Walk the World Like the Pardon of 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.

 

 

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.

 

Yes, I know that Chesterton is a convert to Catholicism.

Somehow, I find this much less offensive than other professions of "conversions".

I told you that half my family is Roman Catholic. I also said that I don't subscribe to that, particular, belief. That being said....I should have a lot to criticize about Chesterton, and Catholicism. I don't. Not right now, anyway . Like I said I like Chesterton (and love Merton).

Maybe it's just because I love the physical beauty of Catholic Churches, or because I admire the structure of the Church, or the history...maybe all of the "above". I cannot reconcile myself to the theology of Catholicism, but I also can't bring myself to denounce it "out of hand".

In this day, and age, when all Christianity is under the gun...I can't bring myself to split hairs among Christians, even while I "split hairs" with Christians.

I rejoice in the fact that we, at least, recognize the fact that Christ is Lord and He died for our sins. We should find common ground in this, at least.

[Willa]

If only we could get it into our heads and hearts that all born again Christians are the temple of the Holy Spirit.  Each believer is a beautiful creation that should be treated with the same respect and awe that you feel in a building of profane wood and stone.  As such, it is we that make up the body of Christ.  We are living stones.  Where 2 or 3 are gathered, He is in our midst.  So if people in flip flops offend you, remember that God lives in them if they are saved;  Jesus wore sandals as well.   If they are not saved, pray for them.  

 

So many Catholics are estranged from grace, still trying to be good enough to go to heaven;  praying to statues and to the dead, making sure they have all the necessary sacraments, going to confessions, saying rosaries and the right number of hail Marys and Our Fathers.  What bondage!   Those beautiful buildings are prisons of souls in need of a relationship with the Living God, not a relationship with a church.  

 

There is nothing holy about an empty beautiful building.  God does not reside in a building.  Just because it echoes and has great acoustics  does not make it holy.  So many churches have been turned into museums.