Posted on 05/22/2013 4:02:56 AM PDT by markomalley
“Doing good” is a principle that unites all humanity, beyond the diversity of ideologies and religions, and creates the “culture of encounter” that is the foundation of peace: this is what Pope said at Mass this morning at the Domus Santae Martae, in the presence of employees of the Governorate of Vatican City. Cardinal Bechara Boutros Rai, Patriarch of Antioch of the Maronites, concelebrated at the Mass.
Wednesday’s Gospel speaks to us about the disciples who prevented a person from outside their group from doing good. “They complain,” the Pope said in his homily, because they say, “If he is not one of us, he cannot do good. If he is not of our party, he cannot do good.” And Jesus corrects them: “Do not hinder him, he says, let him do good.” The disciples, Pope Francis explains, “were a little intolerant,” closed off by the idea of possessing the truth, convinced that “those who do not have the truth, cannot do good.” “This was wrong . . . Jesus broadens the horizon.” Pope Francis said, “The root of this possibility of doing good – that we all have – is in creation”:
"The Lord created us in His image and likeness, and we are the image of the Lord, and He does good and all of us have this commandment at heart: do good and do not do evil. All of us. ‘But, Father, this is not Catholic! He cannot do good.’ Yes, he can. He must. Not can: must! Because he has this commandment within him. Instead, this ‘closing off’ that imagines that those outside, everyone, cannot do good is a wall that leads to war and also to what some people throughout history have conceived of: killing in the name of God. That we can kill in the name of God. And that, simply, is blasphemy. To say that you can kill in the name of God is blasphemy.”
“Instead,” the Pope continued, “the Lord has created us in His image and likeness, and has given us this commandment in the depths of our heart: do good and do not do evil”:
"The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone! ‘Father, the atheists?’ Even the atheists. Everyone! And this Blood makes us children of God of the first class! We are created children in the likeness of God and the Blood of Christ has redeemed us all! And we all have a duty to do good. And this commandment for everyone to do good, I think, is a beautiful path towards peace. If we, each doing our own part, if we do good to others, if we meet there, doing good, and we go slowly, gently, little by little, we will make that culture of encounter: we need that so much. We must meet one another doing good. ‘But I don’t believe, Father, I am an atheist!’ But do good: we will meet one another there.”
“Doing good” the Pope explained, is not a matter of faith: “It is a duty, it is an identity card that our Father has given to all of us, because He has made us in His image and likeness. And He does good, always.”
This was the final prayer of Pope Francis:
"Today is [the feast of] Santa Rita, Patron Saint of impossible things – but this seems impossible: let us ask of her this grace, this grace that all, all, all people would do good and that we would encounter one another in this work, which is a work of creation, like the creation of the Father. A work of the family, because we are all children of God, all of us, all of us! And God loves us, all of us! May Santa Rita grant us this grace, which seems almost impossible. Amen.”
See John 12:32, Heb 2:9, 2 Cor 5:15, Rom 5:18, etc.
Thankfully, Christian Crusaders didn’t try this approach with Saladin. Muslim see kindness as weakness.
Precisely .. and this new guy would ‘wishful think’ the West to death.
This is nothing new. The “virtuous pagans” were always accepted as people who, for one reason or another, could not know or accept God’s revelation of Himself in Jesus. But they adhered to natural law, without perhaps even knowing it, and it is certainly undeniable that doing good and not doing evil is the fundamental principle.
The only religion, unfortunately, that seals its believers off from this is Islam, because it rejects natural law and considers sharia to be the only law of the universe. And under sharia, one is permitted and even ordered to do tremendous evil in order to advance Islam and the cause of the Islamic version of God. And in fact one is permitted to engage in all sorts of behavior that other cultures reject.
That said, there probably are some individual Muslims who are fine and sincerely would like to find the truth and do the right things. To me, this only means that the Church has got to be more forthright in offering the truth so that these people might be able to get out of their oppressive and life-denying cult.
“The West” chose cultural and demographic suicide before the Moslems became a threat in recent times.
