Pope urges Christians to watch out against worldliness
Vatican Radio) Only Christ crucified will save us from
the demons that make us "slide slowly into worldliness",
saving us also from the "stupidity" that St. Paul talks about to the
Galatians, and from seduction. This was central message of
the homily of Pope Francis at his Mass, Friday morning, at the Santa Marta
residence in the Vatican. He was reflecting on the episode in Luke’s
Gospel where Jesus casts out a demon, which some people interpret
as through power of the devil.
Watchfulness against Devil's stealth
The Pope said the Lord asks us be watchful in order not to
enter into temptation. This is why a Christians have to be awake,
watchful and careful like a sentinel. Jesus was not narrating a parable
but was stating a truth, i.e when the unclean spirit comes out of a man, he
roams about in abandoned places looking for refuge and not finding any, decides
to return to where he came from, where the freed man lives. Hence the
demon decides to bring in "seven other spirits worse than him.” Pope
Francis emphasized the word “worse”, saying it has much force in the passage
because the demons enter quietly.
Worldliness
The demons thus start being part of the man's life. With
their ideas and inspirations, they help the man to live better and entering his
life and heart and start changing him from within, but quietly without making
any noise. This method is different from the earlier diabolic possession
which was strong, the Pope explained, adding this time it a diabolic
possession, something like in a “living room”. The devil slowly changes
our criteria to lead us to worldliness. It camouflages our
way of acting, which we hardly notice. And so, the man, freed from the demon,
becomes a bad man, a man burdened by worldliness. And that's exactly what the
devil wants – worldliness, the Pope stressed.
Worldliness, Pope Francis explained, is a spell, a
seduction, because the devil is the "father of seduction". When
the devil enters "so sweetly, politely and takes possession of our
attitudes," the Pope said, our values pass from the service of God to
worldliness. Thus we become "lukewarm Christians, worldly
Christians", a mixture, something that the Pope described as a “fruit
salad” of the spirit of the world and the spirit of God. All this
distances us from the Lord, the Pope said and stressed that the way to avoid it
by being vigilant and calm without alarm.
Christ crucified who saves
Watchful means understanding what goes on in my heart, the
Pope said, adding, “ It means stopping for a while to examine my life,
whether I a Christian, whether educate my children, whether my life is
Christian or worldly?” And one understands this, as Paul points out, by looking
at Christ crucified. One understands where worldliness lies
and is destroyed before the Lord's cross. The Crucifix saves us from
the charms and seductions that lead us to worldliness.
The Holy Father exhorted Christians to examine themselves
whether they look up to Christ crucified, whether they pray the Way of the
Cross in order to understand the price of salvation, not just from sins but
also from worldliness. The examination of conscience, the Pope said, is
done always before Christ crucified, with prayer, after which one
has to break loose from one’s comfortable attitudes, through works of
charity, visiting the sick, helping someone in need and so one.
This breaks the harmony and the spiritual worldliness that the demon together
with seven others tries to create in us, the Pope added.
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