Hold your horses, Huffington Post.The Pope did not just change the doctrine of the Catholic church.
Protestants… take a deep breath before you point fingers and claim that Catholics believe you have to work your way into heaven and that Pope Francis just said so.
Are we calmed down? Good. Let’s take a look at what Pope Francis actually said in his homily earlier today.
To borrow a line from The Princess Bride: “I do not think it means what you think it means.”
First and foremost, Pope Francis issued a challenge to Catholics: don’t look at non-Catholics and assume the worst of them. We, as Catholics, he said are not the only ones capable of doing good in the world. Rather, all humanity was created in the image of God and, as such, has the capacity for good. The apostles spoke in judgment of those who were not of their fold. Don’t do that, Pope Francis said. You are not the judge of their heart.
Second, he issued a challenge to the unbelieving world: whether you believe it or not, Christ died for you! The sacrifice of Christ was intended to be universal, covering all sins. It was a gift given freely and intended for all. That is not to say that all allow themselves, in faith, to receive the gift.
Finally, a challenge for all humanity: stop dividing yourselves into categories of the believers and unbelievers. The body of Christ was never intended to be a clique, separated from the world. Whether we are believers in Christ or not, all of us are capable of love and some measure of good because we are created in God’s image and God is love. We are called to focus on what binds us, to put the nasty rhetoric aside and celebrate what makes us human.
In the words of Jesus, the thief comes to “steal, kill and destroy.” This is exactly what he’s doing in the vitriolic debates that rage in the comment boxes between Christians and atheists (and sometimes other Christians). The goal, Pope Francis says, in focusing on our common good is to “make that culture of encounter.”
I’ll let the man speak for himself:
“We all have a duty to do good. And this commandment for everyone to do good, I think, is a beautiful path towards peace. If we, each doing our own part, if we do good to others, if we meet there, doing good, and we go slowly, gently, little by little, we will make that culture of encounter: we need that so much. We must meet one another doing good. ‘But I don’t believe, Father, I am an atheist!’ But do good: we will meet one another there.”
It’s truly amazing, the power we have to hear what we want to hear in the words of others. Pope Francis is to be commended for humbly carrying on our tradition of truth. Thank you for correctly identifying and clarifying his real message. Great post!
If we could all make the effort to speak from heart to heart, how much more could we share the love of God together. Great job, Chris.
“…ye shall not enter into the culture of do-gooders.” It just doesn’t have the same ring to it, for me. It’s like, putting the bushel on the lampstand, and singing, “Shine, shine, shine!” Dr. Bernard Nathanson thought, believed, he was “doing good” in his practice, before he finally heard the silent scream–his close encounter with the Third Person. If this is Pentecost, your eminence–maybe it sounds better in Portuguese…
Are you disagreeing with the Pope? It seems to me that he said what the Church has been saying for a long time: Christ died for humanity and there is good everywhere (among the Hindus, the atheists, etc.)
Yes, I suppose I am, disagreeing. It isn’t a Papal Bull, so, I hope that’s agreeable. The Christ is a person, not to be modified, but to be housed, in our souls, and therefore, in our bodies as well, that He may continue His own good work of salvation. Do I know His work? Have I bled and died with Him,today, to win one more eternal sanctuary for the Father? Dan–the work of salvation isn’t Catholicism, or good works, either. Love has an enemy, who would bind us all to eternal deprivation, and that is our lot, without Christ. Christ is the work of salvation–the person, Christ Jesus, and not some imitation Jesus. Only God is good, Jesus reminded the vain young man, who was seeking eternal life. Is Jesus, actually, God for us? Can we forfeit everything, our very lives, to follow Him? To win souls to His Own Real Love, and away from the enemy, who is promising us, we’ll be “like” God? My parents gave me over to Christ’s death, in baptism, as an infant. I thirst, with Christ, that this treasure would be all mankind’s. Pope Francis shouldn’t, probably, disagree with me.
Hi Joe. Its seems that the Pope wasn’t talking about salvation specifically, or even the nature of how individuals reciprocate in relationship with Christ towards redemption – he emphasized that Christ died for all (true, that’s the first half of the relationship), and that doing good is a place of encounter with any and every human being, since we all have a moral code to do good “written on our hearts.” He didn’t say that doing good was the end of the road or the whole salvation story – just a place to begin, a place to encounter, to meet with others. Because if we’re not in the same place as others, if we don’t encounter them, how can we see Christ in them, and they see Christ in us? And the real Christ, the MBOC, not an imitation?
Hi Rachel. How to encounter others: encounter Christ, who has the capacity, the fundament, and the will, to be everywhere, to be the word written on our hearts. Ask for a meeting. He has already chosen us to do this. You won’t, you can’t, offend Him.Allow Him to consume you. He will. Then, you–the Christ and His beloved, are free to meet, to encounter, the other–all who are not, as yet, consumed by Him. You’ll recognize Him right away in those whom He has consumed. With the others, you’ll be witnessing His eternal, loving, patient desire to consume them as well. And, you won’t have an “other” desire than Christ’s–you’ll want that, too–instead of, merely, doing “good works” together, an euphemism for venal charities, or, self-perpetuation. I’m so happy to disappoint your meager defense of the “Pope”, and his “others”–thank you for the greeting. It’s not Faith, Pope, and Charity, Rachel–Christ is our hope, the person, the only begotten one. We live only in Him. Salvation is the only discussion of merit. All our love…
Thanks for the reply, Joe. I don’t think we’re really saying different things – it’s only the relationship between the things that we are saying as different. Yes, encounter starts with my own personal encounter with Christ, and then my desires are taken up into His and I become His witness of love, consumed by the desire to love others as He does. I said the Pope wasn’t explicitly talking about salvation, and it doesn’t seem he was – but it’s all caught up into the story of salvation – we do not need to box things up as artificially separate, or take away the merit of things – like saying good works is a euphemism. Pope Francis seemed to be saying that if we realize how others are already with us in some way (ie, shared moral impulse to do good), it is a more powerful place of encounter than starting from saying that they are totally separate from us or “other.” We must see the other as Christ does – already His through His saving us all – instead of starting from explicit salvation conversations that make it sound like it’s all “us” helping save “them”…not only is that extremely unfruitful, it’s untrue, and dangerous. We’re are all instruments of God’s good toward each other, all caught up in the history of salvation. Pope Francis is saying let us recognize this goodness in other’s and thus encounter, or relationship can begin.
