For Pope Francis, legalism makes Christians stupid. [CNA]

  • Thread starter Thread starter CNA_News
  • Start date Start date
Status
Not open for further replies.
graciew said:
Corresponds to the day of the homily.

Thursday, 06 October 2016

Thursday of the Twenty-seventh week in Ordinary Time

Saint(s) of the day : St. Bruno, Priest (c. 1030-1101)

Letter to the Galatians 3:1-5.
O stupid Galatians! Who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?
I want to learn only this from you: did you receive the Spirit from works of the law, or from faith in what you heard?
**Are you so stupid? **After beginning with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh?
Did you experience so many things in vain?–if indeed it was in vain.
Does, then, the one who supplies the Spirit to you and works mighty deeds among you do so from works of the law or from faith in what you heard?

Here is a link to where his daily meditations at St Martha can be found.

news.va/en/sites/reflections

Here is an older homily about legalism too.

lastampa.it/2014/01/14/vaticaninsider/eng/the-vatican/francis-message-to-christians-let-us-not-be-legalists-hypocrites-or-corrupt-1x14i287FGpNJglBJ6AhmN/pagina.html

Hope it helps.
Click to expand...
That does help tremendously to explain the context of the remarks about “stupid, bewitched” people. In context, this probably could have been employed with a forceful impact that personalizes and reinforces the thrust of the homily and inspires the listener to internalize the message and take action. Out of context in the news article, it had the effect of a discouraging slap in the face.

I enjoyed the excerpts from the older homily about legalism as well. It reinforces the understanding that we are to uphold the law yet exceed it with great love, rather than the many excerpts which give the appearance that the Holy Father somehow would intend us to abandon the law in the name of charity.
 
graciew said:
Corresponds to the day of the homily.

Thursday, 06 October 2016

Thursday of the Twenty-seventh week in Ordinary Time

Saint(s) of the day : St. Bruno, Priest (c. 1030-1101)

Letter to the Galatians 3:1-5.
O stupid Galatians! Who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?
I want to learn only this from you: did you receive the Spirit from works of the law, or from faith in what you heard?
**Are you so stupid? **After beginning with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh?
Did you experience so many things in vain?–if indeed it was in vain.
Does, then, the one who supplies the Spirit to you and works mighty deeds among you do so from works of the law or from faith in what you heard?

Hope it helps.
Click to expand...
Yes it does, Thank you for the context. It goes a long way to explaining the pope’s remarks.

I retract my previous comments and am glad the pope was largely referring to the stupidity mentioned by St Paul in his letter to the Galatians.
 
1Lord1Faith said:
A Catholic who has never missed Sunday mass because they think they will go to hell if they do. All the while, running people over on the way to mass. Gossiping about so and so who missed mass last week.

They just follow Catholic obligations without understanding why they are doing it, thus completely missing the mark.

The Pope is trying to admonish these people, however charitably.
Click to expand...
I see finger pointing here.
BTW the word “stupidity” doesn’t evoke thoughts of charitability with me. Interesting word to use when admonishing people.
 
abucs said:
Look, here we are again. Does anyone know what the pope is talking about when he says legalistic faith?
Click to expand...
Yes, but then I knew what he was talking about from previous reading. My first thought was Galatians 5, but I noticed he use Galatians 3.

“Stupid” was not his word; it was that of St. Paul. If you want to know more, read Galatians, as a letter, in its entirety to get the flow. Also, here is a sermon by St. John Paul on the fifth chapter.
ewtn.com/library/PAPALDOC/jp2tb52.htm

Canon law is not the same thing as legalism. A large organization needs some administration. Really, the whole of canon law is remarkably small for an organization of a billion. It is administrative, not legalistic, a pamphlet of instructions, as opposed to a library of federal, state and local laws. It is a guide, and it does not cover every possible situation.
 
deaconjohnO said:
I see finger pointing here.
BTW the word “stupidity” doesn’t evoke thoughts of charitability with me. Interesting word to use when admonishing people.
Click to expand...
Thank you for pointing that out. There is a line between finger pointing and admonishment. I don’t think it was crossed.

Yes it is an interesting word to use, and also, apparently effective in getting peoples attention.It’s also, as noted in another post, in keeping with the reading for the days mass. St. Paul was admonishing, however charitably, pagan converts who were being influenced by Jewish Christians from Jerusalem who wanted them to be circumsized into the Mosaic law. There is still legalism today, although it’s Catholic not Mosaic.

Think about the Levite in the parable of the Good Samaritan. He held the law, which he apparently didn’t understand the point of, above helping a dying man. Now think of the person who yells at their kids on Sunday morning so they won’t be late for mass. Then he drives like a maniac so he can get to mass on time in order to save face. Then he goes home, obligation done, and ignores his family so he can watch football all day. He’s not doing what God wants, he’s being legalistic with his faith.
 
1Lord1Faith said:
Now think of the person who yells at their kids on Sunday morning so they won’t be late for mass. Then he drives like a maniac so he can get to mass on time in order to save face. Then he goes home, obligation done, and ignores his family so he can watch football all day. He’s not doing what God wants, he’s being legalistic with his faith.
Click to expand...
My parish is filled with people like this, even in my own family, many people are just attending mass every sunday because their parents made them go every sunday and they have got into a routine, its just part of their weekly schedule and this one hour every week, this allows them to call themselves catholic.

