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!”
Or named MONICA?
If you and some other like minded folks had been around 2000 years ago; the Magisterium would be out of a job.
Only if it requires interpretation.
And their still all just practicing.
(This was a stocking stuffer last year for the granddaughter.)
Don't get goats to cut yer grass; sheep is what you want for that.
They graze; reach down to eat.
Goats browse; reaching up.
I hope you are not too close to REAL farmers.
One year they'll have corn, and spray something that'll zap a bunch of your garden.
Next year it'll be 'beans' (soy) and THAT spray will git the OTHER half of your garden!
...”The Christ of scripture is a different Christ then the one taught in Catholicism. Catholicism teaches a different gospel then is taught in scripture.”....
I agree though I do believe there are some Christians within the church itself....several years ago I met a couple who had begun attending a catholic church...they were called by God on a mission to “rescue” those ‘who were Christians’ and bring them out. It was a very interesting conversation as this is generally done by those who are rescuing those from cults and false religions.
Then fly fish...
Gambling?
In THIS casino???
I was just today; but for Ellie Mae - the dominant female goat.
Well those commercials went back aways! Felt like I was in a time vortex! lol
Oh I agree. There are true Christians in many of the "churches" who are in error. In Revelation God even calls His people to come out of the whore of Babylon.
You surely meant CATHOLICS; right?
But; I cannot remove my blinders; as they've been in use a LONG time.
Please!!
Show a LITTLE Christian Compassion® and SHOW what you are talking about!
Perhaps we've see the error of our ways, when the TRUTH is staring us in the face!
If I were; you'd get MOST of it back; but you'd probably decline drinking it after I had processed it.
We do have them but it’s for the milk.
>>I hope you are not too close to REAL farmers.<<
Nope, this was all timber and brush and we are surrounded by nothing but timber and brush. Nearest farmer is a mile away.
And; evidently; really self satisfying.
You OLD school.
We is NEW skul!
Don't you know that NOW tests are DISCRIMINATORY?
That's true.
Take pride in the fact that you are Catholic.
What I find interesting is it seems today much of the work now is about rescuing Christians ....who have fallen into cults and New age and various other hyped up false churches...and these are spreading and being accepted into mainline churches at an alarming rate.....The focus today is on “spirituality” and the experiences people imagine are real when in fact they are being deceived.
But He did say this would come.. I didn’t expect to see it travel so quick and so easily accepted.
I think at that point, He knows our frame, He remembers that we are dust.
Not trying to be insulting here, but this almost sounds like the kind of arguments the Catholics use. That is that by deliberating we are choosing to reject God.
Choosing to deliberately sin is not inconsequential, but I do not believe that it by default equates to choosing to reject Christ's gift of salvation. It certainly is a slap in the face of God, and will be answered for, but I do not believe that it costs the believer his or her salvation.
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