{"id":16355,"date":"2016-10-06T20:58:00","date_gmt":"2016-10-06T20:58:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/news\/for-pope-francis-legalism-makes-christians-stupid-59175\/"},"modified":"2016-10-06T20:58:00","modified_gmt":"2016-10-06T20:58:00","slug":"for-pope-francis-legalism-makes-christians-stupid","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2016\/10\/for-pope-francis-legalism-makes-christians-stupid\/","title":{"rendered":"For Pope Francis, legalism makes Christians stupid."},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

<\/p>\n

Vatican City, Oct 6, 2016 \/ 02:58 pm (CNA\/EWTN News<\/a>).- The Holy Spirit is the \u201cgreat gift\u201d of God the Father who helps us avoid the stupidities of a legalistic faith while leading us forward in Christian life, Pope Francis has said.<\/p>\n

\u201cMay the Lord give us this grace: to open ourselves to the Holy Spirit, so that we will not become stupid, bewitched men and women who sadden the Holy Spirit,\u201d the Pope remarked in his homily at morning Mass at Casa Santa Martha Oct. 6.<\/p>\n

He provided several questions for the faithful to examine their spiritual lives:<\/p>\n

\u201cIs my life a continual prayer to open myself to the Holy Spirit, so that He can carry me forward with the joy of the Gospel and make me understand the teaching of Jesus, the true doctrine that does not bewitch, that does not make us stupid, but the true (teaching)?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cDo I ignore the Holy Spirit?\u201d he asked. \u201cAnd do I know that if I go to Sunday Mass, if I do this, if I do that, is it enough?\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cIs my life a kind of half a life, lukewarm, that saddens the Holy Spirit, and doesn\u2019t allow that power in me to carry me forward, to be open?\u201d he added.<\/p>\n

The Pope said that continual prayer to open ourselves to the Holy Spirit \u201chelps us understand where our weaknesses are, those things that sadden Him; and it carries us forward, and also carries forward the Name of Jesus to others and teaching the path of salvation.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pope Francis\u2019 homily drew on St. Paul\u2019s Letter to the Galatians, which included several rebukes and warnings about legalism.<\/p>\n

The Pope noted that one can wrongly seek justification in doctrine and law, and not through Jesus \u201cwho makes sense of the Law.\u201d There is the temptation to reduce the Holy Spirit and Jesus Christ to the Law.<\/p>\n

Paul rebuked the Galatians because \u201cthey ignored the Holy Spirit, and they did not know to go forward,\u201d the pontiff explained.<\/p>\n

They were \u201cclosed, closed in precepts: \u2018we have to do this, we have to do that\u2019,\u201d he said. \u201cAt times, it can happen that we fall into this temptation.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201c(T)his attachment to the Law ignores the Holy Spirit. It does not grant that the redemption of Christ goes forward with the Holy Spirit, it ignores that. There is only the Law,\u201d he warned.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is true that there are the Commandments and we have to follow the Commandments \u2013 but always through the grace of this great gift that the Father has given us, His Son, and the gift of the Holy Spirit.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Pope noted the spiritual danger of \u201cthose who preach with ideologies\u201d and speak in a mindset that is \u201cabsolutely just.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThey bewitch: it\u2019s all clear,\u201d he said. \u201cBut look, the revelation is not clear, eh? The revelation of God is discovered more and more each day, it is always on a journey.\u201d<\/p>\n

There is a different clarity to God\u2019s revelation, he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIs it clear? Yes! It is crystal clear! It is Him, but we have to discover it along the way. And those who believe they have the whole truth in their hands are not (just) ignorant.\u201d<\/p>\n

Paul calls the Galatians \u201cstupid\u201d because they have allowed themselves to be \u201cbewitched,\u201d the Pope explained.<\/p>\n

Another attitude saddens the Holy Spirit when \u201cwe do not allow Him to inspire us, to lead us forward in the Christian life.\u201d Christians should allow \u201cthe liberty of the Spirit,\u201d not the \u201ctheology of the law,\u201d to tell them what to do. The wrong attitude brings Christians to lukewarmness and \u201cChristian mediocrity\u201d because the Holy Spirit \u201ccannot do great works in us.\u201d<\/p>\n

Pope Francis stressed the need \u201cto open ourselves to the Holy Spirit, and let the Spirit carry us forward.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s what the Apostles did, (with) the courage of the day of Pentecost. They lost their fear and opened themselves to the Holy Spirit,\u201d he said. This is the way to understand and welcome the words of Jesus.<\/p>\n

\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Vatican City, Oct 6, 2016 \/ 02:58 pm (CNA\/EWTN News).- The Holy Spirit is the “great gift” of God the Father who helps us avoid the stupidities of a legalistic faith while leading us forward in Christian life, Pope Francis has said.<\/p>\n

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