Walk the World Like the Pardon of God

[OldSchool2]

"G.K. Chesterton suggested that Saint Francis of Assisi 'walked the world like the pardon of God.' It’s an apt summary of the saint’s life. In his wonderful and unique way Saint Francis embodied the grace of God as he walked the hills of Umbria barefoot in his patched brown habit and simple rope belt preaching to birds and bishops. His life was a kind of performance art protest against the pervasive sins of thirteenth century Italy — pride, avarice, corruption, and violence.

"Yet sinners were drawn to Francis. How else do we explain that within Francis’ lifetime forty thousand people joined his rigorous order of radical Christianity emphasizing poverty, simplicity and humility? Like Jesus, Francis could uncompromisingly denounce systemic sin, while extending genuine compassion to the people caught in its pernicious web. To be a prophetic witness against systems of sin and a preacher of God’s pardon for sinners at the same time is the peculiar grace Francis excelled at and the church is called to...."

http://brianzahnd.com/2015/01/walking-world-like-pardon-god/

[Rodion_Raskolnikov_]

"G.K. Chesterton suggested that Saint Francis of Assisi 'walked the world like the pardon of God.' It’s an apt summary of the saint’s life. In his wonderful and unique way Saint Francis embodied the grace of God as he walked the hills of Umbria barefoot in his patched brown habit and simple rope belt preaching to birds and bishops. His life was a kind of performance art protest against the pervasive sins of thirteenth century Italy — pride, avarice, corruption, and violence.

"Yet sinners were drawn to Francis. How else do we explain that within Francis’ lifetime forty thousand people joined his rigorous order of radical Christianity emphasizing poverty, simplicity and humility? Like Jesus, Francis could uncompromisingly denounce systemic sin, while extending genuine compassion to the people caught in its pernicious web. To be a prophetic witness against systems of sin and a preacher of God’s pardon for sinners at the same time is the peculiar grace Francis excelled at and the church is called to...."

http://brianzahnd.com/2015/01/walking-world-like-pardon-god/

I don't know about what G. K. Chesterton suggested...I do know a statement by him that I love: "If we will not follow the Ten Commandments, we will follow the ten thousand commandments."

Dad's side of the family is pure Polish Catholic. I'm not Catholic, but I get the idea that you are. 'Not sure there's a lot of Catholics here, hence the absence of comments. No matter. I always love G. K. Chesterton. Thanks for bringing him up.

[Rodion_Raskolnikov_]

I looked at your link, oldschool.

I told you that I'm not Catholic. I have a lot of problems with the Catholic Church. However, there are things I admire about Catholicism. Maybe I'm just moved by emotion, nostalgia, and personal preference.

I LOVE Catholic churches. I Visited Europe. Canterbury was my favorite, even over Notre Dame (even though I'm an incurable Victor Hugo fan). I also visited a 400 year old Church in Saltillo, Mexico and have been to various churches around the Southern California coastline. Grandpa used to take us to San Juan Capistrano, for example. I was born in California, by the way, but mom and dad divorced and she moved me, and my sister, to Tennessee when I was 9..

Nothing bad about Tennessee Churches. There's a Church in Nashville, on West End ( that turns into Broad st.)...beautiful. The outside is nice, better than nice. The inside...whoah. Great.

I used to "witness" to some of the homeless around Nashville. I'd bring them books, I'd spend the day with them. I knew their names, where they slept, what they liked to eat. In fact, I even ate with them and spent the night in their parks, on occasion. It was just a fun camping trip for me, but it was their life (to them). I remember one time I took these guys into a Baskin Robbins for ice cream...the looks we got...It was hot outside in the summer. These guys needed a cold water and some colder ice cream before they'd ever be willing to hear the Word. Even if they didn't want the Word they needed something cold. I should've picked a less "hoity toity" neighborhood. Oh well.

Anyway, I decided I was going to get them into church, at one point. Right. I got one guy to go to Midnight Mass with me. His idea, not mine. But, it's church, right? He was Catholic, so we went to THE West End church in Nashville. I'd never been in there before. It was beautiful, absolutely beautiful. The paintings on the ceiling...the choir boys (absent from sight) on some balcony singing...beautiful. The homeless man's name was Johnny Two Feathers. I never knew his real name. I thought I was doing Johnny a favor by taking him there...wrong. He did me a favor by taking me there. Funny how that works.