However the rare times when mass goes a little longer than a hour, I see numerous people checking their watches, fidgeting, etc, they do not really want to be there any longer than absolutely necessary.
 
fin said:
I understand why I’m doing it.

I love God and want to obey Him.

It’s also called the Ten Commandments, not the Ten Suggestions.
Click to expand...
The Ten Commandments, if you remember, were given to the nation of Israel. They are not “commandments” to us. That is why we do not rest on the Sabbath. Rather we follow, teach and use them because they represent the embodiment of moral law. We do not need to concern ourselves with the ten commandments if we follow the instruction of Jesus to love God with all our hear, and love our neighbor as ourselves. He said all the commandments (not just the ten) can be obeyed by doing this. Furthermore, he instructed that the we should go even further by avoiding hate, as well as murder, and lust as well as adultery.
 
1Lord1Faith said:
The Pope is not talking about clergy or canon lawyers. He is referring to Catholics who point their finger accusing other Catholics of mortal sin. Catholics are not supposed to do that. But some do it because they lack a theological understanding of Catholicism which always holds conscience, intention, charity above law. If canon law and the CCC are read carefully that is evident.
Click to expand...
So we should not do any works of mercy that have to do with correcting our brothers and sisters. Fornication, Beastiality, Rape, Homosexuality are all Mortal sins. We should not let people know this because it is too legalistic?
 
mikekle said:
My parish is filled with people like this, even in my own family, many people are just attending mass every sunday because their parents made them go every sunday and they have got into a routine, its just part of their weekly schedule and this one hour every week, this allows them to call themselves catholic.

However the rare times when mass goes a little longer than a hour, I see numerous people checking their watches, fidgeting, etc, they do not really want to be there any longer than absolutely necessary.
Click to expand...
So now who is the one judging? You throw out a huge judgement on a oparish as if you can read hearts and minds.

Nice work!👍
 
pnewton said:
The Ten Commandments, if you remember, were given to the nation of Israel. They are not “commandments” to us. That is why we do not rest on the Sabbath. Rather we follow, teach and use them because they represent the embodiment of moral law. We do not need to concern ourselves with the ten commandments if we follow the instruction of Jesus to love God with all our hear, and love our neighbor as ourselves. He said all the commandments (not just the ten) can be obeyed by doing this. Furthermore, he instructed that the we should go even further by avoiding hate, as well as murder, and lust as well as adultery.
Click to expand...
All the Moral laws(ten Commandments) can be summed up in that “one” commandment but what is a law if not a command?
 
ProdigalSun said:
So we should not do any works of mercy that have to do with correcting our brothers and sisters. Fornication, Beastiality, Rape, Homosexuality are all Mortal sins. We should not let people know this because it is too legalistic?
Click to expand...
No one said this.
 
GEddie said:
What was meant by legalism?
Click to expand...
I looked up the definition of legalism. This is what I found. It is an excessive adherence to law or formula.

Using this definition, I am guessing the pope is talking about those who put too much effort and faith into the adherence of laws. In this case I assume he means God’s laws. It appears it is not a good thing to do this, I guess we can just be good people and not worry so much about the laws. What do you think was meant?
 
JosieN said:
I looked up the definition of legalism. This is what I found. It is an excessive adherence to law or formula.

Using this definition, I am guessing the pope is talking about those who put too much effort and faith into the adherence of laws. In this case I assume he means God’s laws. It appears it is not a good thing to do this, I guess we can just be good people and not worry so much about the laws. What do you think was meant?
Click to expand...
Again, if we remember this one sentence that causes so much attention has context, a reading of Galatians explains what he was teaching. Then the whole of his homily makes sense. It is hardly controversial. It is just a presentation of St. Paul.
 
JimG said:
I’ve never heard a homily on legalism. But I wonder: Are the 10 Commandments legalistic?
Click to expand...
Enlightened Catholics know that there are no such things as “commandments.” That smacks of legalism and is much too rigid of a word. The 10 “guidelines” would be more welcoming and in keeping with the times. “Guidelines” would reflect the continued development of our understanding. 😉
 
graciew said:
Letter to the Galatians 3:1-5.
O stupid Galatians! Who has bewitched you, before whose eyes Jesus Christ was publicly portrayed as crucified?
I want to learn only this from you: did you receive the Spirit from works of the law, or from faith in what you heard?
**Are you so stupid? **After beginning with the Spirit, are you now ending with the flesh?
…
Click to expand...
I, too, thank you for that post. It helps a lot.👍

The word “stupid” is a harsh, modern, miss-translation of “senseless”, “foolish” or “irrational.” My Hebrew-Greek Key Study Bible uses"foolish". Douay-Rheims uses “senseless.” “Irrational” also is used in some translations.

I wonder if Pope Francis actually used the word “stupid”, or if the Vatican Press Office did?
 
Matthew 28:19-20 (RSV)

19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, to the close of the age.”
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top