Francis: We Don't Save Ourselves

Zenit ^ | 4/10/13

[markomalley]

Pope Francis spoke today at morning Mass about salvation that comes from God alone.

As customary, the Holy Father celebrated morning Mass at the Domus Sanctae Marthae. Today, Cardinals Angelo Sodano and Angelo Comastri concelebrated.

"The Lord saves us by His love: not with a letter, nor with a decree, but with his love," the Pope said in the homily, as reported by Vatican Radio. And salvation, is "the recovery of that dignity, which we have lost,” the dignity of being children of God.

This is a dignity that grows, said Pope Francis, “until our final encounter with Him,” adding, “this is the way of salvation, and this is beautiful."

The Pontiff said that "we are men and women of hope," people who have been "saved by love."

The problem, he explained, is that sometimes we want to save ourselves, “and we believe we can do it,” for example basing our security on money -- and we think: “I have money, I am secure, [I have it] all, there are no worries, I have dignity: the dignity of a rich person.”

"This,” said Pope Francis, “is not enough."

"Think of the parable of the Gospel, of the man who had the full granary, who said, ‘I’ll make another to get more, and then I’ll sleep soundly,’ and the Lord says, 'You fool! This evening you will die.' That salvation is wrong, it is a temporary salvation, it is also apparent salvation.”

The Holy Father went on to say that, at other times, “We think we save ourselves with vanity, with pride,” that, “We believe ourselves powerful ...,” and that “we mask our poverty, our sins, with vanity, with pride ... Even that ends,” he said.

"True salvation is in the dignity that God gives back to us in the hope that Christ has given us at Easter," he affirmed.

“Let's make today an act of faith,” said Pope Francis, “[Let us say]: Lord, I believe. I believe in Your love. I believe that Your love has saved me. I believe that Your love has given me the dignity that I had not. I believe that Your love gives me hope.”

[markomalley]

Pelagianism (5th Century)

Pelagius denied that we inherit original sin from Adam’s sin in the Garden and claimed that we become sinful only through the bad example of the sinful community into which we are born. Conversely, he denied that we inherit righteousness as a result of Christ’s death on the cross and said that we become personally righteous by instruction and imitation in the Christian community, following the example of Christ. Pelagius stated that man is born morally neutral and can achieve heaven under his own powers. According to him, God’s grace is not truly necessary, but merely makes easier an otherwise difficult task.

Semi-Pelagianism (5th Century)

After Augustine refuted the teachings of Pelagius, some tried a modified version of his system. This, too, ended in heresy by claiming that humans can reach out to God under their own power, without God’s grace; that once a person has entered a state of grace, one can retain it through one’s efforts, without further grace from God; and that natural human effort alone can give one some claim to receiving grace, though not strictly merit it.

[Arkansas Toothpick]

I say, “Amen, Pope Francis!”

[Revolting cat!]

I 2nd the Toothpick!