I gotta' tell you that Jhonny got his name in New Mexico (or Utah?). He was a 5'6" skinny guy. He was put in the same cell with a mean, buff, Native American "gentleman" (a full foot taller than Johnny)  who picked Johnny up by his shirt collar, and laughed. The Indian laughed and said, "you're light as two feathers" and set him back down.

Yeah, I knew these guys. Johnny, Hamburger, Paul, and the rest...That's not the point.

The point is I always admired Catholic churches. When you enter a Church you know you're coming into the House of God. Your entire attitude changes. Thee's and Thou's...Ceremony (it can go too far). However, the House of the Lord shouldn't be addressed like any other building, nor should His Name. Maybe we should continue the Thee's and Thou's and remember that the God we're kneeling to is the Creator of everything, not just our buddy to talk to whenever we feel like. He (God) deserves a little more consideration.

I've been in Protestant churches where people shamble in half an hour after worship begins...they're wearing flip flops, tattered cargo shorts, and sleeveless shirts. Some of the (teenage) girls are dressed, more than, provocatively. They come in after service begins, with a cold drink, and put their feet up on the back of the chair in front of them; almost like they're going to a rock concert. To me, that's not showing the proper respect to the Creator of everything, even if He is your best friend.

That's the only thing, however, that Catholics have over protestants. In my humble opinion.

[Rodion_Raskolnikov_]

The ultimate imitation of Christ is to patiently absorb sin and offer pardon in the name of love. This is grace.

This is an exceptionally good quote (from your link). I will use it in the future, if you don't mind.

I always liked 'Twain's: "Forgiveness is the violet that sheds its perfume upon the heel that crushes it".

Christ, of course, is way beyond any of our quotes, and meager attempts at understanding. He IS the standard that we can never live up to but should never stop trying to be.
 

[OldSchool2]

I looked at your link, oldschool.

I told you that I'm not Catholic. I have a lot of problems with the Catholic Church....

Roman Catholics have a lot of problems with their church as well, and Pope Benedict's new translation of the Mass hasn't helped any.

Oddly enough, G. K. Chesterton is a convert from Anglicanism to Catholicism, yet I doubt there are many posters from either denomination on the Worthy forums; I follow both Chesterton and C.S. Lewis quotes on Twitter, but I often find the former's prose to be more practical.

[Rodion_Raskolnikov_]

 

I looked at your link, oldschool.

I told you that I'm not Catholic. I have a lot of problems with the Catholic Church....

Roman Catholics have a lot of problems with their church as well, and Pope Benedict's new translation of the Mass hasn't helped any.

Oddly enough, G. K. Chesterton is a convert from Anglicanism to Catholicism, yet I doubt there are many posters from either denomination on the Worthy forums; I follow both Chesterton and C.S. Lewis quotes on Twitter, but I often find the former's prose to be more practical.

 

Really? You find Chesterton more practical than Lewis? That is unusual.

I love C. S. Lewis. I can see where you're coming from, though. Chesterton quotes are more "compact". They have more of a "punch" to them. Lewis is a linguist and he loves his words Both authors are good. Honestly, though, Chesterton quotes are how I'm most familiar with him. I haven't read him, not like Lewis...not by far.

Thomas Merton, also. I like Merton's stuff but he doesn't have that "punch" you can just quote in a one liner. Chesterton seems to be good at it. I mentioned Mark Twain, specifically, because he was the king of quotes. 'Getting the gist across in one, or two, sentences. Making that initial impact.

[OldSchool2]

I looked at your link, oldschool.

I told you that I'm not Catholic. I have a lot of problems with the Catholic Church....

Roman Catholics have a lot of problems with their church as well, and Pope Benedict's new translation of the Mass hasn't helped any.

Oddly enough, G. K. Chesterton is a convert from Anglicanism to Catholicism, yet I doubt there are many posters from either denomination on the Worthy forums; I follow both Chesterton and C.S. Lewis quotes on Twitter, but I often find the former's prose to be more practical.

