Monday, August 5, 2013
I Agree! Sometimes.
I have come to realize with this new pope, that people only agree with the pope if the pope agrees with them. The conservatives all loved the last two popes. I did not. Conservatives suggested I shape up or maybe leave, or at least leave them. Now I find that the conservatives do not agree with Francis I. I am a tolerant liberal. The conservatives can stay. They bemuse me now.
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That is very Christian of you to let them stay. I was wondering how the labels liberal and conservative came to be. It seems to me that following closer to the original teachings of Jesus (like Pope Francis) would be more conservative - conserving the original teachings. Moving away from those teachings or interpreting them more loosely would be "taking liberties" with the teachings and thus be liberal. Wouldn't that make you conservative?
ReplyDeleteWhy do believe that the conservatives do not agree with Pope Francis?
ReplyDeleteWhat is the issue?
ReplyDeleteI did not much care for Pope Benedict VI. He was too limiting, too distant and I couldn't relate to him at all. Respect him as Pope? Absolutely. But I probably wouldn't seek him out to have a casual conversation.
ReplyDeletePope Francis is a different story. He's personable, tells us he is one of us, and shows us through his actions that we really do walk this path together.
Not only do I respect him but I adore him. I absolutely WOULD seek him out to have a casual conversation and you know what? He just might be gracious and grant me, his very flawed sister in Christ, a moment of his time.
It's similar with priests. Some priests thonk us mere Faithful over the heads with their words but they are not too happy to just be "one of us."
Other priests - like you, Father Terry - share a bit about themselves, about family, dreams, lost loves and personal failings. We, the Faithful, can relate to that. Your teaching means so much more to us because we can relate to you.
To the person who asked, "What is the issue," I say this. A Pope can certainly lead the church from within the walls of the Vatican and behind a wall of scholarly books. Pope Benedict was intensely dedicated to the church; of that there is no doubt.
However, if the church wants my heart, I am more likely to follow a Pope (or a priest) who is in touch with our suffering, who isn't afraid to touch women's feet on Holy Thursday, who might be willing to share his chalice with the faithful (not all priests do), and who can show us how to become better Christians through his own humility.
Father Terry, you have done all those things and more. May God bless your "tolerantly liberal" heart!
- A politically conservative yet religiously liberal reader
Thank you for your thoughts and comments. I also agree with your thoughts of Pope Benedict. I also believe we did not get to know him. He probably had many strengths because of his experience in the Vatican that made him a great Pope. Pope John Paul II and our current Pope Francis show a more human side. Pope Francis lives by his humility. Taking care of the really poor will make us all better Christians. Thank you.
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