Posted on 04/04/2014 8:00:57 PM PDT by ebb tide
Another Papal Scolding
“… they make themselves up like little holy cards, looking up at heaven as they pray, making sure they are seen…"
—Pope Francis, condemning Catholics (again)
When will the Pope's relentless bashing of his own subjects cease? Apparently not as long as he has breath in him and a microphone to speak into.
On April Fool’s day we had another rambling sermon likening Catholics to Pharisees who " go to Mass every Sunday, but better not get mixed up in things – I have faith for my health, I do not feel the need to give it to another… Christians who do not leave space for the grace of God – and the Christian life, the life of these people, consists in having all the paperwork, all the certificates, in order…. Christian hypocrites, like these, only interested in their formalities. It was a Sabbath? No, you cannot do miracles on the Sabbath, the grace of God cannot work on Sabbath days. They close the door to the grace of God. We have so many in the Church, we have many!”
Just who are these caricatures the Pope has in view? In Europe hardly anyone goes to Mass at all outside of traditionalist communities. And just who are these hypocrites who make sure they are seen when they pray? Certainly not like Francis, eh?
The "who am I to judge Pope" is a veritable judgment dispenser, but all the judgments seem to be against Catholics who are at least practicing the Faith. For atheists, “gay people,” the divorced and remarried—essentially the whole sinning world—there is only talk of mercy, combined with condemnations of Catholics who follow Church teaching.
This is as mysterious as it is disturbing.
The Pope is not targeting conservatives. He is merely asking us to elevate our game, so to speak - to work harder to bring Christ to all, especially those who don't know Christ. So stop being so defensive. Put on Christ. Be Christ to your fellow man.
From “Francis’ Book of Insults”:
“Old maid!”
“Specialist of the Logos!”
“Rosary counter!”
“Functionary!”
“Self-absorbed, Promethean neo-Pelagian!”
“Restorationist!”
“Ideological Christians!”
“Pelagian!”
“Mr and Mrs Whiner!”
“Triumphalist!”
“Rigid Christians!”
“Modern gnostics!”
“Liquid Christian!”
“Superficial Christians!”
“Slaves of superficiality!”
“Museum mummy!”
“Renaissance prince!”
“Airport Bishop!”
“Leprous courtier!”
“Idealogue!”
“Long-faced, mournful funeral Christian!”
“Gnostic!”
“Careerist Bishop!”
“Sourpuss!”
“Authoritarian!”
“Elitist!”
“Querulous and disillusioned pessimist!”
“Sad Christian!”
“Pickled pepper-faced Christian!”
“Children! Afraid to dance! To cry! Afraid of everything!”
“Asker for certainty in all things!”
“Christians allergic to preaching!”
“Closed, sad, trapped Christian who is not a free Christian!”
“Pagan Christian!”
“Little monster!”
“Defeated Christian!”
“Creed-reciting, parrot Christian!”
“Watered-down faith, weak-hoped Christian!”
“Inquisitorial beater!”
“Seminarians who grit their teeth and wait to finish,
follow rules and smile [who] reveal the hypocrisy of clericalism - one of the worst evils!”
“Abstract ideologue!”
“Fundamentalist!”
“Smarmy, idolator priest!”
“Worshiper of the god Narcissus!”
“Vain, butterfly-priest!”
“Priest-wheeler dealer!”
“Priest-tycoon!”
“Religious who have a heart as sour as vinegar!”
“Promoter of the poison of immanence!”
“Those closed in the formality of a prayer that is cold, stingy [who]
might end up as Michal, in the sterility of her formality.”
“Older people nostalgic for structures and customs which are no longer life-giving in today’s world!”
“Young people addicted to fashion!”
“Pastry-Shop Christians!”
“Luscious cakes, sweet dainties. Delectable, but not real Christians!”
“Existential tourist!”
Anesthetised Christian!
“Christian hypocrites only interested in their formalities!”
“They disguise themselves, they disguise themselves as good people: they make themselves up like little holy cards, looking up at heaven as they pray, making sure they are seen—they believe they are more righteous than others, they despise others!”
