I was going thorugh some old files and came across this gem by John XXIII. As I enter into the season of Lent, it seemed particularly relevant:
"Christianity is not the mass of restrictions which the unbeliever imagines. On the contrary, it is peace, joy, love and life, which like the hidden pulse of nature in earthly spring, is ever being renewed.
"Be watchful and delicate of conscience. Do not walk through time without leaving worthy evidence of your passage. Be always willing to begin, ready always to rejuvenate yourself spiritually.
"It is not my way to call attention to the threat of divine punishment. God has called upon us to enlighten conscience, not to confuse or coerce them. God asks us to speak with simplicity, not to complicate matters or to flatter tastes of an audience. God has called upon us to heal our brothers and sisters, not to frighten them! The Church has always opposed error, and often condemned it with the utmost severity…. Our needs are best served by explaining more fully the purpose of its teachings rather than by publishing condemnations."
Pope John XXIII
Journey of a Soul
No comments:
Post a Comment