Really? You find Chesterton more practical than Lewis? That is unusual....

Lewis was a theologian, Chesterton a prolific writer, and I'm a journalist.

[Rodion_Raskolnikov_]

 

 

 

I looked at your link, oldschool.

I told you that I'm not Catholic. I have a lot of problems with the Catholic Church....

Roman Catholics have a lot of problems with their church as well, and Pope Benedict's new translation of the Mass hasn't helped any.

Oddly enough, G. K. Chesterton is a convert from Anglicanism to Catholicism, yet I doubt there are many posters from either denomination on the Worthy forums; I follow both Chesterton and C.S. Lewis quotes on Twitter, but I often find the former's prose to be more practical.

 

Really? You find Chesterton more practical than Lewis? That is unusual....

 

Lewis was a theologian, Chesterton a prolific writer, and I'm a journalist.

 

A journalist? That makes me nervous, for some reason . I like your words, so maybe it shouldn't make me nervous (your profession).

[thereselittleflower]

 

"G.K. Chesterton suggested that Saint Francis of Assisi 'walked the world like the pardon of God.' It’s an apt summary of the saint’s life. In his wonderful and unique way Saint Francis embodied the grace of God as he walked the hills of Umbria barefoot in his patched brown habit and simple rope belt preaching to birds and bishops. His life was a kind of performance art protest against the pervasive sins of thirteenth century Italy — pride, avarice, corruption, and violence.

"Yet sinners were drawn to Francis. How else do we explain that within Francis’ lifetime forty thousand people joined his rigorous order of radical Christianity emphasizing poverty, simplicity and humility? Like Jesus, Francis could uncompromisingly denounce systemic sin, while extending genuine compassion to the people caught in its pernicious web. To be a prophetic witness against systems of sin and a preacher of God’s pardon for sinners at the same time is the peculiar grace Francis excelled at and the church is called to...."

http://brianzahnd.com/2015/01/walking-world-like-pardon-god/

I don't know about what G. K. Chesterton suggested...I do know a statement by him that I love: "If we will not follow the Ten Commandments, we will follow the ten thousand commandments."

Dad's side of the family is pure Polish Catholic. I'm not Catholic, but I get the idea that you are. 'Not sure there's a lot of Catholics here, hence the absence of comments. No matter. I always love G. K. Chesterton. Thanks for bringing him up.

 

 

Thank you for bumping this up.   G.K. Chesterton was known as the apostle of common sense.  His writings are pure genius.

[OldSchool2]

"G.K. Chesterton suggested that Saint Francis of Assisi 'walked the world like the pardon of God.' It’s an apt summary of the saint’s life. In his wonderful and unique way Saint Francis embodied the grace of God as he walked the hills of Umbria barefoot in his patched brown habit and simple rope belt preaching to birds and bishops. His life was a kind of performance art protest against the pervasive sins of thirteenth century Italy — pride, avarice, corruption, and violence.

"Yet sinners were drawn to Francis. How else do we explain that within Francis’ lifetime forty thousand people joined his rigorous order of radical Christianity emphasizing poverty, simplicity and humility? Like Jesus, Francis could uncompromisingly denounce systemic sin, while extending genuine compassion to the people caught in its pernicious web. To be a prophetic witness against systems of sin and a preacher of God’s pardon for sinners at the same time is the peculiar grace Francis excelled at and the church is called to...."

http://brianzahnd.com/2015/01/walking-world-like-pardon-god/

I don't know about what G. K. Chesterton suggested...I do know a statement by him that I love: "If we will not follow the Ten Commandments, we will follow the ten thousand commandments."

Dad's side of the family is pure Polish Catholic. I'm not Catholic, but I get the idea that you are. 'Not sure there's a lot of Catholics here, hence the absence of comments. No matter. I always love G. K. Chesterton. Thanks for bringing him up.

 

Thank you for bumping this up.   G.K. Chesterton was known as the apostle of common sense.  His writings are pure genius.

 

Chesterton has been called the "soul of wit". I follow his pithy sayings -- as well as those of C.S. Lewis -- on Twitter.

BTW, Chesterton is a convert to Catholicism from Anglicanism.