Out with secular behavior in the Church: Let’s get back on Mission…

[John_Martin]

If you have been keeping up with current events, Pope Francis faces stiff resistance to his reform efforts from leadership in the Vatican as well as his efforts to get us back on mission as “a poor church that serves the poor”, outwardly focused, “getting our hands dirty”.

I find myself mystified that If you are truly Catholic then you believe in Apostolic Succession where we must hear Jesus say “Get behind me Satan.” (Mat 16:23) Shouldn’t we, every single one of us in the Church, be following Jesus through St. Peter through Pope Francis? Pope Francis’ efforts are from the top down. How can we support Jesus through Pope Francis from the bottom up?

 

[edwest2]

If you have been keeping up with current events, Pope Francis faces stiff resistance to his reform efforts from leadership in the Vatican as well as his efforts to get us back on mission as “a poor church that serves the poor”, outwardly focused, “getting our hands dirty”.

I find myself mystified that If you are truly Catholic then you believe in Apostolic Succession where we must hear Jesus say “Get behind me Satan.” (Mat 16:23) Shouldn’t we, every single one of us in the Church, be following Jesus through St. Peter through Pope Francis? Pope Francis’ efforts are from the top down. How can we support Jesus through Pope Francis from the bottom up?

Easy. That person standing on the street corner with a sign that reads “Hungry, Homeless, Please Help.” Get him some food and drink. Say “God bless you.” That’s Jesus who needs help on that street corner.

Matthew 25:44 "They also will answer, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or needing clothes or sick or in prison, and did not help you?’

25:45 “He will reply, ‘Truly I tell you, whatever you did not do for one of the least of these, you did not do for me.’” NIV

Even a dollar in the Poor Box in Church means something. I used to help the poor directly but can’t do it directly for now. The look in the eyes of a stranger who is helped by another stranger is a wonderful thing. I remember asking one man if he had been to Church, and he said, “You know, I’ve been thinking about that.”

Ed

 

[tweedlealice]

Salutations,
Did Jesus not come for the poor and sinners. He went and saved the adulterers women. He called the Pharises and Sanhedrine hypocrites. IT IS HARDER FOR A RICH MAN TO ENTER HEAVEN. Somewhere there is the eye of the needle scripture. He went among the lepers. So our Pope is acting like Jesus and walking among the poor. We have homeless ministries. Some visit the imprisoned. So, I think you may be confused?
Can you find Jesus in scripture caring only for the rich? He associated with Cornelius. Some of the women were wealthy. Read the beatitudes. To be like Jesus we are everyone’s servant.
Dear Lord, may my words be yours and may we all humble ourselves in the sight of the Lord, so, we may raise Him up.
God’s little brown wren
in Christ’s love
tweedlealice

 

[Faxero]

Examples of secular behavior include promoting homosexuality, idleness, unrestrained entertainment, contraception, and adultery; either by word or deed.

Some place an excessive focus on earthly concerns, hence John Martin’s probation.

 

[John_Martin]

But…what does any of this have to do with “secular behavior” mentioned in the subject line?
Who in the church is expressing “secular behavior”?
.

It is secular behavior (behavior that is “of the world”) to try to use force to change the direction and mission of the Church - such force being speaking out against the Pope’s direction in the public arena to sway public fears in the Church, hoping for a popular opinion outcry against the leadership. This is like Peter telling Jesus he cannot go to Jerusalem (to face crucifixion).
Examples: EWTN “the World Over”, Arroyo seeking to lure Cardinal Wuerl into speaking insurgently against the proceedings of the Synod on the Family upon its completion, repeatedly seeking to monger fear in the living rooms of conservative Catholics so that they would mount up and demand that Francis obey them rather than they obey Francis. The Cardinal successfully resisted.
Another; the leaking of Synod papers during the first installment of the Synod, again to sway public pressure so that Francis (Jesus’ rep.) would move as the public wanted rather than moving on his mission (our mission).

Priests and Religious take vows of obedience - they will follow “behind” rather than stand in front of their superiors telling them how to lead and where to go.
And we also, when baptized and confirmed, made an identical pledge, if not in the ordered form of a vow. In the Church, being in the Church, is a determination that I will trust those over me.

