Daily Thoughts: For my daily
thoughts today I would like to turn to Pope Francis’ reflection today during
his Angelus reflection at noon today in Rome. I found the Pope’s words to be
refreshing and challenging because like Jesus in the Gospel today (Mark 7: 1-8, 14-15, 21-23) Pope Francis
does not look at what the person does outside but what is inside the person’s
heart as the true test of faith. What follows is a report on Pope Francis’ talk
by Joshua J. McElwee is NCR Vatican correspondent.
Pope Francis has strongly criticized
Catholics who brag that they are perfect followers of the church's teachings
but then criticize or speak ill of others in their faith communities, saying
they cause scandal and even offer a "counter-witness" to Jesus.
"We all know in our communities, in
our parishes, in our neighborhoods how much hurt they do the church, and give
scandal, those persons who call themselves 'Very Catholic,'" the pontiff
said Sunday.
"They go often to church, but
after, in their daily life, ignore the family, speak ill of others, and so
on," he continued. "This is that which Jesus condemns because this is
a Christian 'counter-witness.'"
Francis was speaking Sunday in an
off-the-cuff moment during his weekly Angelus address in St. Peter's Square,
which focused on one of Jesus' teachings about the role of the proscribed laws
of the faith of his time.
The Gospel for today, taken from Mark,
sees Jesus questioned by Pharisees about why his disciples did not follow
Jewish law regarding the cleansing of hands before eating. Jesus calls the
Pharisees hypocrites, quoting the prophet Isaiah and saying they honor God with
their lips but not their hearts.
Jesus' response to the Pharisees, Pope Francis
said Sunday, "has the force of a prophetic pronouncement."
"They are words that might fill us
with admiration for our teacher," said the pope. "We feel that in him
there is the truth and that his wisdom liberates us from prejudices."
But then Pope francis sharply warned
that Jesus words apply also to Christians today.
"Caution!" Pope Francis
exhorted the crowds in the Square. "With these words, Jesus also wants to
put us, today, on guard against considering that the exterior observance of the
law may be sufficient to be good Christians."
"As it was for the Pharisees, there
also exists for us the danger of considering our place as better than others
for the only fact of observing the rules or customs, even if we do not love our
neighbor, [even if] we are hard of heart or prideful," said the Pope
Francis.
"The literal observance of the
precepts is something sterile if it does not change the heart and is not translated
into concrete attitudes," he said, giving examples: "Opening yourself
up to an encounter with God and God's word in prayer, searching for justice and
peace, giving help to the poor, the weak and the oppressed."
Exterior attitudes, Pope Francis said,
are determined by what's in our hearts.
"The exterior attitudes are the
consequence of what we have determined in the heart," said the pope.
"Not the opposite! With outside attitudes, if the heart does not change we
are not true Christians."
"The border between good and evil
doesn't pass outside of us but rather inside of us," Pope Francis
continued. "And we can ask ourselves: Where is my heart?"
"Jesus said your treasure is where
your heart is," said Pope Francis. "Which is my treasure? Is it Jesus
and his doctrine? Then the heart is good. Or is your treasure another
thing?"
Beginning the Angelus prayer, the pope
said they would ask Sunday that the Lord grant those present "a pure
heart, free of every hypocrisy."
"This is [what] Jesus says to the
Pharisees: Hypocrites," said Pope Francis. "Because they say
something and then do another."
The pontiff said they would pray for
hearts free of hypocrisy "so that we may be able to live according to the
spirit of the law and arrive at its end, which is love."
(Joshua
J. McElwee is NCR Vatican correspondent.)
Daily Prayer: O God, we love
you and our only desire is to love you until the last breath of our lives. If our
tongues cannot say in every moment that we love you, we want our hearts to
repeat it to you as often as we draw a breath. Amen. (Adapted from a prayer by St. John Vianney)
A Runner’s Thoughts: “Looking
forward to something is much more fun than looking back at something–and much
more constructive.” (Hortense Odlum)
Daily Blessing: Sunday
greetings and blessings to all. I hope your Sunday has started off well and
that you will be able to give God a little time today? I will be headed back to
Long Beach and St. Ignatius Martyr Parish later today and I will be there until
Labor Day. Once again I look forward to helping out wherever needed and
enjoying the gift of being near the ocean.
My prayer of blessing today is that whatever
you are doing today, relaxing, working, traveling, vacationing or just being I
pray that God’s blessing will be upon your Sunday filling it with the richness
of joy, hope and the goodness of God’s presence. May today be filled with
Spirit and life so that you will always live
in thr presence of God! Peace in Christ’s Passion…Fr. Paul
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