tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9695096.post1570591453647120263..comments2024-02-14T03:56:12.027-08:00Comments on La Salette Journey: The "Social Gospel" is more concerned about an earthly future than eternityPaul Anthony Melansonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08455719838570381999noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9695096.post-65010164058862835582013-01-24T17:15:49.363-08:002013-01-24T17:15:49.363-08:00Fundamental misunderstanding of Matthew 25 is at t...Fundamental misunderstanding of Matthew 25 is at the root of the social gospel problem. Jesus is describing what the Judgment will be like to His disciples, his “little ones.” In the scene, in verse 32, Jesus is judging the nations gathered before him, which would have been understood as the outside world to the Jewish Christian audience that Matthew is addressing. <br /> In his description of the final judgment, Jesus as Judge is addressing non-Christians. It is they who are being told to feed, clothe and visit the disciples of Jesus in prison, the Christians. It is the disciples of Christ who are the face of Jesus in the world. <br />So it is not that the Christians are being told to be nice to everyone else. That is understood already. It is the pagan world, the nations, who are being judged by their actions toward Christians. The judgment is a scene of the “vindication of the just," with Jesus as the Judge handing out rewards and punishments to “the nations” gathered before him on the basis of the reception they gave to his disciples when the gospel was preached among them.<br />The Church for most of its history had this primary understanding of this passage, and has only recently lost it for the most part. The “least of my brethren” is a reference to Jesus’s followers, and not generally to the poor and disadvantaged. It is not those in the Church who are being judged, but those outside it. The pagans are being told they will be accepted into the New Covenant only if they have first treated the family of the people of God, the Church, with charity. The basic idea is from Jesus: “Whoever receives you, receives me.”<br />Michael F Poulinnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9695096.post-54536206674913161742012-12-18T06:46:03.089-08:002012-12-18T06:46:03.089-08:00"I know about human hunger! I have gone witho..."I know about human hunger! I have gone without food Myself for forty days. But I refuse to become a mere social reformer who caters only to the belly. You cannot say that I am unconcerned with social justice, for I am feeling at this moment the hunger of the world. I am One with every poor, starving member of the race. That is why I have fasted: so that they can never say that God does not know what hunger is. Begone, Satan! I am not just a social worker who has never been hungry Himself, but One who says, 'I reject any plan which promises to make men richer without making them holier.' Remember! I Who say, 'Not by bread alone', have not tasted bread for forty days!"<br /><br />Archbishop Fulton J. Sheen, Life of Christ, pg. 71 <br />Michael Colehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17489929697997071892noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9695096.post-79958324270365927132012-12-18T06:39:32.932-08:002012-12-18T06:39:32.932-08:00Archbishop Romero said that, "A preaching tha...Archbishop Romero said that, "A preaching that does not point out sin is not the preaching of the gospel. A preaching that makes sinners feel good so that they become entrenched in their sinful state, betrays the gospel's call. A preaching that does not discomfit sinners but lulls them in their sin leaves Zebulun and Naphtali in the shadow of death. A preaching that awakens, a preaching that enlightens -- as when a light turned on awakens and of course annoys a sleeper -- that is the preaching of Christ, calling, "wake up! Be converted!" this is the church's authentic preaching. Naturally, such preaching must meet conflict, must spoil what is miscalled prestige, must disturb, must be persecuted. It cannot get along with the powers of darkness and sin." <br /><br />Deacon Dick should reflect on those words. Talk about the disturber! But we hear nothing about sin in his homilies. Our Lady said at Fatima that most souls go to Hell for sins of the flesh.<br /><br />I guess the deacon doesn't consider it "fashionable" to talk about such sins and to warn his audience about the spiritual dangers of living in mortal sin.GardnerHighCatholicnoreply@blogger.com