regenerates us, grounds us”: this is the Lord, “the centre.” The Pharisees of today’s Gospel, Pope Francis noted, “make so many commandments the centre of their religiosity.” Even today, “if Jesus is not at the centre, there will be many other things,” so that “we meet many Christians without Christ, without Jesus:
“For example, those who have the sickness of the Pharisees and are Christians that put their faith, their religiosity in so many commandments, so many. ‘Ah, I have to do this, I have to do this, I have to do this. Christians of this attitude . . . ‘But why do you do this?’ – ‘No, it must be done!’ – ‘But why?’ – ‘Ah, I don’t know, but it must be done.’ And Jesus – where is He? A commandment is valid if it comes from Jesus: I do this because the Lord wants me to do this. But if I am a Christian without Christ, I do this and I don’t know why I have to do it.”
There are, he added, “other Christians without Christ: those who only seek devotions . . . But Jesus is not there. If your devotions bring you to Christ, that works. But if you remain there, something’s wrong.” There’s another kind of Christian without Christ, he continued, “those who seek things that are a little uncommon, a little special, that go back to private revelations,” while the Revelation concluded with the New Testament. Pope Francis warned about the desire of these Christians to go to “a spectacle of revelation, to hear new things.” But, the Pope exhorted them, “take the Gospel!”:
“‘But Father, what is the rule for being a Christian with Christ, and not becoming a Christian without Christ. What is the sign of a person that is a Christian with Christ?’ The rule is simple: only that which brings you to Jesus is valid, and only that is valid that comes from Jesus. Jesus is the centre, the Lord, as He Himself says. Does this bring you to Jesus? Go ahead. Does this commandment, this attitude, come from Jesus? Go ahead. But if it doesn’t bring you to Jesus, and if it doesn’t come from Jesus, but . . . if you don’t know, it’s a bit dangerous.”
And again the Pope asks, “What is the sign that I am a Christian with Jesus?” The sign, he said, is simple. It is the sign of the one born blind that prostrated himself before Jesus to adore Him:
“But if you aren’t able to adore Jesus, you’re missing something. A rule, a sign. The sign is: I am a good Christian, I am on the path of a good Christian if I do that which comes from Jesus and if I do that which leads me to Jesus, because he is the centre. The sign is: I am capable of adoring, the adoration. This prayer of adoration of Jesus. The Lord makes us understand that He alone is the Lord, the unique Lord. And He gives us, too, the grace of loving Him so much, of following Him, of going along the path that He has shown us.”
Do you not know the Jesus is God and that Mary is his mother?
Pretty close. The Church is the body of Christ. Not the Bible. The Church is the pillar and foundation of the truth. Not the Bible. If you disagree, you’re disagreeing with your own Bible. Which you make an idol, because you view it as self sufficient, self authenticating, and self referential.
Yeah — your god is a book.
I know she is consistently referred to as "mother of Jesus". And I know not to add to or subtract from the Word of God.
This makes it especially ludicrous, as they try to justify the atheist use of Biblical doctrines in socialist faith based theories.
Having a form of Godliness but denying the power thereof.
Well, they ain't talking about the Catholic Church.
Yeah — your god is a book.
———————————————————————————All Depends, if the Church is based on Bible scripture and how could any one know unless they read the Bible?
Major premise: Mary is the mother of JesusThis title is to affirm that Mary is the true mother of the one person Jesus who is both God and Man. It does indicate that she is the mother of his divinity.Minor premise: Jesus is God
Conclusion: Mary is the Mother of God.
Perhaps a little refresher on Gods ways which are not the same as mans ways.
Prov. 14:12 There is a way which seemeth right unto a man, but the end thereof are the ways of death.
Since the Church is not based on the Bible. — how could it be? — I assume your question is rhetorical and ironic.
The Pope was at Mass so is obvious he was talking to Catholics.
The Pope emphasised that we must overcome the temptation to be “Christians without Jesus” or Christians that seek only devotions, without Jesus.
Well since there’s only one Church, you’d better make up your mind. We can’t both be right. What are the marks that let us know we’re looking at the one true Church? The Bridegroom ain’t a bigamist.
If you faith comes only from reading the Bible, it isn’t biblical. If you don’t know Mary you don’t know Jesus.
Since the Church is not based on the Bible. — how could it be? — I assume your question is rhetorical and ironic.
In fact the Bible was the first i ever knew, or according to your words (if i understand them right) don,t know about the Church.
I never heard THAT sermon before. Was that at The Sermon on the Mount where He preached on Mary?
We can agree on something!!
What are the marks that let us know we’re looking at the one true Church?
Rev. 22:14 Blessed are they that do His commandments, that they may have right to the Tree of Life, and may enter in through the gates into the city.
You are jousting a Catholicism that is not in my statement. I am not Roman Catholic. Pope Francis is, in my view, a real leader. He is telling the world what it needs to hear, and telling those who call themselves Christian, whether they are Roman Catholic, Protestant or Orthodox, that Christianity is NOT just another secular organization.
Either all of Christians unite in this ever secularizing and anti-Christian world around Jesus and center our belief on Him or each individual Christian “sect” will fall, along with Western Society.
Yes, I believe it is. Conversion and/or renewal of our conversion and acceptance of God’s Grace of our salvation through Jesus.
The One true Church and how to recognize it.
Use this guideline as a measure...
*It was founded by Jesus Christ Himself in Mt 16:18.
*It would be built on Simon Peter, Mt 16:18.
*It would be defended by GOD Himself, Mt 16:18-19.
*It would have authority given by Jesus Christ, Mt 16:19,18:17-18.
*It would be guided by the Holy Spirit who will dwell within it, Jn 14:15-17, Act 15:28,16:6.
*It would be one and undivided, Mk 3:24-25.
*It would have one fold and one shepherd, Jn 10:16.
*It would have Priests, Bishops, and Deacons, 1Tim 3:1-13.
*It must have the Holy Eucharist celebration, Jn 6:42-70, Act 2:42.
*It must be found in all nations, Mt 28:19.
*It must be found in all centuries, Mt 28:20.
*Jesus Christ said He would be with His Church every day, in every year, until the end of the world, Mt 28:20. (This means no gaps in time.)
I can’t even imagine that a true Christian assembly would have a leader that would even think to have to say something like this. Just the fact that he thinks it’s a consideration in Catholicism is rather telling it seems.
A *Christians without Jesus*????
Can’t happen.
They might be nice people, but without Jesus, they aren’t Christians.
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