Live a coherent Christian Life: Pope to Christians
Vatican City, 27 February 2014: The incoherent Christian gives scandal and the scandal
kills, said Pope Francis during his homily at Mass he celebrated on Thursday morning
in the chapel of Casa Santa Marta residence in the Vatican. Taking a cue from a Confirmation
he administered during the mass, the Pope said that ‘to be a Christian means to give
testimony of Jesus Christ’. He thinks, feels and act as a Christian. And this is consistent
of the life of a Christian. But if you miss one of these things, observed the Pope,
there's something wrong, there is a certain inconsistency, and it is bad."
Jesus,
the Pope said, “speaks so strongly against scandal: Whoever causes one of these little
ones who believe in me,’ even one of these brothers, these sisters that have faith,
‘it would be better for him if a great millstone were put around his neck and he were
thrown into the sea.’” An incoherent Christian, he said, “does so much harm. Scandal
kills.” He continued, “So many times we’ve heard ‘But Father, I believe in God, but
not in the Church, because you Christians say one thing and do another.’ And also,
‘I believe in God, but not in you.’” This, he said, “Is because of inconsistency.
In
front of an atheist who tells you that he does not believe in God, you can read him
a whole library, where it says that God exists and also to prove that God exists,
and he will not believe. But if you give him coherent witness of Christian life, something
will begin to work in his heart. It will be your witness that that he will bring this
restlessness on which the Holy Spirit works. It’s a grace that we all, the whole Church
must ask for: ‘Lord, [grant] that we might be coherent.
To live in coherent
Christian way prayer is necessary, because the Christian integrity is a gift from
God, and we must ask for it. And when we fall due to our weakness, let us ask for
forgiveness. The Lord gives us grace, concluded Pope Francis. Source: VR Sedoc