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Amidst the
Chaos?
By Mona Lease
I am amazed at what I hear now that I've been keeping my mouth shut -
well, more shut than I ever have! The following amuses me. I find so
much irony in it. And - a healthy dose of humor.
I've heard all my life that Catholics "have it wrong." I've watched the
news as Jewish people were killed because "they were inferior" or as
Hitler put it - "life worthy of life." He and those who were close to
him "had it right - the true religion, etc."
Coptic Christians were recently beheaded because they were
Christians and of the wrong kind of Christians - the way I understand
it. Baptists have always said their's was the true religion - "The
Trinity is the real way." Methodists said to be "more reserved." And
- on it goes. I read the following in the Huffington Post -
12/22/2014.
Pope FrancIs Delivers a Blistering Christmas Message to Vatican Curia
"Francis issued a blistering indictment to the Vatican Bureaucracy,
accusing the cardinals, bishops, and priests who serve him, of using
their Vatican careers to grab power and wealth, of living
"hypocritical, double lives" and forgetting that they're supposed to be
joyful men of God.
Francis turned the traditional, general exchange of Christmas greetings
into a public dressing down of the Curia, the central administration of
the Holy See, which governs the 1.2 billion strong Catholic Church. He
made clear his plans for a radical reform of the structure of the
church power, must be accompanied by an even more radical spiritual
reform of the men involved.
Ticking off 15 "ailments of the Curia" one by one, Francis urged the
prelates sitting stone-faced before him, to use the Christmas Season to
repent (turn from the undesirable behavior) and atone (make right the
wrongs) and make the church a healthier, happier place in 2015.
Benedict tasked three trusted cardinals to probe deep into the
Vatican's backstabbing culture to find out what would have prompted a
papal butler to steal incriminating documents and leak them to a
journalist.
Francis had some zingers: How the "terrorism of gossip" can kill the
reputation of our colleagues and brothers in cold blood. How cliques
can "enslave their members and become a cancer that threatens the
harmony of the body"... and eventually kill it off by "friendly fire."
How some suffer from "spiritual Alzheimer's", forgetting what drew them
to the priesthood in the first place. Francis has not shied away from
complaining about the gossiping, careerism, and bureaucratic power
intrigues that afflict the Holy See.
A year into his reform agenda, Francis was emboldened to make clear to
the prelates themselves, that superficial displays of change are not
what he is looking for.
Francis spoke of the "ailment of feeling immortal, immune, or even
indispensable." He continued with "being rivals and boasting." Of
wanting to accumulate things...having a "hardened heart"...wooing
superiors for personal gain...having a "funeral face"...and being too
"rigid, tough, and arrogant" ...especially toward underlings."
February 14, 2015: "Pope Francis welcomed 20 new cardinals into the
elite club that will elect his successor. He told them to put aside
their pride, jealousy, and self-interests and exercise perfect charity.
He warned that not even churchmen are immune from the temptation to be
jealous, angry, proud, or pursue their own self-interests - even when
"cloaked in noble appearances."
He spoke of the mortal danger of pent-up anger, of that smoldering
anger which makes us brood over wrongs we have received. He said this
was unacceptable in a man of the church."
Here's a little irony for you: What if the above read: "Even Mona is
not immune from the temptation to be jealous, proud, angry, etc? Or of
Mona having the "ailment of feeling immortal, immune, or
indispensable?" Or that the terrorism of gossip from Mona's mouth can
kill someone's reputation."
Here's the humor I see: So while everyone, or most everyone, is
deciding, or trying to decide which "religion" is the true one - do you
suppose this God everyone says they serve - and whose Name they use to
kill what they consider to be "impure" or "unworthy" - is
reflected in Francis' words? Could it be that amidst all the chaos -
this God is using Francis to say: "Hey, the above ideas and attitudes
got you where you are now?" It all seems too humorous to me to be an
accident.
Remember the kiddies and our service people. Take good care of the
furry and feathered ones out there. Be safe and healthy. See ya next
time. Ever Toodles!! MONA
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