Obtaining help in temptation

In his Angelus address last Sunday, Pope Francis spoke about the temptations Jesus endured in the desert.

“Do I turn to it in my spiritual struggles? If I have a vice or a recurrent temptation, why do I not obtain help by seeking out a verse of the Word of God that responds to that vice? Then, when temptation comes, I recite it, I pray it, trusting in the grace of Christ. Let us try, it will help us in temptation, it will help us a great deal, so that, amid the voices that stir within us, the beneficent one of the Word of God will resound.”

A tender love

In an address to judges in the Vatican City state tribunal, the pope said: “The Church reflects the saving love of Christ, the true light of the world. The Church carries out this command above all when she bears witness to the mercy that she herself has graciously received. What a beautiful truth of faith this is for our lives: the mercy of God! God’s love for us is so great, so deep; it is an unfailing love, one which always takes us by the hand and supports us, lifts us up and leads us on. A love that is near, merciful and tender.”

Christians disadvantaged

The spokesperson of the Catholic Church in Scotland, Peter Kearney, waded in the controversy over Finance Secretary Kate Forbes’ religious views on same-sex marriage.

“There is an intolerance of certain types of difference. We are less tolerant of people’s religious orientations. Some of the things that have been said about religious opinions leave a lot of Catholics and a lot of Christians feeling marginalised. Human rights law describes certain ‘protected characteristics’, among them: Race, gender and sexual orientation, which cannot be used as a basis for discrimination. It is important that we remember religion is also a protected characteristic, deserving of respect.”