Posted on 03/30/2013 5:32:33 PM PDT by SkyPilot
In the short time since Pope Francis became leader of the Catholic Church, his every move has been scrutinized for signs of what his plans could be for his rule. And while his focus on austerity and the world’s poor has excited many who thought the Church was too out of touch with reality, traditionalist Catholics have been devastated. Francis’ decision to wash the feet of two girls, including a Muslim, during a traditional Holy Thursday ritual “has become something of the final straw,” writes the Associated Press. For traditionalists, it was a clear sign that Francis has no intention of continuing Benedict XVI's efforts to roll back reforms that were brought in after Vatican II.
The Thursday incident is seen as particularly serious because Francis flouted Church law when he washed the feet of the two girls. The traditional foot-washing ceremony reenacts the way Jesus washed the feet of his 12 apostles during the Last Supper, and the Church has long said women can’t participate because the apostles were all men. Some were quick to question whether the move could be seen as the first step in opening up the Church to women’s ordination, although the Vatican has cautioned against reading too much into every little move. Yet there is no getting around the fact that until Francis, no pope had ever washed the feet of a woman, or a Muslim for that matter, on Holy Thursday, notes the Wall Street Journal.
The pope washed the feet of two Muslim teenagers Thursday—a boy and a girl—in a move that observers quickly said could mark the beginning of an openness toward the Muslim world that could change how the Vatican is perceived, points out the AFP.
(Excerpt) Read more at slate.com ...
And, I hope he can make all the tax collectors repent!
One can hope, but I fear that power is reserved for one and only one and is a bit beyond the power of the Pope.
According to the Bible, even for that one, it’s a hard sell when it comes to tax collectors
Keep reading:
John 13:9–11 Simon Peter said to Him, “Lord, not my feet only, but also my hands and my head!” Jesus said to him, “He who is bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” For He knew who would betray Him; therefore He said, “You are not all clean.” (NKJV)
The foot washing is for “he who is bathed,” that is, for believers (not Muslims.)
Oh, I am not Catholic. I was raised one but I became a born again Evangelical many years ago. I also admire the Pope’s action. To imitate Christ is what He commanded us to do.
To your most excellent post I would like to add Proverbs 25...
21If your enemy is hungry, give him food to eat;
if he is thirsty, give him water to drink.
22In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head,
and the Lord will reward you.
“Why Muslims?”
They are also God’s children and need to be saved as much as you.
“And why not Jews?”
He has been reaching out to Jews. You just aren’t paying attention.
I don’t have a problem with the Pope washing women’s feet, but will not the muzzies see this as a sign of submission to allah since he washed a muzzie girl’s feet? Is she an apostate for allowing an unrelated male to touch her and is now eligible for death?
I meant in that very sentence. To mention the Holy Land and then only Christians and Muslims disturbed me, especially since the Muslim presence there is the only non-sacred one - it came purely via military conquest.
You’re right! Christians and Muslims are not brothers. Muslims deny Christ, but the Bible is quite clear that Christ is the only way to God. Christ is our eternal high priest. He’s the only one, not Mohammed, who can intercede with God on our behalf.
I don’t really have a problem with the Pope washing the feet of believers, but I do think it’s wrong to wash the feet of unbelievers (that includes Muslims of course).
Christ washed their feet because He was teaching them something, and it wasn’t just about being humble. It symbolized how a believer still sins and needs to repent. They received a bath when they first believed. That’s why they didn’t need another head to toe cleansing (sinful past already cleaned away), but they did need to have the dirt (sin) washed from their feet. As Christ said, they still needed to have their feet washed if they wanted to be with Him.
So, yeah. The washing symbolizes our ongoing stumble, sin, repent, forgiven relationship with Christ. Therefore, unbelievers shouldn’t be participating. This washing wasn’t just about the Pope showing he was humble. It symbolizes essential Christian principles.