Yet St. Francis had no problem meeting with a leader from the Muslim back in the day.
Because Islam is from the devil.
” Thankfully, Christian Crusaders didn’t try this approach with Saladin. Muslim see kindness as weakness.”
Sadly, we are not in the same world as existed in the time of Pope Urban II.
Well said, livius.
re: “‘But I don’t believe, Father, I am an atheist!’ But do good: we will meet one another there.”
Meaning no disrespect, I’m not exactly sure what the sentence above means. What is the “there”? As in, “we will meet one another there.” Not hostile, just curious.
” Meaning no disrespect, I’m not exactly sure what the sentence above means. What is the “there”? As in, “we will meet one another there.” Not hostile, just curious.”
I thought of Mars Hill. Or dealing with the Centurion.
Yes, redemption does not equal salvation. However, once again, I see the lack of clarity in our leader’s words. This homily will lead others to believe, ONCE AGAIN, that all religions (or lack thereof) are the same.
You don’t have to be Catholic.
I am so sick of this.
“we will meet one another there”.
Yet some more confusion. Perhaps “there” means Heaven? No, he probably doesn’t mean that, but what keeping anyone from thinking that is what he meant?
Arggggh.
Blame Pio Nono and that darned “invincible ignorance” bit he mentioned.
While I agree that that bit has created confusion, I also think many in the Vatican II era are ...um, ignorant? lol....of the meaning of invincible ignorance. I don't think it was confusing prior to Vatican II (if that makes sense?)
” While I agree that that bit has created confusion, I also think many in the Vatican II era are ...um, ignorant? lol....of the meaning of invincible ignorance. I don’t think it was confusing prior to Vatican II (if that makes sense?)”
Well, the “spirit of Vatican II” crowd could screw up the Blessed Trinity.
Also, wouldn't this have been a really good time to instruct all people that although doing good unites all humanity, "doing good" is not good enough for one's salvation? Or maybe there is more to the homily that I'm missing?
Wow. I'm rip-roaring mad. Perhaps I need to step away from the 'puter for a bit.
Yes, it most certainly does...Those who go up to meet the Lord in the air are redeemed...No one gets redeemed except for Christians...
1Pe 1:17 And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man's work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:
1Pe 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers;
1Pe 1:19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:
No atheists nor muzlims there...Only Christians...
Rom 8:23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.
Not only are the redeemed the Body of Christ, the rememption has not taken place yet...There clearly are no redeemed atheists or muzlims...
1Co 1:27 But God hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise; and God hath chosen the weak things of the world to confound the things which are mighty; 1Co 1:28 And base things of the world, and things which are despised, hath God chosen, yea, and things which are not, to bring to nought things that are:
1Co 1:29 That no flesh should glory in his presence.
1Co 1:30 But of him are ye in Christ Jesus, who of God is made unto us wisdom, and righteousness, and sanctification, and redemption:
Pretty much God has confounded your pope...
Eph 1:14 Which is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, unto the praise of his glory.
Your pope is NOT redeemed at this time and neither are those he plans on meeting somewhere...And I have no doubt he will meet them...
Eph 4:30 And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.
It is said (by your religion) that your popes are the greatest Theologians the World has ever seen...I believe it's pretty clear that you guys have been duped...
However, once again, I see the lack of clarity in our leader’s words. This homily will lead others to believe, ONCE AGAIN, that all religions (or lack thereof) are the same.
I disagree...I see it as super clear...It's as clear as when he tells you to not read the scriptures except while leaning on the Catholic religion to gain the 'correct' understanding of what you are reading...
I am not posting this to attack your pope...I am posting this in hopes that you guys will wake up and trust what God says in his scriptures...
” And this Blood makes us children of God of the first class! We are created children in the likeness of God and the Blood of Christ has redeemed us all!”
Only the elect are the adopted children of God:
Eph_1:5 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will,
An unbeliever, until he is reconciled with God, is a slave and servant of the devil:
1Jn_3:10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
To say everyone is a child of God is just a catch-phrase.
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