The fire of faith

Commenting on St Luke’s gospel during the Angelus last Sunday, Pope Francis said:

“Faith is not a ‘lullaby’ but rather a living flame to keep us wakeful and active even at night. The Gospel does not leave things as they are; when the Gospel passes, and is heard and received, things do not remain as they are. The Gospel provokes change and invites conversion.

“It’s like fire: while it warms us, it wants to burn our selfishness, to enlighten the dark sides of life, to consume the false idols that enslave us. As Fr Henri de Lubac said – faith in God ‘reassures us but not to produce a paralysing illusion, or a complacent satisfaction, but to enable us to act’.”

Sliding standards

Laura Perrins wrote in the Catholic Herald “standards in public life are rock bottom”. She added: “Does it matter if there is mutual respect and kindness between political opponents and that as Christianity declines, these values decline also? I believe so.

“The decline in Christianity has caused not only a decline in standards in political leaders, but political debate has become more tribal, divisive and heated. If we are to solve problems this sometimes requires compromise and often persuasion.

“I often think standards in political life have fallen so dramatically they cannot fall any further. Then another scandal hits. If Christianity continues its decline, standards will slide even further, and this damages us all.”

Bishop supports traditionalists

Following Pope Francis’s frequent criticism of traditionalists, Bishop Thomas Tobin of Providence, Rhode Island, took a diametrically opposite position to that of the pope.

Tobin posted his Twitter account: “I am convinced that if the Church is to prosper in the present age, it cannot hesitate to embrace and support traditional Catholics, traditional liturgies and traditional moral values. ‘Do not conform yourself to this age’ St Paul warned followers of Christ. (Rom 12:2)”

(Compiled by Fr Joe Borg)