Mediocrity leads to a ‘loss of sense of sin’

When the presence God is not felt among men, “you lose the sense of sin,” and so others end up paying the price for our “Christian mediocrity.” That was the message behind Pope Francis’ homily at this morning’s Mass at the Santa Marta guesthouse here in the Vatican.

All too often today, the Pope observes, grave sin such as adultery is declassified as simply a "problem to be solved ."  That’s what happens in today’s reading in which King David falls in love with Bathsheba, the wife of Uriah, one of his generals.  Taking up this story, Pope Francis says David took her for his own and sent her husband to the front lines of battle where the man was killed. In actual fact, the Pope stressed, David also committed murder.  And yet, having committed both grave sins, the King is not moved.  Despite committing a grave sin, the Pope observes, David does not feel pity and fails to ask forgiveness.  He only considers how he can resolve a problem.

This can happen to any of us, the Pope says, and observes “When the Kingdom of God diminishes, one of the signs is that you lose the sense of sin."

Conversely, you also lose the “sense of the Kingdom of God" and in its place, reflects the Pope, there emerges an “all-powerful anthropological vision," that leads us to believe we “can do anything.”

The Pope confesses that even he himself can fall into the trap of losing a sense of sin. But a commitment to daily prayer, he stresses, can counter the injustices perpetrated out of human pride and stop so many from falling victim to “Christian mediocrity” and our “unrecognized sins.” -30-

(Vatican Radio, January 31, 2014) 

Christian commitment is not philanthropy

Pope Francis affirmed that being the Church “doesn't mean administration, but going out, being missionaries, bringing people the light of faith and the joy of the Gospel. Let us not forget that the momentum of our commitment as Christians in the world is not a philanthropic idea, not a vague humanism, but a gift from God, that is, the gift of being sons and daughters that we have received in Baptism. This gift is, at the same time, a task. God's children do not hide; rather they bring their joy as children of God to the world.”

Vatican City, 31 January 2014 (VIS)  

Pope: Christians must "feel with the Church"

(Vatican Radio, 2014-01-30) Humility, faithfulness and prayer are the three signs of a Christian who belongs to the Church. That was the theme that Pope Francis chose for his homily at morning Mass in the Casa Santa Marta on Thursday, urging his listeners to really “feel with the Church”.

The Pope said the first fruit of our Baptism is to make us a part of the Church, a member of the people of God. Recalling the words of Pope Paul VI, he said it’s absurd to claim that we love Christ without the Church, that we listen to Christ but not the Church, that we are with Christ but on the margins of the Church. The Gospel message, Pope Francis said, comes to us through the Church and our path to holiness must be found within the Church.

Speaking of the three pillars which underpin our sense of belonging to the Church, the Pope said the first is humility and the realization that the story of salvation does not start or end with us. A person who is not humble, he said, cannot feel with the Church but only feels what he or she desires. Instead, humility helps us understand that we are just a small part of the great people of God, that is following the way of the Lord.

The second pillar, Pope Francis said, is faithfulness to the teachings and doctrine of the Church. Quoting again from his predecessor Paul VI, he said we receive the Gospel as a gift and we must pass that gift on to others in faithfulness, rather than seeing it as something that belongs to us.

Thirdly, the Pope said, we must remember to pray with and for the Church in all parts of the world. Do we really pray for the Church, he asked, not just at daily Mass but also when we are at home? May the Lord help us, he concluded, to follow this path, to deepen our sense of belonging and feeling with the Church.  -30-

Lord, you are the fullness of my joy!

O Lord, it is you who are my portion and cup;
    it is you yourself who are my prize.
 
And so my heart rejoices, my soul is glad;
    even my body shall rest in safety.
 
You will show me the path of life,
    the fullness of joy in your presence,
    at your right hand happiness for ever.

Psalm 16.5, 9, 11

To live in the house of the Lord!

One thing I ask of the Lord, for this I long:
    to live in the house of the Lord, all the days of my life,
    to savor the sweetness of the Lord, to behold his temple.

Psalm 27.4

The sweetest sound...

You are my child, whom I love; in you I am well-pleased.

cf. Mark 1.11

Thanks be for God's graciousness!

The Lord bless you and keep you;
The Lord make his face to shine upon you, and be gracious to you;
The Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.

(Numbers 6:24-26)