Posted on 03/17/2015 4:10:36 PM PDT by Legatus
Pope Francis has again forcefully emphasized the Catholic church's need to be merciful, pointedly asking who Christians that do not allow someone to renter the church community think they are.
Speaking Tuesday during his daily homily at the Domus Sanctae Marthae, Francis asked bluntly: "Who are you who shuts the door of your heart to a man, a woman who wants to improve, to return back into the people of God, because the Holy Spirit has stirred his or her heart?"
The church, the pontiff said, is "the home of Jesus and Jesus welcomes -- but not only welcomes, [he] goes to find people."
"And if people are hurt, what does Jesus do?" asked Francis. "Scolds them because they are hurt? No, he comes and carries them on his shoulders."
"This is called mercy," the pope continued. "And when God reprimands his people -- 'I desire mercy, not sacrifice!' -- he speaks of this."
Francis' emphasis Tuesday on the need for mercy from Catholics comes just days after the pope announced Friday that he will be convoking in December an extraordinary jubilee year for the Catholic church to be called the Holy Year of Mercy.
The pope has made mercy a central theme of his papacy. On Friday he said he wanted to call the holy year -- a special time for Catholics to receive blessing and pardon from God and remission of sins -- so that the church "can make more evident its mission of being a witness of mercy."
Francis was speaking of mercy Tuesday as part of a reflection on the daily Mass readings, the first of which is a passage in which the prophet Ezekiel sees a vision of water overflowing and providing life for those near the temple in Jerusalem. The Gospel for the day sees Jesus heal a man who had been paralytic and could not even wash himself.
Using the imagery of water from both readings, the pope spoke of men and women who may have made mistakes in their lives but now feel "that the waters are moving" and they want to come back to the Christian community.
"And how many times today in Christian communities [they] find closed doors: 'But you cannot, no, you cannot,'" said the pope, imitating someone who prevents such people from reentering the community.
"'You have done wrong here and you cannot,'" Francis continued the imitation. "'If you want to come, come to Mass on Sunday, but stay there, but do not do more.'"
Summing up how he feels about such a situation, the pontiff said: "That which the Holy Spirit does in the hearts of people, Christians with the psychology of doctors of the law destroy."
"Today we ask the Lord in the Mass for us, for each of us and for the whole Church, a conversion towards Jesus, a conversion to Jesus, a conversion to the mercy of Jesus," Francis ended his homily. "And so the law will be fully fulfilled, because the law is to love God and neighbor, as ourselves."
Yup.
Never
He seems mighty selective in the scriptures he cites. Why did Jesus start with “Repent” if no repentance is needed?
One of the greatest obstacles to unity among all Christians is the notion that receiving the sacraments is sufficient.
I do not think Jorge Bergoglio believes that it is.
"Jesus not only receives people into His house, the Church, but goes out searching for them." These were the words of Pope Francis during his homily at Santa Marta this morning.
According to Vatican Radio, the Holy Father reflected on the first reading from the prophet Ezequiel, which recalled his vision of the temple and the river flowing near it.
"Wherever the river flows, every sort of living creature that can multiply shall live, and there shall be abundant fish, for wherever this water comes the sea shall be made fresh," the angel says to Ezequiel.
That water, the Holy Father noted, is the same that flows in the pool of Bethesda where Jesus healed a man who was ill for 38 years. The criticism of the doctors of the law, who reproached Christ for healing on the Sabbath, is something that occurs many times.
"A man or a woman, who feel sick in their soul, sad, who have made many mistakes in life, at a certain moment feel the waters move, there is the Holy Spirit who moves something, or they hear a word. They take courage and go forward," he said.
"And how many times today in Christian communities, do they find the door shut: 'But you can't, no, you cannot enter. You have a mistake and you can't enter. If you want to come, go to the Sunday Mass, but stay there, you can't do anything else.' And that which the Holy Spirit does in the person is destroyed by Christians with the psychology of the doctors of the law."
The Holy Father went on to say that he is saddened by this attitude, stressing that the Church is the "house of Jesus" and Jesus not only receives those who enter, but "goes out searching for them."
"And if the people are wounded, what does Jesus do? Does he reproach them because they are wounded? No, He comes and carries them upon His shoulders. And this is called mercy. And when God reproaches His people – "I want mercy, not sacrifice!' – he speaks of this."
Concluding his homily, Pope Francis called on the faithful during the Lenten season to not commit the same mistake of denying Jesus' love towards those wounded solely because it is contrary to the law.
"Let us ask the Lord in the Mass for ourselves, for each one of us and for the whole Church, for a conversion towards Jesus, a conversion to Jesus, a conversion to the mercy of Jesus. And thus the Law will be fulfilled completely, because the Law is to love God and neighbor as ourselves."
(March 17, 2015) © Innovative Media Inc.
That seems to confirm the idea that HH is driving for unrepentant sinners to receive Holy Communion...
I don’t do facebook so I can’t see what you’re citing there.
I think you’re right. He doesn’t believe Christianity is special, and he’s a “one river, many wells” type of guy. That’s why he and other people under him are working with the URI (United Religions Initiative), which is not UN connected itself but has ties to an official UN organization with the same goals.
It’s a video — watch it. Be “lifted up” with the music.
That’s not what I got out of it.
He wants to lift up sinners.....he’s mot calling them to communion but to reconciliation, in my opinion.
Well who are these people who are denying sinners access to reconciliation?
Jesus walked and talked under the Old Covenant - if we were able to do this "Sin no more" thing, He would not have had to die on the Cross for our sins.
If you think that since being saved, you manage to sin no more, you are delusional - even the Catholic Church acknowledges this via the existence of Confession...
When Jonah deemd those in Nineveh too wicked to warrant saving, he headed in the other direction - what did God do about that? Your Pope is probably more Biblically correct than any in the history of the Church and you condemn him as being too easy on the sinners - you know, those other guys...
Yes, anyone who thinks Francis is merely calling people to reconciliation (and not communion), please do respond to this question.
Speaking of delusional! No where did I say or imply that being saved meant that you were not able to sin or whatever the hell you meant. My point was and is that even tho He extended mercy and compassion for the prostitute He did NOT say that it was now okay to be a prostitute. He said don’t do that anymore.
Anyway, are you saying that Jesus was delusional? He is the one who made that statement. If he is delusional for part of his ministry than what other areas of his ministry do you call into question that is or may be delusional?
confession does not fix anything except in the Catholic church
The point was that Jesus walked the earth under the Old Covenant and He had to be true to the Law of the Old Covenant. He heralded the New Covenant but it did not begin until He arose from the dead.
So everything Jesus Christ said or did while walking on the earth, prior to His death is under the old covenant, and therefore not applicable to the New covenant that came after His death. His statement of go and sin no more is not a rationale statement because it was under the Old covenant. As you put it ‘delusional’. This would also have to apply to His Sermon on the Mount which being under the Old covenant must also be delusional since it was not in like with the Old covenant. What other verses would you like to pick and choose as being relevant in your opinion.
I'm assuming you're Catholic. If so, why does the rite of Confession exist?
it only exists in the Catholic Church. Forgiveness of sin does not come about because of forgiveness by a priest and due to the confession of sin. forgiveness of sin come about thru true repentance of sinful behavior and the acceptance as Jesus Christ as your personal lord and savior and all that goes with.
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