Reformation Redux
Calling John Tetzel...
Today I read an article today about Pope Benedict XVI. He is offering "relief from purgatory" to Catholics who visit Lourdes, France.
The article went on to say that,The indulgences will be available from this weekend until Dec 8, 2008.
What?!?! After Martin Luther nailed his 95 theses to the Wittenberg Castle church following similar practices of the pope at the time, it seems incredible that something like this still goes on.
I came from a Catholic background and never understood it or felt comfortable with some of their practices (confession, purgatory, etc.) That, coupled with the fact that the Bible was never used and it felt like an ardous task.
I remember my salvation well. The freedom, the love, the mercy and forgiveness of our Lord and Saviour brought my spiritual life into sharp focus.
Oftimes it seems like I am in a movie and I am the only one who knows what the plot is and all of the other people around me are oblivious to the man-centered error that is being propagated to the people in the congregation.
It's frustrating and m,akes me want to shout, "JUST READ YOUR BIBLE AND YOU WILL SEE WHAT'S GOING ON AN HOW THINGS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE!"
The déjà vu of this is very strange. This coupled with some of the monastic traditions that some emergent churches are using just reminds my of Ecclesiastes 1:9,What has been will be again, what has been done
will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.
Because Truth matters,
George
4 comments:
I do not think this means what I think it means. Sine I am a bit narrow and weak minded lately you might need to break it down for your little lady.
So if Jesus died for me and I have accepted His gift of salvation and it washes my crimson stains white as snow, what could be left to give purgatory for.
This Pope is so much nicer for granting this for people who can jump on the flight to France, I liked Pope John Paul, he was good at his job for a long time. Why didn't he offer this blessing or indulgence? Does the pope ask for permission from God to do this or it is just from the kindness of his heart. Maybe he has been binging on a bit of sin and feels the need to purge for himself.
So as I see it, to be granted freedom from residual or leftover sin we have just under a year to plan an excursion to France for this blessed event. For those of us who can not make this once in a lifetime 150 year celebration for lack of fundage I am understanding that between Feb 2- Feb 11 we can go to where they worship the Madonna of Lourdes and recieve the same indulgences from Pope Ben. Right?
Where does one in TN find this very special Madonna? Is it gonna be announced in Catholic churches?
Does the Pope read the same Words of God that we get here in the good ol US of A? Call me crazy but I do believe God has a commandment, thou shalt have no other gods before Me...
So if the Pope can flush residual sin away does that border on a false image of God, since God is the One who sent Jesus to die for me, you, and everyone before us and those that come after us, and for the Pope himself? What about once we were saved, we were made new in God's eyes and we finally free? Except Catholics? What's that about?
can I get some french toast and french fries with this indulgence?
I think I would need a bottle of frech whine to guzzle what this pope is wanting me to swallow as truth and maybe tradition.
Love you
Love me
not getting it- use small words please, you know how hard fancy literature is for me to misunderstand
Inconceivable!
lol...french toast! How about some ratatouille?... :)
I never did like the whole purgatory thing when I was a Catholic, but then again, Jesus's sacrifice and it's meaning weren't known to me at that time.
so did i get the answer right or wrong
You got it right, Sweetie. Jesus paid it all (all to Him I owe) :)
The Pope cannot grant something that He has to authority to grant, but then again, since there is no purgatory, I guess that that doesn't matter.
Ever since I've had a Bible and have been able to look things up, I've found a lot of concepts that people in the world hold don't stand up to scripture and there is the dividing line as far as I'm concerned.
Love Always,
George
Post a Comment