Pope: God doesn’t condemn sinners; he weeps, waits for their conversion

[JimR-OCDS]

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — God loves his children so much that he does not condemn them — he weeps when they stray, commit evil or refuse his love, Pope Francis said at morning Mass.

God will wait until the final moments of a sinner’s life, like he did for the good thief on the cross, who mocked and derided Christ, but then repented and was saved, the pope said in his homily Oct. 29 during the Mass in the chapel of his residence, the Domus Sanctae Marthae.

“The worst person, the worst blasphemer is loved by God with a fatherly tenderness,” he said.

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Jim

 

[Art321]

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Jim

Such beautiful words and so very true! Yet it bring me such sadness to think that many do seem to refuse him. I suppose there are many reasons for this but mainly it boils down to pride. It is a hard thing to rid oneself of but it is possible. God have mercy on us all.

 

[Convert1]

Thank you, JimR. Your post made me stop and pray this evening for those who are lost and searching (as most of us have been at one time). God Bless You!

 

[Justin_Swanton]

The pope looked at the day’s reading from the Gospel of St. Luke, in which Jesus laments the evil ways of Jerusalem, “you who kill the prophets,” and mourns his loving attempts “as a hen gathers her brood under her wings” to gather and protect such an unwilling people.
But no matter how reluctant or defiant people are, God “waits, he does not condemn, he weeps. Why? Because he loves,” the pope said.
There is the second half of the Biblical passage to keep in mind: “But you would not. Behold your house shall be laid waste.”

Christ is merciful but there is a time limit to his mercy. Hundreds of thousands of Jews died in the siege of Jerusalem because they overstepped that limit. So important to remember that mercy is only one side of the coin. God’s mercy is to be appreciated and seized, not taken for granted.

Which of course doesn’t unsay anything in the Pope’s sermon.

 

[petra22]

Such beautiful words and so very true! Yet it bring me such sadness to think that many do seem to refuse him. I suppose there are many reasons for this but mainly it boils down to pride. It is a hard thing to rid oneself of but it is possible. God have mercy on us all.

I agree!

 

[JimR-OCDS]

The pope looked at the day’s reading from the Gospel of St. Luke, in which Jesus laments the evil ways of Jerusalem, “you who kill the prophets,” and mourns his loving attempts “as a hen gathers her brood under her wings” to gather and protect such an unwilling people.
But no matter how reluctant or defiant people are, God “waits, he does not condemn, he weeps. Why? Because he loves,” the pope said.
There is the second half of the Biblical passage to keep in mind: “But you would not. Behold your house shall be laid waste.”

Christ is merciful but there is a time limit to his mercy. Hundreds of thousands of Jews died in the siege of Jerusalem because they overstepped that limit. So important to remember that mercy is only one side of the coin. God’s mercy is to be appreciated and seized, not taken for granted.

Which of course doesn’t unsay anything in the Pope’s sermon.

The only limit to God’s mercy is what we humans put on it.

The Jews who died in the siege of Jerusalem, died because of man, not because of the lack of God’s mercy.

Remember, we are people of the New Testament, the people of Jesus Christ, who revealed his Divine Mercy to St Faustina.

When we place limits on God’s mercy, we place even greater limits on our own mercy.

God can not be grasped, except through love, and love can not exist without mercy.

Jim

 

[Trader]

Another way of saying this is that God never condemns anyone, but as just judge He decides who has condemned himself or herself. He does not force Himself on anyone, but gives all of us the freedom to choose against Him. That choice is not without consequences.

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Another way of saying this is that God never condemns anyone, but as just judge He decides who has condemned himself or herself. He does not force Himself on anyone, but gives all of us the freedom to choose against Him. That choice is not without consequences.

I believe Pope John Paul II explained that God does not judge, but the person goes to hell on their own.

I take this to mean that there is a consequence to sin which is not designed by God.

When we sin, we suffer the consequences of the act, not a punishment from God.

In all, God’s justice was given in salvation given through Jesus Christ, even while the human race was entrenched in sin. This is God’s mercy, which is what we should all contemplate on.

Jim