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!”
I find it interesting that Catholics think posting scripture that shows the errors of the RCC is seen as bashing and hate.
Exactly. The Jesus of scripture does not need nor did He institute a stand in here on earth. He abides in every true believer here on earth. The Jesus of scripture listens to even the lowliest of believers and doesn’t give deference to some RCC designated saint but considers every believer a saint. I could go on and on how some preach a different Jesus then the one we learn about in scripture.
Me, too, CB. Are they using selective outrage or just what? Because it’s obvious to even the most casual reader that it AIN’T one-sided here. A person would have to be PURPOSELY ignoring this to not see it...hmmmm...
Can you come up with a more predictable response? No, I don’t think you can. I don’t think anyone could!
Wrong!.....Jesus said..."I" am the way, the truth and the life.... 'No one' comes to the Father "BUT BY ME"....
He never said anything about the catholic church being the way to understand Him silly....He does say...."My Grace is sufficient for thee"... and... It's written in Colossions ..."Ye are complete in Him"
Jesus is a two way street...it's relationship 'With' Him and 'In' Him,.... Through Him and Him alone, we have access to God to such a point that we can now call Him Abba, Father. The family of believers reflect this...wherever they meet...it is not the church that unites us..it is He who unites us to Himself and one another. The church is simply wherever we meet.
Further He clearly warns us, Colossians 2:8 ..."Beware" lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to 'the tradition of men'....and not according to Christ"
I am very glad I do not know the Christ you claim in your last two posts...HE is not "Hard" on those who seek Him no matter where they worship...or how far they have fallen in sin.....it's a terrible thing for you to even suggest that.
... You need to re-aquaint yourself perhaps with what His love is....and especially when he seeks those who have stumbled...HE is 'A Shepherd' to us not a tyrant as you depict...and if any stray HE faithfully goes after them...and brings them close to HIMSELF again.
Another famous Catholic said:
Bishop Fulton J. Sheen quotes:"A Plea For Intolerance" (1931)Tolerance is an attitude of reasoned patience toward evil ... a forbearance that restrains us from showing anger or inflicting punishment.Tolerance applies only to persons ... never to truth.America, it is said, is suffering from intolerance — it is not.It is suffering from tolerance.Tolerance of right and wrong, truth and error, virtue and evil, Christ and chaos.Our country is not nearly so overrun with the bigoted as it is overrun with the broadminded.
And they can be found at your local TSC store.
You didn’t send the wife up the tree to secure a pulling cable/chain?
It is an indisputable fact that 50% of our doctors graduated in the lower half of their class.
Hmmm! I hadn’t seen that one before. Interesting and true.
Oh they do? I know Northern Tool does but I didn’t know TSC has them. I’ll have to check. I really do need one.
I did have a rope attached up high and tide off but wasn’t to sure that was going to hold. It reeeeeeeeaaaallly wanted to go the wrong way.
My wind has dropped my limbs on the power line along our road at times. (Although our power comes in 280 feet underground.)
Once I was ready to fire up my generator when the kids stopped by the house.
"Dad; did you know a big limb has taken out the power line?"
(We are out on the end of the line; only three houses past me.)
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