The true reformers in the Church have never tried to rally the masses, the mobs, to bring pressure on the leadership, They have instead gone directly and discreetly to the superiors with their issues, not demanding change, but asking, “how can this issue be happening in light of the truth we all know?” and presenting the reasoning.
Paul did this with Peter in reference to requirements on Gentile converts to the Catholic Church. He did not broadcast Peter’s inconsistencies to the masses of Gentiles to provoke rebellion and pressure on Peter and the other Apostles in Jerusalem. Luther, on the other hand broadcast the Papal inconsistencies to the masses in Germany and did create such a reaction, ending with great masses of people still suffering from separation from the Church in their continued existence in protest.

In all this excitement of the public opinion of Church members, the sound of Francis calling to mercy, charity, working to lift up the poor, this call of Francis is muffled and undone - we are too busy being excited by the fear mongers.

 

[Marvin_parv]

I do believe in the catholic sacrament of the Eucharist and shall be going through RCIA , but Jes_us is the way and the life with our fathers will, ( I shant be following a sinner, a very basic mistake that, and as you Catholics also believe the holy spirit proceeds from the father and the son meaning to me he hears from jes_us what to do in any given circumstance and gifts us.

I shall not be following the pope " a sinner " Ludicrous. ( Too be lowly is not a sin but too throw your life into a sinners hands other than as John 10: 16 explains ( Too save you the trouble : They also hear my voice " where`s the popes commandments in that ; ;

Fast, Fast and Fast, On Everything and until you hear

_________________________________________ : )

( Do you think I write alone . … AH … .

 

[Sarcelle]

I do believe in the catholic sacrament of the Eucharist and shall be going through RCIA , but Jes_us is the way and the life with our fathers will, ( I shant be following a sinner, a very basic mistake that, and as you Catholics also believe the holy spirit proceeds from the father and the son meaning to me he hears from jes_us what to do in any given circumstance and gifts us.

I shall not be following the pope " a sinner " Ludicrous. ( Too be lowly is not a sin but too throw your life into a sinners hands other than as John 10: 16 explains ( Too save you the trouble : They also hear my voice " where`s the popes commandments in that ; ;

Fast, Fast and Fast, On Everything and until you hear

_________________________________________ : )

( Do you think I write alone . … AH … .

Your sentence about not following the Pope, a sinner, reminds me of what other Protestant men have said. However, they have no problems with the command that their wives submit to them. Are they not also sinners?

Joseph was head of household over Mary and Jesus, the Immaculate Conception and God Incarnate, yet he himself was a sinful human being.

We are all called to submit to human authority.

 

[John_Martin]

youtube.com/watch?v=_M4zbUbE2qU

 

[Marvin_parv]

Your sentence about not following the Pope, a sinner, reminds me of what other Protestant men have said. However, they have no problems with the command that their wives submit to them. Are they not also sinners?

Joseph was head of household over Mary and Jesus, the Immaculate Conception and God Incarnate, yet he himself was a sinful human being.

We are all called to submit to human authority.

I hear, The holy spirit was given to me, should I just ignore the advocate,( pointless then would conformation be ) . " Im celibate, couldnt comment ", ,

The bib_le as you would understand at some point spirals out of somewhat control, Why, Why and why, , Mmmm ( and lets not forget, for some what a reason evil gets really close, , Alleluia I say . .

Sig …

 

[Marvin_parv]

I`m not asking you to trust my authority at all. TEA ! and a sticky bun . . .

 

[b_ulmen]

If you have been keeping up with current events, Pope Francis faces stiff resistance to his reform efforts from leadership in the Vatican as well as his efforts to get us back on mission as “a poor church that serves the poor”, outwardly focused, “getting our hands dirty”.

I find myself mystified that If you are truly Catholic then you believe in Apostolic Succession where we must hear Jesus say “Get behind me Satan.” (Mat 16:23) Shouldn’t we, every single one of us in the Church, be following Jesus through St. Peter through Pope Francis? Pope Francis’ efforts are from the top down. How can we support Jesus through Pope Francis from the bottom up?

Paul rebuked Peter (as did Jesus). What or whom is in place to ensure Peter’s successor stays in line?