“Good Master,” said the young man, “what good work should I do, that I may inherit eternal life?” “Why callest thou me good? There is none good but God,” Jesus replied. Dan, Rachel,Francis, JD, you all know this story, what happens next. Love beholds the man, and invites him to surrender all, to follow the Christ lifeThis young man was chock-full of good works, no? What couldn’t he do? He couldn’t surrender to God, to Love, to this Jesus. I didn’t make this up. I’m not interpreting it. Jesus is here to consume us, completely, that we may have eternal life with Him. Our “free” will, is to surrender, to the only good. We have our own notions of what’s good. These notions prevent us from surrendering. We choose to weigh and measure our own “goodness”. Sorrowfully, Dan, that means we’re playing God, we’re being “like god”. We’re being a-thiest. As the story continues, you’ll recall, the disciples are all agog–“Lord! How is it possible for a man to be saved?” “For man,” Jesus replies, “it is impossible. Only with God is it possible.” I didn’t make this up. Only God, the only good, can save us. And, should we not consent, not agree that God can work that which is impossible for us, then, God doesn’t, won’t–not without our free-will surrender to His will. That’s all she wrote. Do you not love this God, not trust Him with your imperfect self? Salvation is a lonely gig. Ask Him. People don’t surrender easily. People want to “go it alone”, measure goodness with their own “free will”, and knowledge of evil. Jesus, I’m sorry to you. I’m sorry we trust ourselves over you. I’m sorry we think you saved us for ourselves. I’m sorry we like that we killed you, so that we can get on with our other “good works.” I’m sorry the Vicar of your bride, wants her to consort with “good” Masonic Bishops and Cardinals in your stead. Please, I love you, please accept my sorrowful intercession on behalf of my dear friends, Dan and JD, and Rachel, and Francis. They mean well, with those good intention pavers. They still want to not know what they’re doing, so You will still ask Father to forgive them. And I, forgive me, I love them, because they’re me, more like me, than I am like you, sweet Baby Saviour Jesus, sweet crucified one, holy believer. I know you want to wrest me away from them, to your self, for your self, for your own solace. Lord, true friend, they’re so earnest, though, there, in the dark, playing at God, all caught up in the history of salvation. Would you, please, pierce their hearts, for me? Visit them in their dreams, maybe. As a gift to me, your faithful one?
Thanks for the kind sentiments, Joe. But I think you still misunderstand. None of us are denying Christ and God’s irreplaceable role in man’s salvation – and neither is the Pope. Neither is anyone saying good works are sufficient. All that is being is said, is that good works are a starting place, and place to begin an encounter. Not the end point, not the ultimate goal – a beginning.
Sentimental Joe, at 70, replies: Rachel, for a start, then–mosey over to whatwouldjesusdownload.net, my own happy, empty tomb, read some of the folded handkerchiefs there, and let me know if we can move, together, beyond encounterland. Meanwhile, I admit, easily, to misunderstanding you. I don’t want to understand you, or the Pope, or the Trinity, either. I want to love you, forever. I do, already. The Lord is my shepherd, I want for nothing, thanks, Lord. Do me a good work, Rach. Show me Christ’s love–I’m already reasonable.
She didn’t notice me, I don’t mind, Seeing her only from behind. She was only there (I see her kind) To be seen somewhere, I’m not blind. I’m being reasonable about visibility–a glass 1/2 full isn’t spilling over, see? Watch me leave, either way, Love, believe me’s here to stay. Love doesn’t wear a costume, necessarily, Love isn’t in the room merely temporarily…Love is in it for keeps, Take it to heart, See how love seeps into the 1/2 empty part…Watch me leave love behind, Bleeding like a sieve in your mind…
I don’t know why you put “Pope” and “good works” in quotes as if to imply doubt or disagreement. “Pope” is a title and even the most virulent Church haters use that title when discussing the bishop of Rome. “Good works” are not something to be cynical about; they are real and good things. From the letter of St James 2:14: “What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone?”
Atheists can be admirable people. Catholics have long recognized this. Christ died for everyone, not for members of the Church. Pope Francis did not say anything new here. As Chris Williston said, the surprising thing is that the media seems to think this is news.
I agree with Dan and it doesn’t seem like Pope Francis is saying anything that the Church hasn’t always said. @joevandenberg:disqus I appreciate you adding to the conversation and I’m looking forward to more of your comments.
Thanks for the post Chris – I like that you high-lighted that there’s a challenge in there for all of us – and thanks for the original links too, I hadn’t seen this yet. How much fruits can be born when we honor the other’s capacity to do good! And, that we should be humbled before this fact too – because we all have the same capacity/urge to do good. Yes it can be perverted – but more the reason to seek self knowledge, ask forgiveness when our own “closed off-ness” has hurt others, and to encourage the goodness we see in others!