Except that the Pope wasn’t calling any of them to repentance! Christ did go where the sinners where, but He was always forthright about their need to repent and be forgiven. Did the Pope ask any of the participants to repent and serve Christ? Not to my knowledge.
Muslims are not our brothers in Christ!
Since when, EVER, did Slate care about what a couple of Catholic blogs (and mainly one, Rorate Caeli) were saying about the Bishop of Rome? I mean, there are (rapidly calculating) 41,009 Catholic blogs --- or maybe that's 42,778 plus or minus 10,000 --- anyway, lots, and Slate picks up on, maybe, TWO that are busting negative on the Pope?
It's just embarrassing to see how Slate and AP crank up the Media Narrative Machine to parlay this microscopic kerfuffle into a freakin' schism.
That's no to deny that Liturgy is important. I'll put my bonafides right out there: I'm a founding member of our parish Schola Cantorum and I am ardently, personally committed to the restoration of the beautiful Latin Liturgy, right here in Upper East Tennessee. I think it is one of the keys to the sacred continuity and universality which is Christ's enduring gift to His Bride.
Having said that: give me a break, Slate. You don't know a zuccheto from a zucchini. The whole thing is useful to you because it's a way to foment factionalism. Respectfully, Daniel Politi: Butt Out.
And to all y'all, from us elitists in Upper East Tennessee: Christus Resurrexit, baby, and I don't mean maybe.
Alleluia!
rdcbn: “If you look at history, people have converted to Christianity not because of Bible thumping preachers, but instead by Christians who by acts and deeds have exemplified and personified the tenets of the Christian faith by devoting their lives to bettering the lives of others who are in need.”
Are you seriously claiming the apostles converted more people by “bettering the lives of others who are in need” versus telling them about Christ? And what exactly do you mean by bettering their lives in the first place? Did the apostles go around building wells, planting crops, cooking meals, etc. and quietly expect people to convert, or did they forthrightly speak the gospel and call people to repentance?
Are we called to help the poor? Yes, but saving them is far more important than feeding them. Too many charities seem to focus on serving others without ever getting around to explaining to unbelievers how they can be saved.
Please tell me you’re not one who believes social justice and fixing this world is more important than preparing people for the next one!
I see you beat me to it, but you’re 100% correct. The foot washing was for believers, and it demonstrated an essential Christian concept. If it was just about being humble, then why wouldn’t Christ give them all baths? That would be even more humble than washing just their feet, right? Ah! But it wasn’t about being humble! It was about about showing them that even though they had been completely washed when they accepted Christ, they still needed to be touched up from time to time. An unbeliever who has never had a spiritual bath does not need their spiritual feet washed.
Then you are uninformed. Go to Rorate Caeli (google for it) and read. They’ve been livid since the day he was elected.
Not only that, but the Koran says Christ will return - and RENOUNCE THE GOSPEL.
Yeah, they’re calling him a modernist, antichrist, stopping just short of callig him Satan incarnate.
Yes,they are a fringe but they insist that they are the only traditioalists, everyone else has abandoned Tradition and they alone are the ones who can save the Church from apostasy.
Hasn’t seemed to register with them that the Tradition (Scripture) says the gates of hell will not prevail . . .
In their eyes, Hell has already won and it’s hopeless.
Don’t know where they get that in the tradition. Wait a minute, I think that was the Protestant position—that the papal church had apostasized and only they, the Protestant Reformers, could save the rest of the Church.
The Roratorians are as schismatic as the Protestants ever were. Luther was a “conservative reformer”—very similar to the Rad Trads (to distinguish them from those of us who love the Tradition but don’t think we are holier than the Pope (or, for that matter, holier than Christ Himself).
What?? First of all foot washing isn't a matter of eternal church doctrine. It's a matter of canon law, which changes all the time. And you know who has final say about canon law? The pope.
I have always been somewhat sympathetic to radtrads, but I have to admit this whole foot washing thing has given me pause.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.