But Men Have Shown They Prefer the Darkness: A Meditation on the Human Tendency toward Illusion

Archdiocese of Washington ^ | 02-14-16 | Msgr. Charles Pope

[Salvation]

Video

[Salvation]

Monsignor Pope Ping!

[Rapscallion]

We can lie to ourselves for so long that we no longer even realize that we’re doing it.

Should clergy be allowed to matter that much? What credibilty do they have left?

[HangnJudge]

(((PING)))

[Bryanw92]

>>Should clergy be allowed to matter that much? What credibilty do they have left?

The “magisterium of the church” is probably the most dangerous illusion. God left us his word in written form and he left us the Holy Spirit to guide us. The visible church has an important role in our lives, but should never be placed on the same level as the Word and Spirit.

[Mrs. Don-o]

That sounds like a prejudice against a whole class of people, based on a defamatory stereotype. One could say, with as much cause, that human beings should not be allowed to matter so much, considering what we now know about them.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Christ is the Word made Flesh, and the church is the Body of Christ. It is Christ who established His Church and gave her the authority to teach via the Holy Spirit. “Whoever hears you, hears Me.”

I believe that proposition, because it is Christ who teaches it.

[Salvation]

Did you forget the graces that deacons, priests and bishops receive with the Sacrament of Holy Orders?

[Bryanw92]

>>Christ is the Word made Flesh, and the church is the Body of Christ. It is Christ who established His Church and gave her the authority to teach via the Holy Spirit. “Whoever hears you, hears Me.”

So do I. I do not believe that it has any special authority that you do not possess yourself through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

[cornelis]

"It's odd, [Eddie thought] how many people the dread of spooks has outlasted the fear of God which is the beginning of wisdom. This debauched gorilla-man, believing in nothing else, still could quiver at a footfall on a stair, a glimpse of something around a corner . . . Ghosts! The silly notions people have about ghosts. . . . Of course there are fundamentalist types who'd say you might find demons in that cellar, ready to pitchfork you in your own very private hell; but you couldn't meet a worse devil than yourself. At the core, you're a coward . . ." Russel Kirk Ancestral Shadows

[Mrs. Don-o]

I wonder then why St. Paul taught that we are not all teachers, not all administrators, etc. His whole doctrine on the Body of Christ, repeated and elaborated in several of his Epistles, emphasizes that although we all share in the one Spirit, we do not all have the same roles.

We are all members of the one Body, but we are-— following Paul’s analogy -— different cells, tissues,organs, limbs, senses, systems.

Do we all do the same things? Are we all noses? All toeses? All mouths? (heh)

Many the gifts, many the works. One in the Lord of all.

[Bryanw92]

>>Do we all do the same things? Are we all noses? All toeses? All mouths? (heh)

We do not all do the same things. This is why there isn’t a priesthood that is set apart from the rest of us. The person in the pew next to you might be a better teacher than the guy in the pulpit.

[Mrs. Don-o]

" (1)We do not all do the same things. (2) This is why there isn’t a priesthood that is set apart from the rest of us. The person in the pew next to you might be a better teacher than the guy in the pulpit."

(Iinsteted the number for clarification.

Your #2 doesm't follow from your #1. The "This is why..." is a non0--sequitur.

For one thing, it's "teaching" and "preaching" with "being a priest." Not all priests teach and preach, and not all who teach and preach are priests. (I teach, and, God knows, sometimes I preach and preach. Ask anyone!)

To the point, there are laypeople, including both men and women, teaching in seminaries and Pontifical Universities, i.e. teaching seminarians and priests. Four eminent laywomen havve been officially named Doctors of the Church, which is to say, they are recognized as having made particularly important contribution to theology or doctrine. They are Theresa of Acila, Catherine of Siena, Therese of Lisieux and Hildegard of Bingen.

In fact the number of laity who teach and preach is too great to count.

I wouldn't be surprised if there are FReepers like you, Bryan, who might just preach better than my pastor :o)

However that is not to the point. By teaching us about the Body of Christ, Paul was teaching us that the Church has a hierarchical structure, just as the Body has. We are placed in different positions by God in order to do different things.

"And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues..."

1 Cor. 12:28, KJV

[Mrs. Don-o]

Typos above. I sometimes lose whole lines of text for unknown reasons.

Insert the following for the first paragraphs:

(I inserted the numbers for clarification. Your #2 doesm't follow from your #1. The "This is why..." is a non-sequitur.

For one thing, it's inaccurate to conflate "teaching" and "preaching" with "being a priest.".. Etc.

[cloudmountain]

Then there are always the seven deadly sins.

Pride
greed
anger
lust gluttony
envy and
sloth

There's a lot of ANGER around the religion area today, wouldn't you say, Salvation?

[cloudmountain]

For one thing, it's inaccurate to conflate "teaching" and "preaching" with "being a priest.".. Etc.

THAT'S for sure: VERY different from each other.

[cloudmountain]

That sounds like a prejudice against a whole class of people, based on a defamatory stereotype. One could say, with as much cause, that human beings should not be allowed to matter so much, considering what we now know about them.

Boy, did you hit the nail on the head, Mrs. Don-o.
Well put and agree 100%.

[asyouwish]

I know it’s nit-picking, but I just have to do it:

It’s Teresa of Avila, not Acila.
There. I did it. ;-)

[Mrs. Don-o]

YOU PICKED A NIT!!

How dare you, how dare you.....

I never make typsoz!

[tired&retired]

Thanks... Really great article.