Posted on 01/14/2014 5:34:47 AM PST by markomalley
Being Christians like Jesus, "with the zeal to seek people, heal people, to love people" and "not purely legalistic and hypocrites like the scribes and Pharisees. Do not be corrupt like Eli's sons, or lukewarm like Eli . " They are the " models " of believers of which Pope Francis spoke today at the Mass celebrated at Casa Santa Marta , inspired by the readings of the day.
As reported by Vatican Radio , the Pope noted that the Gospel speaks of " the attitude of Jesus in his catechesis", of how he "taught like someone who had authority, and not like the scribes ." They, he said, " taught, preached bound people under the heavy weights and the poor people could not move forward".
"And Jesus himself says that they did not move these weights even with a finger , no? And he would say to people: ' Do what you say but not what they do'. Incoherent people ... But always these scribes, these Pharisees it is as if they were always beating the people, is not it? 'You need to do this, this and this', the poor people ... And Jesus said, ' But, - he says to them- in this way you close the door to the Kingdom of Heaven. You do not let them in, but neither to you enter'. It is one manner, one way to preach, to teach, to give witness to their faith ... And in this way, there are many who think that faith is something like this ... ".
In the First Reading from the Book of Samuel, we find the figure of Eli, "a poor, weak, lukewarm priest" who "let his children do so many nasty things". Eli was sitting in front of a doorpost of the temple of the Lord and sees Hannah, a lady, "who prayed in her own way, asking for a son." The woman "prayed the way humble people pray: simply, but from her heart, with anguish". Hannah "moved her lips", like "so many good women do in our churches, in our sanctuaries". She prayed "and asked for a miracle". And the old Eli looked at her and said, "But, she is a drunk!" and "he despised her". He "was the representative of the faith, the leader of the faith, but his heart did not feel well and he despised this lady". "How many times do God's people not feel loved by those who must bear witness: Christians, Christian laity, priests , bishops ... 'Look at the poor people, they do not understand anything ... They need to take a course in theology to understand properly. 'But why do I have a certain sympathy for this man? Because his heart still had the anointing, because when she explains her situation , Eli says, ' Go in peace, and the God of Israel give you what you asked for . 'His priestly anointing comes forth: the poor man had hidden inside his laziness ... he was lukewarm. And he ends badly, poor man".
His children are not seen in the passage of the First Reading, but they were the ones who ran the Temple, "they were robbers". "They were priests, but robbers". "They sought power, money, exploited people, took advantage of alms, gifts" and "the Lord punishes them heavily". "Such is the figure of the corrupt Christian", "the corrupt layman, the corrupt priest, the corrupt bishop, profiting from their situation, their privilege of faith, from their being Christian" and "their heart ends up corrupt" as happens to Judas. From a corrupt heart comes "betrayal". Judas betrays Jesus. "The sons of Eli are therefore the third model of the believer. And then there's the fourth, Jesus. Of him the people say: "he teaches with authority: This is a new teaching". What is new is "the power of holiness", "the novelty of Jesus is that he brings the Word of God, the message of God, that of God's love for each of us". Jesus brings God close to the people and to do that he draws close to them: He is close to sinners". Jesus forgives the adulteress, "he speaks of theology with the Samaritan woman, who was no angel". Jesus "seeks people's hearts, Jesus approaches the wounded heart of the people. Jesus is only interested in the person and God". Jesus "wants people to get close, he wants them to seek him and he is moved when he sees them, like sheep without a shepherd". And this attitude "is why people say: But this is a new teaching'." No, "it is not new teaching: it's a new way of doing it. It is evangelical transparency".
"Let us ask the Lord that these two readings will help us in our lives as Christians: all of us. Everybody in their particular place. Not to be purely legalistic, hypocrites, like the scribes and Pharisees. Not to be corrupt not be like the sons of Eli. A not to be lukewarm like Eli, but to be like Jesus, with that zeal to seek the people, heal people , to love people , and with this to say to them: ' but if I do this so small thing then think of how God loves you, how he is your Father . This is the new teaching that God asks from us. We ask for this grace".
All of TITUS is used, among many OTHER scriptures, but chapter 1 is a start;
Titus 1
King James Version (KJV)
1 Paul, a servant of God, and an apostle of Jesus Christ, according to the faith of God's elect, and the acknowledging of the truth which is after godliness;
2 In hope of eternal life, which God, that cannot lie, promised before the world began;
3 But hath in due times manifested his word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour;
4 To Titus, mine own son after the common faith: Grace, mercy, and peace, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ our Saviour.
5 For this cause left I thee in Crete, that thou shouldest set in order the things that are wanting, and ordain elders in every city, as I had appointed thee:
6 If any be blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of riot or unruly.
7 For a bishop must be blameless, as the steward of God; not selfwilled, not soon angry, not given to wine, no striker, not given to filthy lucre;
8 But a lover of hospitality, a lover of good men, sober, just, holy, temperate;
9 Holding fast the faithful word as he hath been taught, that he may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.
10 For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers, specially they of the circumcision:
11 Whose mouths must be stopped, who subvert whole houses, teaching things which they ought not, for filthy lucre's sake.
12 One of themselves, even a prophet of their own, said, the Cretians are alway liars, evil beasts, slow bellies.
13 This witness is true. Wherefore rebuke them sharply, that they may be sound in the faith;
14 Not giving heed to Jewish fables, and commandments of men, that turn from the truth.
15 Unto the pure all things are pure: but unto them that are defiled and unbelieving is nothing pure; but even their mind and conscience is defiled.
16 They profess that they know God; but in works they deny him, being abominable, and disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate.
A man doesn't even GET to an ordination ceremony unless and until he has proven and BEEN proven in personal matters.
bttt
Interesting... Don’t be like hypocrites, huh? You mean like the Church allowing scum like Pelosi or Kennedy to receive Communion? Or is there a different definition of hypocrisy you’re working from?
God Bless Pope Francis!
Yes... God bless this pope. (and protect him)
questions: Was the Torah the word of God? Are its commandments God’s commandments?
Yes. And the Pope should stop violating the Tenth.
Me: also be like Jesus who believed in property rights and free exchange, which is the capitalist system:
He gave the Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20) which is full of free market principles, from freedom to contract, to freedom to negotiate a wage, to respect for the property of another.
It ends with a rhetorical question that destroys socialism: “Is it not lawful for me to do what I want with my own?” (Matthew 20:15)
Go and sin no more.
Christians reject the Torah and don’t believe it’s the Word. Instead, they follow Pauline Christianity, which cherry picks the Word and turned it into a brand-new religion with little in common with the teachings of the Torah.
Was this story ok? Did they distort what he said? Did they mangle his intent? How can we know?
No less so than all the "bible versions" running around today.
Some say KJV only ... others NIV, or NKJV or ASV ...
The old testament is the bones, the new is the flesh ...you need it all, in total context with the other to understand the word
**Being Christians like Jesus, “with the zeal to seek people, heal people, to love people” and “not purely legalistic and hypocrites like the scribes and Pharisees. **
And, in loving them, we will encourage them to work, and rejoice in the glow of their self worth and accomplishment.
We will not enslave the in government programs, delivering a life of dependency and waste of their human potential and dignity.
Throw away the commandments of men: the catechism, the book of mormans and the koran and renew your mind according to the Word of God or continue to be 'religious' pawns for satan's sake. HONOR God and shame the devil/man.
Have you read the little book, “The Imitation of Christ?” Links are posted on my homepage. Check it out.
Legalistic? The catholic religion is all about legalism.
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