From the article of Mr. Rene Bas, Pubisher-Editor of the Manila Times. From Fr. Charles Belmonte Lopez, I got a copy of the news item by Elise Harris of CAN/EWTN News, with the headline “Pope: Inconsistency, Lack of Unity of Life, causes Church scandal.” This message of the Holy Father applies also to those public officials and senators and congressmen who are known to be “good Christians” but are found to be involved in corrupt practices. The report datelined Feb. 27 Vatican City says: “In his daily homily Pope Francis spoke of the harm done when Christians don’t practice what they preach, noting that this incoherence leads others away from the Church and often brings scandal. “ ‘When there is no Christian coherency (lack of unity of life), and you live with this incoherence, you’re giving scandal. And the Christians that are not coherent are giving scandal,’ the Pope said in his Feb. 27 Mass. “Speaking to those gathered in the chapel of the Vatican’s St. Martha guesthouse, the pontiff began his reflections by drawing attention to a person to whom he administered the Sacrament of Confirmation during the Mass, observing that they had ‘manifested the desire to be a Christian.’ “ ‘To be Christian means to bear witness to Jesus Christ,’ he said, adding that to a Christian person ‘thinks like a Christian, feels like a Christian and acts like a Christian. And this is coherence in the life of a Christian.’ “However, the pontiff noted that ‘if one of these things is missing, he is not a Christian, there’s something wrong, there’s a certain incoherence (lack of unity of life),’ and that Christians ‘who ordinarily, commonly live in incoherence, do so much harm.’ “Recalling the first reading taken from the book of James, the Pope drew attention to words which the apostle spoke to the people who had boasted of being Christians, but took advantage of their employees. “ ‘Behold, the wages you withheld from the workers who harvested your fields are crying aloud; and the cries of the harvesters have reached the ears of the Lord of hosts.’ ” “ ‘When we hear these words, there are some who might think ‘Surely, a communist has said that!’ the Pope explained, emphasizing that ‘No, no, the Apostle James said it! It is the Word of the Lord. It’s inconsistency (lack of unity of life).’ “ ‘And when there is no Christian coherency, and you live with this incoherence, double life, you’re giving scandal.’ ” * * * Pope Francis said a lot more. But I end where the last word is “scandal,” hoping that these officials and lawmakers get rocked and shaken into turning back to the embrace of their guardian angels.
Posted on: Sun, 02 Mar 2014 16:07:26 +0000
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