Caution Francis Speaks: "Ideologues of doctrine” & his Eskimo Kiss!
FrancisSpeak at its finest
Francis: true doctrine unites, ideology divides
It is “the big mistake” that is likely to be made at all levels of the Church. Pope Francis reiterated today, May 19, 2017, in the homily at Casa Santa Marta: true doctrine unites, but if instead it becomes ideology, it divides. (??)
The "Pontiff" – as reported by Vatican Radio - meditates on the First Reading of the Acts of the Apostles, in which the so-called Jerusalem Council , around the year 49, establishes that pagans converted to Christianity should not circumcise according to what the Mosaic Law requires. The Pope notes that even in the first Christian community there are “jealousies, power struggles, a few mischievous guys who want to earn and buy power.” Therefore, “there have always been problems: we are humans, we are sinners” and difficulties are also in the Church, but being sinners leads to humility and to approach God, “as the savior of our sins.”
About the pagans that “the Holy Spirit calls to become Christians,” the Bishop of Rome underlines that in the passage, the Apostles and the elders choose some of them to go to Antioch with Paul and Barnabas. Among them there are two groups of people: the ones who engage in “strong discussions” but with “good spirit,” and “those who make confusion”. There, “The group of apostles who want to discuss the problem and the others who go and create problems and divide, they divide the Church, saying that what the apostles are preaching is not what Jesus said, that it is not the truth.” The apostles dispute but ultimately agree: and “it is not a political agreement, it is the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that leads them to say: no things, no needs. Only those who say “Do not eat meat at that time, the flesh sacrificed to idols, because it was communion with idols, abstain from blood, from eating suffocated animals, and from illegitimate unions”.
Francis emphasizes the “freedom of the Spirit” that “reconciles” so pagans can enter the Church “without going through circumcision.” This is indeed the “first Council” of the Church - “the Holy Spirit and them, the Pope with the bishops, all together” - gathered to “clarify the doctrine”. Over the centuries, many other councils followed, for “It is duty of the Church to clarify the doctrine “so that” it is well understood what Jesus said in the Gospels, which is the Spirit of the Gospels”.
One must be aware, at the same time, that “there have always been those people who, without any assignment, go on to disturb the Christian community with discourses that upset souls: “Eh, no. What he said is heretic, that cannot be said, no, that no, the doctrine of the Church is this ...” Francis calls them “fanatics of things that are unclear, like these fanatics who sow discord and try to divide the Christian community. This is the problem: when the doctrine of the Church, the one coming from the Gospel, the one inspired by the Holy Spirit - because Jesus said, “He will teach us and make you remember what I taught” – when that doctrine becomes an ideology. This is these people’s big mistake.”
They “were not believers, they were ideologized,” they have only one ideology “that closed their hearts to the work of the Holy Spirit.” The Apostles on the contrary, argue, yes, even in a strong way, but they are not ideologized: “They had their heart open to what the Spirit had to say. And that was noticed by the Spirit and us. “
The Pope invited not to be frightened by the “opinions of the ideologues of doctrine”. The Church has “its own magisterium, the magisterium of the Pope, the bishops, the conciliums” and must go on the way “coming from the preaching of Jesus and the teaching and assistance of the Holy Spirit,” way which is “always open, always free, “because doctrine unites, the councils unite the Christian community, while” ideology divides “.
Francis receives Eskimo kiss style greeting
During the audience with Huntington patients, the pope individually greeted over 100 of those suffering from the disease, as well as their families.
He
spent much more time with them than just exchanging a few words, a
gesture that was very appreciated by everyone in attendance.
Attendees
provided countless spontaneous gestures. They asked him to bless
photos, take selfies, and one woman even asked for an Eskimo kiss. She was just one example of what people did when they had the opportunity to be with the pope in the Paul VI Audience Hall.
