Pope Francis greets the faithful at the May 8 General Audience (Credit: CNA / Stephen Driscoll)
Posted on 09/07/2013 3:49:35 PM PDT by NYer
.- In his daily homily on Saturday, Pope Francis reflected on the question of authentic Christianity and rejected the practice of focusing more on devotions than on Christ himself.
Jesus is “the center” of faith, said the Pope. “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,” he said to the congregation at the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta on September 7.
Like the Pharisees, he said, there are some people who “make so many commandments the center of their religiosity.”
Others who have a false sense of religiosity “only seek devotions” or “things that are a little uncommon, a little special, that go back to private revelations,” noted Pope Francis.
“If your devotions bring you to Christ, that works. But if you remain there, something’s wrong,” he explained.
“If Jesus is not at the center, there will be many other things,” so that people become “Christians without Christ.”
Remembering that Jesus is the center of faith “regenerates us, grounds us.”
Pope Francis further explained the mark of a true “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 center, the Lord, as He Himself says.”
Christians can avoid false religiosity by adoring Jesus as “the Lord, the only Lord.”
“If you aren’t able to adore Jesus, you’re missing something,” warned Pope Francis.
The sign of a true “Christian with Christ” is one who does “that which comes from Jesus” and that which leads to Jesus.
Such adoration bears true fruit in the life of a Christian, encouraged the Pope.
He said that Jesus also gives “the grace of loving Him so much, of following Him, of going along the path that He has shown us.”
A “Christian with Christ” has the courage to proclaim Jesus as Lord.
Pope Francis exhorted Catholics not to focus on false piety, but rather evangelize and “take the Gospel!”
BACK ordered!
It’s been flying off the selves SO fast!
We had not anticipated the hungry customer demand for it.
Fear not; for another shipment is due in shortly!
” I am truly amazed at the mental gymnastics that the “christians” on this thread have demonstrated.”
I’m frightened to think of how they treat our Jewish friends.
I got SO much love to give.
I believe that mind reading is against the rules. This is a simple yes or no question and metmom is attempting to tell me what I am thinking.
Except; of course; in THIS case!!!
Some are more rule following than others...
A real Christian would have no trouble answering.
I asked a simple yes or now question: Should the Pope as the leader of approximately 12. billion Catholics be afforded the same protection as other World leaders?
So far three of the protestant "christians" have refused to answer, engaging in mental gymnastics to justify their positions. I think it says quite a bit about them. Do you feel he should be afforded the same protection?
No, they do not have the liberty to interpret scripture as it seems right to them. They have a responsibility to God to honestly appraise the scriptures as they are written and follow the commandments God has given us. We don't fashion the scriptures to suit our desires. We conform to what is written.
If they do not approach the word with fear and trembling to do what is right in God's eyes, then I would suggest they're probably not even Christians in the first place.
Now, can you honestly say that the Church has never taken advantage of the scriptures for their own gain?
She is expressing her own mind (”since I perceive that...”) and therefore not reading yours.
I'll respond with three questions for you which should answer yours.
Should the Pope as the leader of the Catholics be dependent on God for his protection so he would be more like Jesus??? Is he not depending on the same God as the three men in the fiery furnace or with Daniel in the lion's den? Or, is the Roman Catholic god not up to the task?
Romans 8"31 What, then, shall we say in response to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us?
Starting with the Inquisition all the way to Pope Pius in WWII, it hasn't been pretty.
Do you have a tracking number (666)?
It's a bogus question and has nothing to do with the topic...The real question should be; 'are there any world leaders who trust God to protect them out in public'???
If he has little faith it's up to the pope to have bodyguards...But here's a clue...As Christians, we know that when it is his time, he's gonna go no matter where he's at or who's around him...
Mat_6:30 Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith?
Mat_8:26 And he saith unto them, Why are ye fearful, O ye of little faith? Then he arose, and rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm.
Mat_16:8 Which when Jesus perceived, he said unto them, O ye of little faith, why reason ye among yourselves, because ye have brought no bread?
Pehaps you should study more about the pope and WWII. Referencing the Inquisition is in fact no different than blacks referencing slavery every time there are modern day problems. Jews and Catholics get along quite well. In fact, my husband’s family is half and half. My Christian children love celebrating Hannukah with their Jewish cousins! I used to manage a local swimming pool and we collaborated often with a local Jewish center in terms of lifeguard, swim instructor, and water exercize instructor certification. All of the blended families were Catholic/Jewish. There were no Protestant blends. This is of course anecdotal, but it brought up very facinating and informative conversations with their patrons. It was an amazing learning experience that has actually led me to teach Holocaust courses at our community college. My experience with the Jewish center certainly was life changing! We’ve managed to get over the Inquisition. It’s a shame some Protestants have yet to move on from the Reformation. Perhaps you could blame Bush as well?
I have not been following the posts on this threads, but just responding to pings to me, so i am not sure of the context of your ?, but if referring to body guards, i would say, "According to your faith be it unto you." But the apostles, whose place and power he presumes - even if more humbly than others - did not use body guards, and other World leaders do not claim the pope's spiritual elitism
We limit ours to Scriture. They claim to have Scripture on the same level as the Magesterium, but they seem to always default to their interpretion of the latter.
Give me Scripture. If is far less convulated than the tradition of men..
Oops, Roman Catholicism is apparently being exposed in the context of that post. This does not seen consistent in someone who makes claims of being Protestant! It even appears a bit deceptive!
I'm shocked, I tell you...
I was referring to those of all religions who’ve gotten over it. There are many of us Protestants that have. In fact, the only ones I’ve ever encountered who have not I discovered two nights ago. Here. You. Frighteningly the only other group I can think of that can’t get over their issues with other religions is the muslims.
obama/Kerry want to start WWIII.
A Christian girl in Syria was recently dismembered.
Healthcare is a fiasco.
A race war is being drummed up.
The military is being neutered.
Your response: I hate Catholics and I’m going to prove my interpretation of scripture is the only interpretation by posting scripture in pretty colors anonymously on an article chat site!
Exactly.
This is from an article I posted by Schaffer earlier today:
Today we see many a Catholic and Protestant arguing about how "errors" exists in scripture.
Well, by golly, by gosh. I haven't posted any Scripture in color, so you must have me confused. Of course, that seems consistent!
As for "hating Catholics", I personally don't. I hate the cult of Roman Catholicism. Big difference. I despise those who claim to represent God, but who twist and distort to make their claims of superiority and longevity.
There is only one church, and OUR leader sits at the right hand of God, not clothed in fancy gowns and laden with golden trinkets, sitting on a throne in Rome! My God supplies all of my needs, and guides me into all truth ... through His Holy Spirit.
..."thou dost protest too much!"
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