Toby, at The Overlord Bear’s Den is a devout Catholic whose stories and doodles are creative and uplifting. He has tagged me for the Three-Day Quote Challenge. Thank you, Toby, for your constant support.
The rules of this challenge:
- Post one quotation a day for three days (they can be from other sources or one of your own).
- Nominate 3 other bloggers to participate per post.
- Thank the blogger who nominated you.
Since Pope Francis is once again capturing the media’s attention with his visit to Cuba and the United States this week, my response to this challenge will focus on quotes from the pope. My dilemma will be in choosing only three quotes from a man who embodies the mercy and love of Christ.
Huffington Post chose 8 favorite quotes from Pope Francis’s new book .
Pope Francis draws from this spirit in his latest book, “Walking with Jesus: A Way Forward for the Church.” The book, published by the U.S.-based Jesuit publishing company, Loyola Press, is a collection of Francis’ writings and sermons over the past two years. Francis sees faith as a journey and emphasizes that Catholics have a duty to be open to the world.
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No one is excluded from life’s hope, from God’s love.
My reflections:
The challenge for us is to allow ourselves to be loved.
It takes humility to accept forgiveness and the love of God. Sometimes Catholic’s get it wrong; we think it is humble to live a penitent lifestyle, beating ourselves up for our failings and our sinfulness. It was a surprise to me to discover self-flagellation is rooted in pride. Judging ourselves and others because we are not perfect is pride because we are attempting to purify ourselves with our own efforts before we allow God to love us.
Pharisees tried to perfect themselves with their own efforts. Christians realize they cannot perfect themselves. Mankind needed Jesus to die on the cross for their sins and rise again in new life so we might rise with Him. And as Pope Francis reminds us, no one is outside the forgiveness of God.
This is why Pope Francis has offered forgiveness to women who have had abortions through any priest when they come with contrite hearts, desperately desiring full communion with the Church.
How can such an act of Mercy upset certain so-called conservatives?
My only conclusion is they have never faced their own inner sinfulness and so do not know their own desperate need for mercy for themselves.
tagging
Nancy at: Cloistered Heart
Ellen Maddy Eyes on Heaven
joy of nine9 
You’re welcome, Mrs. Juneau! And genius humans know that they’re foolish, while foolish humans try to ignore their own foolishness. I think I engaged in mostly psychological self-flagellation back then, thinking that I can’t be helped by other people. And then genius and persistent God managed to get to me through a bunch of ways…maybe more than my fingers can count too, hahaha! Even though I still feel embarrassment when talking about certain imperfections of mine, I feel more confident in my family, in my friends, and in other people. Sounds crazy to most people, but I have seen humanity’s potential for awesomeness in so many ways, and I thank God very much as well for helping me see that. 🙂
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❤ YES!
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