‘Mah,’ they say, “I’m very Catholic, because my uncle was a great benefactor, my family is this, I’m that… I’ve learned... I know this bishop, this Cardinal, this priest... I am this or that...’ They think they are better than others. This is hypocrisy!”
“Sloth-diseased, acedic Christians!”
“I think of many Christians, of many Catholics: yes, they are Catholics, but without enthusiasm, even embittered!”
“They are people without light – real downers!”
“And how many Christians are like this?” he asked, “selfish, out for themselves.”
“Christians who do not leave space for the grace of God – and the Christian life, the life of these people, consists in having all the paperwork, all the certificates, in order!”
He is talking to people who have all their theological ducks lined up in a row but don’t allow for the Holy Spirit to move them or for them to have compassion on others - why should this surprise you? Jesus saved his most savage criticism for those who should have known better. If the shoe fits take it to heart and do something about it - if not be grateful to God and know there are some who need to hear this message! These sort of message make me take a second look at my motivations - always a good thing to make sure I am doing the right things for the right reasons.
Blessings
Mel
“There is a tendency toward Pharisaical behavior in all practicing Christians, even the devout.”
So true. The world uses all the foibles of our zeal against us, as if a perfect witness would win them. Jesus WAS perfect and yet the multitudes hardened their hearts against him. We just have to go for it and be misunderstood!
>>Jesus saved his most savage criticism for those who should have known better.<<
Yes; and that savage criticism was of the Jews. What criticism of Jews has Pope Francis expressed?
Uh, Jesus was a Jew and he criticized Jews for not really living their faith. Pope Francis is a Catholic and he is criticizing Catholics.
Are you a Jew or a Catholic? Or does it even make a difference to you?
>>He is talking to people who have all their theological ducks lined up in a row but don’t allow for the Holy Spirit to move them or for them to have compassion on others - why should this surprise you?<<
What compassion has Pope Francis shown the Franciscan Friars of the Immaculate?
You know what was probably the main thing that drove me out of the church? Being scolded by the church in my thirties for believing things that the church taught me when I was growing up, while claiming that “church teaching has never changed.” The latest example - at the local church level - is the turnabout on homosexuality. I eventually said, “Screw that crap.”
Oh, I’ve know a few Catholics of the sort Pope Francis is describing, especially those who consider themselves ‘more Catholic than the Pope’, no matter which Pope it happens to be.
What turnabout on homosexuality do you mean? The Church still teaches that homosexual inclination is a disordered state, and that homosexual activity is sinful. It’s a matter of hate the sin, love the sinner. How is that different from what she has ever taught?
I've always wondered how the RCC could go from a church that burned people at the stake over minor doctrinal disagreements to the condition it is in today; yet Catholics will state with a straight face that the teachings have never changed.
But he that knew not, and did things worthy of stripes, shall be beaten with few stripes. And unto whomsoever much is given, of him much shall be required: and to whom they have committed much, of him they will demand the more. Luke 12:48
That's gonna leave a mark.
Jesus' most vociferous condemnations were aimed at the Jewish religious leaders rather than all Jews and they certainly SHOULD have known better. Jesus called them, "the blind leading the blind". Religious leaders are sometimes put on pedestals and looked up to, with everything they say, expecting their "flock" to listen and obey and to never question.
I don't have a dog in this show WRT the new Pope, but I think he is hitting some people in places they aren't used to being hit - especially not by their own top dog - and, like Melsec said, those that NEED to hear it should. Of course, it doesn't hurt any of us to examine our own motives and attitudes and the person we represent when we identify as Christians.
Dear me my friend he is being relevant to today and with some of the things he is finding in the Church - Jesus got stuck in to the Jews because they were the ones who had been chosen to carry the message but had chosen religious observances and rites over knowing the truth and being servants to others - now it is the church who is supposed to be carrying the message of salvation to the world but we would rather argue about religious things than follow Our Lord!
“Uh, Jesus was a Jew and he criticized Jews for not really living their faith. Pope Francis is a Catholic and he is criticizing Catholics.”
Obama is a secular globalist who is always criticizing America.
To my eyes, in the context of Pope Francis' words and actions, this is comment is clearly directed, as criticism, toward traditional Catholics.
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