I don't disagree with that. ..anyone can take a message of hope and mercy too far, to the point of not worrying or caring about anything they do. People can also take fear of justice to far and think everything they or someone else says and does is risking hell. It works both ways, extremes are always bad. I don't think he was extreme in anything he said tho I can see where some may latch on to specific statements and think that way. But then they'd be ignoring his very first statement which was we must acknowledge the possibility of going to hell.
Archbishop Sheen, imho, had a way of preaching that could raise a soul to great heights of joy and hope, while at the same time helping one to realize the dangers of sin and the reality of h*ll. It was his great gift. And while he was so very intelligent and educated, he never spoke down to anyone; there was never any doubt that he truly believed what he so clearly preached.....and he suffered greatly for his efforts......
I agree. And although bishop Baron is completely different personality and maybe you don't like his style as much, he has no doubt strengthened the faith of tens of thousands, if not millions, and for that we should all praise God
I remember many years ago, when I was a child, we had Redemptorist (I think it was) 'missions' annually in our local church. Their sermons, as far as I remember, were bloodcurdlingly vivid descriptions of Hell and Damnation, with few words about Christ's redemptive Sacrifice. At a time when rural Ireland was still very much in the Age of Faith, it resembled an attempt to bludgeon people into morality. Our regular priests were more balanced, fortunately. Nowadays, we are in an age of licence and scepticism, so it seems to me this kind of preaching might be more useful. Instead, we are getting cathechisation that is playing down the reality of the possibility of damnation, when we could do with a bit of sobering up.
It's like a great pendulum has been swinging, back and forth over the past few decades. Some jump off on one side or the other; all doom and hellfire on one side, while at the other side, it's don't worry because Jesus loves you no matter what you do. The balance is missing; that we are not perfect, we need to do our own "personal" work, while trying to do what we can for others, but all for Love, where true joy is found. One blogger priest said something to the effect that we should "love others with that same Love in which the Lord loves us, and forgive with the forgiveness that the Lord forgives us". And "our help is in the Name of the Lord" who never abandons us. This seeming lack of balance, imho, has led to the confusion so rampant now in our day. Right now, we are in the season of that Love, waiting for the seemingly small Gift of Love to be laid in a wooden crib. Come Lent, the season of repentance begins, culminating in the great sacrifice of that Love, on the wood of the Cross, given to allow for the Mercy we are so in need of, which provides Hope for our redemption. His road was not easy, so why would we expect ours to be so? But, in the end, it's the only Way worth travelling.....The way of Love.
Unfortunately vast majority of people are so far gone, barely believe hell is possible or even exists, most would just write off this sort of preaching as a middle ages throwback nut. I'm not sure much can change things besides our own prayer, penance and divine intervention, ie something like the warning.
I am open to contradiction but I believe Jesus referred to hell 70 times and it is mentioned 160 times in the Bible, far, far more than heaven is ever mentioned. Not only does He do so, He did so in full graphic detail Following on from this the Father's of the Church, the Saints and successive Pope's have invariably done so for the last two millennia Now we are told that this will not do. That these are modern days and these are modern days . Times have changed and si must our teachings But from the dawn of time men have echoed this call. These are modern times and we need a modern teaching. But the truth never fails it is immutable and ever fresh. We simply need to proclaim it as Jesus did. As to whether men to chose to listen. Well that is up to themselves. We do our duty it is up to them to do theirs But we must always proclaim the same Gospel as Jesus did Modern or not
IF Bishop Barron had been a straight shooter he would have fired a few shots in the direction of Papa Frankie when he came clean about that abomination in Rome called a synod. That he did not do so proves to me he is hedging his bets I hate a bet hedger If you're going to play poker, play poker, no hedging of bets. I would never have expected him to call Papa Frankie a no good son of a b***&h but he might very well have aimed his guns in that general direction and not have missed the target . In sophisticated Bishops language of course Too much to ask for? No. not too much at all Call a spade a spade as Jesus said. Let your yes be yes and your no be no. Never mind the each way betting
There's playing poker; there's saving your own hide. Human beings may be able to bluff each other at the table, but no one can bluff the Almighty God, who knows everything. Bishop Barron would do well to consider where he stands, and no, that is not too much to ask of a successor to the Apostles..... Cardinal Gregory has made it clear where he stands, as has Cardinal Cupich. Cardinal Burke, crystal clear where he stands. Bishop Strickland, and apparently many others have made it clear where they stand. So no, it's not too much to ask.
Bishop Baron is a good bishop. Let's take the logs out of our own eyes before we take every spec out our our bishops.
https://www.complicitclergy.com/202...r-his-bumbling-banter-on-bergoglio-blessings/ Church of Nice strikes again.
So a priest is asked for a blessing by a homosexual couple.... He could say ok... I bless you as individuals that almighty God will enlighten your minds that sodomy is a grave sin and that you will repent and reconcile with Christ and his Church, in the name of the Father....
Yes! Exactly. Fr Murr said a similar thing quoting the very holy Cardinal he once worked for who was asked by a (I think)dissident feminist nun for a blessing--she was doing it as an insult. He blessed her with a very similar prayer begging God would save her from the fires of hell where she was very quickly heading. Fr Murr said there are lots of ways to give a blessing.
It seems Bishop Barron and many others are trying to sit on the fence, to avoid taking a strong stance either way. Perhaps for self-preservation, perhaps not. Either way, we know who owns that fence.
The work of the devil will infiltrate even into the Church in such a way that one will see cardinals opposing cardinals, bishops against bishops. The priests who venerate me will be scorned and opposed by their confreres...churches and altars sacked; the Church will be full of those who accept compromises and the demon will press many priests and consecrated souls to leave the service of the Lord. https://www.ewtn.com/catholicism/library/message-from-our-lady--akita-japan-5167
