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!”
oh, MAN! What a painful looking picture. But you know how much better she felt after THAT was over. Please, no more farm scenes. How the Sausage Is Made wasn’t one of my favorite Social Studies films...:)
OK, so the exception proves the rule! LOL!
It’s astounding to listen to Catholics at times isn’t it? I’m even amazed at their perverted use of the word “church”.
Including insolently opposing challenges and criticism of their elitist church, when they incessantly advertizing it and often attack Prot. beliefs and exalt Rome as elite one and only true church.
RC's suffer from the same problem their church does, which is that of assuming its claims should not be challenged, for it alone is infallible an supreme, if it does say so herself.
The Church doesn’t need half-witted criticisms of apostrophe challenged Internet cousins of Harold Camping, Jim Jones, the Graham Dynasty of the ‘religious freedom in the USSR’ and various other Crouches and Bakkers. There is plenty of criticism, debate and critique within the Catholic Church, thank you too much for your heartfelt concern. So why don’t you go and challenge your cousins in heresy. Like those that would rather see their child die than to give her an aspirin pill.l
I find nothing half-witted about daniel1212. I don’t always agree with him/her but find his comments well spoken, articulate and backed up with references instead of the self-affirming circular logic stuff the CATs post.
Exactly right - The passage relates the Church as a teaching aid, not the teacher. YHWH is schooling the fallen ones.
Like the Pharisees before them, our Roman FRiends find no problem in creating novelty by taking a sentence or even a partial sentence out of context.
Semicolons mean something. Here is the entire sentence in question:
Eph 3:8 This grace is given to me (who am less than the least of all saints) to preach the gospel of the unsearchable riches of Christ among the nations,
Eph 3:9 and to bring to light what is the fellowship of the mystery which from eternity has been hidden in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ;
Eph 3:10 so that now to the rulers and powers in the heavenlies might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God,
Eph 3:11 according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord;
Eph 3:12 in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through His faith.
(e-Sword:KJV)
Even in considering but the entirety of the sentence, the context becomes clear. The Church is the proof, the result of the mystery of the ages (which is the Messiah) - It is the evidence of the thing that 'the rulers and powers in the heavenlies' had not anticipated.
Will do!
It’s time for her antibiotic shot right now...
Then WHY can't it pull her half-witted apologetics from FR?
Hope shes all better soon. She is a good girl...:O)
Man! That’s a lot from such a small udder. We also have Norwegian Dwarfs. Love them dearly because of the sweet disposition but we are thinking of going to a larger breed since we want more milk without having to milk more animals. Hope she is doing better.
ROFL Stepping into a conversation can cause confusion ey? I can only imagine your thoughts.
Some professionally trained doctors do their work in the parking lot!
do you hand milk?
How many do you have?
We do hand milk but only have one milking right now. We just bought this place this time last year and got the goats in early Jan. Only one doe who freshened in April with triplets. Two doelings and a buckling.
It’s really stunning how fast things have transpired. When it’s God’s time it’s God’s time! Maranatha!
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