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Pope Francis Calls for Service to ‘Poorest, Weakest’ - NYTimes.com

Pope Francis Calls for Service to ‘Poorest, Weakest’ - NYTimes.com

Comments

  1. He is revealing to the world where and how to find Jesus.
    His message is not as superficial as it may appear to be. Serving the weak and the poor does not mean that we should stoop down to help 'them' out. It means we must stop trying to pretend that we are rich and strong, we need so desperately to recognize and welcome our own weakness and poverty.

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    1. Mr Green- why do you try to give meaning to the words of Pope Francis?
      Are his words not clear to you?
      How do you personally help the poor by changing your mannerisms?

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    2. I try give meaning to the words of Pope Francis because I believe that his words are true and filled with life I never want to stop 'giving' meaning to the truth.

      His words are not nearly as clear to me as I would like.

      You're third question for me is the most important of all. I will try harder.
      I believe that only the poor can help the poor.

      Change is not easy for any of us but I am convinced that we are all (humanity) being called to change our ways and now the Catholic church has been given a leader who demonstrates the capacity and the will to help the world do just that. It is far from a one man journey though. We need to commit ourselves to learning the new way.
      For example Anonymous, we can transform one another by listening to one another with new ears ; more from the heart /less from the head. Without prejudice (preconceived notions or false assumptions)that which hinders me from seeing the truth with clarity. The words and the text we read in the gospel are important and they are more important to some people and at different times than others. But we have learned from Jesus’ work that they are never more important than the human heart.

      The new way for the church has already begun with Pope Francis but it is crucial that we all dedicate our efforts toward a resolve to re-birth. Looking at the world with new eyes, listening with new ears and responding to another heart - not just another head-

      I am sincerely committed to try harder Anonymous.

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  2. Our new Pope certainly has more Christianity in
    his little finger than the owner of this blog.
    A simple email with questions about why the blog owner copies so much junk about space, instead of the Gospels, and he refuses to print the questions. Some Priest !

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  3. Anon: NONSENSE! Both the question and my response to it have been published on this blog. As to your comparing me to the Pope, I have no doubt that he surpasses me in holiness and knowledge.

    Fr. Tim

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  4. Pope Francis would certainly have something to say about such comparisons. What is holy about him is his openness to the truth. He is not a “mock modest” man , he is like Jesus , he’s open to the truth and he is a servant prepared to wash the feet of those he serves. We can probably come to understand him better if - instead of raising him up according to the standards of this world - rather we examine closely the model or the standard we use to assign human status. There is absolutely no virtue in asserting that human being is greater than his/her own humility (TRUTH) reveals. Pope Francis seeks not to be admired for how smart , humble or holy he is. His holiness knows that - if it is human glory you seek, then it is human glory that you will receive. He seeks for himself and for us as we should too , the glory of God The Father , The Son and The Holy Spirit!

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  5. Pope Francis would certainly have something to say about such comparisons. What is holy about him is his openness to the truth. He is not a “mock modest” man , he is like Jesus , he’s open to the truth and he is a servant prepared to wash the feet of those he serves. We can probably come to understand him better if - instead of raising him up according to the standards of this world - rather we examine closely the model or the standard we use to assign human status. There is absolutely no virtue in asserting that human being is greater than his/her own humility (TRUTH) reveals. Pope Francis seeks not to be admired for how smart , humble or holy he is. His holiness knows that - if it is human glory you seek, then it is human glory that you will receive. He seeks for himself and for us as we should too , the glory of God The Father , The Son and The Holy Spirit!

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  6. Larry: Please explain something to me. How is one supposed to express their desire to put themselves at the service of everyone else, to see themselves as little more than a simple servant fulfilling his duties to his Master without being seen as a mock modest man? I ask because when I make clear that I don't see myself as equal or better than others, it seems to open me up to just that sort of accusation. How does one authentically be humble in writing without being labeled as being a hypocrite or a phony? (You're not accusing me of that... but it is a concern I've struggled with before.)

    I've not asked this before because I strive not to make myself the subject of this blog, but your answer would be appreciated. Thanks.

    Fr. Tim

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  7. Fr. Tim, you're right in saying I'm not 'accusing' you of being mock modest, my comment above was to assert my belief that humility is simply a recognition of the truth. A level of enlightenment made possible only by rising above ( in so far as humanly possible) our natural defence mechanisms that we have used from early childhood to build thick walls around our vulnerable hearts and wounds. The trouble is that the same walls that conceal from the world the weak and poor one within also serve to conceal the weak and the poor one ( and God because He resides with the weak and the poor) from ourselves I.e. our conscious selves.
    So in order to come closer to God (Truth) we need to constantly be aware of the superficial desires of the ego , e.g. to appear to be strong, powerful, admirable, smart, wise, virtuous, humble. It’s never a one time once and for all battle, it’s a constant struggle we are all faced with to resist these superficial desires that hinder us from even becoming aware of the natural appetite for our most fundamental desire - to be happy I.e. to become united with the final cause or to be whole (holy). I think we should be less fearful of being called a hypocrite or a phony and more fearful that we may never discover the hypocrite and the phony within.
    Therefore, in essence it doesn’t matter at all whether one is perceived by others and ,even less so if one is perceived by one’s self , to be a humble or a mock modest person ( they aren’t things to wear) , humility is not the thing sought after for its own sake it simply ‘is’ as the result of a way to live and which ‘life’ one chooses to lose.


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  8. Larry: Thank you. Much appreciated.

    Fr. Tim

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