Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Do you also wish to leave?

Nancy Pelosi really pisses me off. I would tell her so to her face. As an ardent, practicing Catholic she has committed the most serious public scandal (in the theological sense of leading others to sin) by direct disobedience to & false representation of Church Teaching about the most serious of offenses on the largest of public stages. But always with a smile & a witty retort. I cringed at the pictures of her kissing Benedict's ring during his visit to the U.S. last year. But, alas, even Jesus was kissed by Judas.

Now, you may be thinking, "But, Mark... Pot. Kettle. Black." Guilty. My own sins terrify me & causes me to fear for my soul. However, I must have some concern for the souls of others, too; especially when they weild such temporal influence & power & consistently use it to choose evil. She is in great spiritual danger. I feel sad for her. I am mad at her. I pray for her.

Regarding her intention to snag a photo-op with the Pope that the media could use to get her off the hook on abortion & other life issues, well... that just didn't happen. Benedict's too shrewd for that. CNA has the whole story here, but this is the main bit:

"His Holiness took the opportunity to speak of the requirements of the natural moral law & the Church's consistent teaching on the dignity of human life from conception to natural death which enjoin all Catholics, & especially legislators, jurists and those responsible for the common good of society, to work in co-operation with all men & women of good will in creating a just system of laws capable of protecting human life at all stages of its development."

I sincerely hope that this rebuke sinks in & moves her hardened heart to conversion. It should also be a reminder to each of us not to trust either our own insticts & abilities to find the way or to trust in the Oh-so-smooth ideologies emanating from the City of Man. Being Catholic isn't fundamentally about what pious practices you keep or what ritual you celebrate. It's about how you live your new life in Christ Jesus & the choices you make as a result. It's about clinging-for-life to the Church he gave us amidst the terrible storms that would drag us under.

Peter responded the Lord, "To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life."

2 comments:

Fr. Christian Mathis said...

it seems that this pope really believes in seeking first to give respect to those in grave error and then to seek correction once this is established. Perhaps it is his experience in the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

I am happy that is he is actively seeking reconciliation with many.

Mark G. said...

I agree. He takes the office of Peter very seriously - to protect the Faith, to ensure unity. I've noticed that reconciliation efforts (SSPX, Orthodox, Jews, Muslims, insert disident politician/university president here) always ends up in a huge media storm with everyone calling for his head, or the heads of those he seeks to reconcile. Apparently, we are more like the older brother than we would like to admit.

So many in blogosphere were demanding that the Pope excommunicate her publically on the spot. I was sure that wouldn't happen. Rather, I am sure he gave her with plenty to think about. Christ invited, never coerced. He leaves you free to accept or decline.

That's why I opened & closed with that particular passage.