Again, Pope Francis warns against "worldliness"

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Watch out for worldliness and ambition and ask God to give us childlike simplicity.

According to Vatican Radio, Pope Francis gave this warning and encouragement to faithful during his daily morning Mass at Casa Santa Marta…

Today’s Gospel, the Jesuit Pope also recalled, also mentioned another temptation, that of ambition. The disciples argue along the way about who among them was the greatest, but remain silent when Jesus asks them what they are discussing. The Holy Father said they do not respond because they are ashamed of their words…they did not realize that the path of service to the Lord was not an easy one…

“Let us think about infighting in a parish: ‘I want to be the president of this association, in order to climb the ladder. Who is the greatest here? Who is the greatest in this parish? No, I am the most important here; not that person there because he did something…’

This, Francis said, is the chain of sin…

The Holy Father also offered other examples of this temptation which brings one to “climb the ladder” and criticize others.

“Sometimes we priests say ashamedly within our presbyteries: ‘I want that parish… But the Lord is here… But I want that one…’ It is the same.”

This, Francis warned, is not the way of the Lord, but the path of worldliness and vanity. “Even among us bishops,” Francis lamented, worldliness comes as a temptation.

Pope Francis concluded, praying for three things: for “the grace to be ashamed when we find ourselves in these situations”; to defend us “from ambitions and from the worldliness of wishing to be greater than others”; and to give us the grace of the simplicity of a child.

May God help all of us in the Church to heed the warning, not only from Pope Francis, but from Christ Himself who teaches us to become as little children, and to learn from Him to be meek and humble of heart. Full article HERE

 

[PluniaZ]

Very well said by the Holy Father. May our Blessed Mother, Mary Ever Virgin, pray for us that His Holiness Pope Francis I’s words will be etched in our hearts, and we may live them day by day in good works.

 

[Peebo]

Thank you for this thread…it’s good to see some one posting something positive about our Holy Father…rather than a lot of the negative threads here on CAF

 

[USMC_Convert]

Thank you for this thread…it’s good to see some one posting something positive about our Holy Father…rather than a lot of the negative threads here on CAF

 

[Elena321]

Great message from Pope Francis.
When is ambition good and when is it bad?
Our society often encourages people to be ambitious and people who are low skilled workers or stay at home parents etc often get looked down upon.
Sometimes people become ambitious to escape these perceptions (if that makes sense).

 

[ConfusedLucy]

Great message from Pope Francis.
When is ambition good and when is it bad?
Our society often encourages people to be ambitious and people who are low skilled workers or stay at home parents etc often get looked down upon.
Sometimes people become ambitious to escape these perceptions (if that makes sense).

You’ve just described me it’s very important to discern your motivations in this situation.

 

[MariaChristi]

Great message from Pope Francis.
When is ambition good and when is it bad?
Our society often encourages people to be ambitious and people who are low skilled workers or stay at home parents etc often get looked down upon.
Sometimes people become ambitious to escape these perceptions (if that makes sense).

Dear Elena, Confused Lucy, USMC Convert, Peebo and PluniaZ,

Thank you all for your replies. Elena and Confused Lucy, you are asking good questions, and hopefully you’ll be happy to know God answered your question in His Word. Several places in the New Testment, Jesus tells us how to find His Truth in “confusing situations”.

Prayerfully reading the whole Sermon on the Mount, (chapters 5, 6 and 7 in Matthew’s Gospel) can be a great help. All 4 Gospels need to be heard with a heart open to Truth.

For instance in the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus taught us:

No one can serve two masters. He will either hate one and love the other, or be devoted to one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon (money). Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat [or drink], or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds in the sky; they do not sow or reap, they gather nothing into barns, yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are not you more important than they? Can any of you by worrying add a single moment to your life-span? Why are you anxious about clothes? Learn from the way the wild flowers grow. They do not work or spin. But I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was clothed like one of them. If God so clothes the grass of the field, which grows today and is thrown into the oven tomorrow, will he not much more provide for you, O you of little faith? So do not worry and say, ‘What are we to eat?’ or ‘What are we to drink?’ or ‘What are we to wear? All these things the pagans seek. Your heavenly Father knows that you need them all. But seek first the kingdom [of God] and his righteousness,* and all these things will be given you besides.Do not worry about tomorrow; tomorrow will take care of itself. Sufficient for a day is its own evil. (from Matthew, Chapter 6: 24-34)

There is good ambition and bad ambition, and it stems from the motive of the heart. Who or what is first in our loves. If we are striving for love of God and are seeking Him first, then our ambition is good. We will be seeking to love as He commanded us to love Him and others as He loves them. We seek to be “righteous” and look for good ways to provide for our families without greediness but with concern for others. If we are seeking to exalt ourselves over others – seeking money to make ourselves apprear better than others, or to have power to do what we want with no regard for God or others, then our intention is not good and we have a “bad ambition”.

St. Paul’s chapter 13 in his First letter to Corinthians gives a beautiful description of love, and reminds us that without Love (which comes from God) it profits us “nothing”. 1 Cor 14:1 tells us to make love our aim. Hope that helps a bit.

Pope Francis has encouraged us many times to keep a small copy of the New Testament in our pockets or purses, and to read it often. It is important not to islate verses and forget the Scriptures all fit together. They help us to keep remaining in God’s Love. I carry a pocket edition of the Gospels in my purse and also like to use the Computer to read the Gospel for the Day, from the website of the US Catholic Conference of Bishops. See HERE

Today is the Feast of The Chair of St. Peter and a good day to pray through the intercession of our First Pope. Let us pray for the Church and especially our current Pope and all the clergy and People of God.