There is a style of teaching in the Church, Blizzard, which has become popular in the last 50 years; I believe Pope Francis thrives on it. This style encourages us to make statements and proposals that are open-ended, that cause discussion and dialogue, a type of probing that draws people into conversation. To state doctrine in absolute terms is seen to produce a robotic response in terms of right and wrong; this divides and separates. So I would say Pope Francis gravitates to paintings and/or positions like the Risen Jesus reaching out to Judas because it is provoking and not static. Those folks over at LifesiteNews are so dull thinking only in terms of true vs. false. To challenge is to grow. To remain only in the box of doctrine is to be narrow-minded, which is perceived as a form of Phariseeism. Get with the program!
Jesus had a cousin called Judas, and I believe the Kerioth identified one from the other. About the awful picture. Maybe the Pope wants to promote the artist. There does not seem to be any other merit for such a picture. I think Padraig said there are three of those pictures in the Popes study, maybe he has a few spare, ready in case someone offers to purchase one.
A thought occurred to be a few days ago that the Holy Father might be possessed by the Demon spirit of the dead and damned Judas. There are a lot of goings on surrounding the current Pontiff that makes me suspect diabolic intereaction at a very high level indeed. The Demon Judas being involved might explain a lot. Anyway I am glad I don't live in the Vatican at the moment, it must be like Dracula's Castle. So much that is diabolical and totally evil. Legend has it that Judas inhabits the very lowest circle of hell, right at the Feet of Lucifer himself, his personal plaything.
I'm sorry Mario I don't know if you are being sarcastic or not. The confusion created by this pope can only be described as diabolical and dangerous. Agree?
How about this provocative thought - hell does not exist. Or the souls of the damned are destroyed and suffer no punishment. As Padre Pio said to one penitent who said he did not believe in hell "you will when you get there"
I wonder what the Holy Father's next big move will be? I keep thinking he cannot sink much lower but he never fails to astonish and amaze. I keep trying to ignore him, but he is a very hard personage to ignore. He does love the spotlights.
Father Rodrigue and MDM agree up till now, but Father Rodrigue says Francis will repent and die a martyr. According to scripture, the false prophet goes to hell, so if Father Rodrigue is right, Francis is not the false prophet. On the other hand, if Francis is the false prophet, Father Rodrigue is wrong. Furthermore, he implies that Benedict still has papal authority--that the papal office has truly been bifurcated, if Francis is really a pope. The way I see it, either we have two popes, or we have an antipope and a real pope. Only one of those two options can be true. Maybe none. MDM and Father Rodrigue are mutually exclusive. It is odd that despite scripture teaching on 2 end times beasts, Catholic prophets who aren't rejected only talk about the anti-Christ, not the one who deceives all men into worshipping him. Maybe the infiltrators in the hierarchy conspire against anyone who denounces their plan to destroy the Church.
If so, he should recall that Judas wasn't forgiven because he didn't ask for forgiveness; he killed himself. If Pope Francis' conscience is bothering him, if he regrets certain actions especially, he should ask forgiveness of Our Lord. No one has the right to expect forgiveness for unconfessed sins, including a Pope.
I got sucked into that mentality in the early 1990s. Mine was a reaction to my parents' abusiveness in religious matters, and I (very young) figured WOW, it's GREAT to "think outside the box." Years later I came to realize that this way of "thinking" never finds an answer. And that's "desirable" (to them) ... but everything's always left hanging. A healthy society can't function that way. And I plainly see the dangers of it. Mine was innocent and well-intended. But others, as we know, are using this to malicious ends; destruction. I remember in business college this notion being pushed that "there's no wrong answer." Well ... sometimes that's true. If asked "what's your favorite color," I'm not wrong to say "orange." But that's trivial. Who cares (besides me) what my favorite color is? In serious matters, there ARE right and wrong answers / choices.
Yes, picadillo, I was being sarcastic. Truth will be glorified in the end. The wheat and the tares will be separated!
I think so. I used to go to devotions at St Jude’s Shrine in Baltimore. I think the wording in one of the prayers was “the name of the traitor” has caused you to be forgotten. Also, he is described as a cousin of Jesus in a website for the Rosary Shrine of St. Jude. (Can’t link right now)
I would tend to agree. Jesus had four male cousins: James, Joseph, Simon, and Jude. They were the sons of Mary, the wife of Clopas, not Mary the Mother of Jesus. Early Church writings point out that James was the first bishop of Jerusalem and Simon was the second bishop of Jerusalem! Since playing such prominent roles in the early Church, perhaps I can find evidence that Jude the cousin is also St. Jude. Still searching! Safe in the Refuge of the Immaculate Heart!
The can be no doubt that repeated Scriptures, even from the Old Testament are very, very sombre indeed concerning the fate of Judas> Acts 1:12-26 Matthias Chosen to Replace Judas 12 Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem from the hill called the Mount of Olives, a Sabbath day’s walka]">[a] from the city. 13 When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. Those present were Peter, John, James and Andrew; Philip and Thomas, Bartholomew and Matthew; James son of Alphaeus and Simon the Zealot, and Judas son of James. 14 They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers. 15 In those days Peter stood up among the believers (a group numbering about a hundred and twenty) 16 and said, “Brothers and sisters,b]">[b] the Scripture had to be fulfilled in which the Holy Spirit spoke long ago through David concerning Judas, who served as guide for those who arrested Jesus. 17 He was one of our number and shared in our ministry.” 18 (With the payment he received for his wickedness, Judas bought a field; there he fell headlong, his body burst open and all his intestines spilled out. 19 Everyone in Jerusalem heard about this, so they called that field in their language Akeldama, that is, Field of Blood.) 20 “For,” said Peter, “it is written in the Book of Psalms: “‘May his place be deserted; let there be no one to dwell in it,’c]">[c] and, “‘May another take his place of leadership.’d]">[d] 21 Therefore it is necessary to choose one of the men who have been with us the whole time the Lord Jesus was living among us, 22 beginning from John’s baptism to the time when Jesus was taken up from us. For one of these must become a witness with us of his resurrection.” 23 So they nominated two men: Joseph called Barsabbas (also known as Justus) and Matthias. 24 Then they prayed, “Lord, you know everyone’s heart. Show us which of these two you have chosen 25 to take over this apostolic ministry, which Judas left to go where he belongs.” 26 Then they cast lots, and the lot fell to Matthias; so he was added to the eleven apostles.
He is part of a line of thinkers that everyone is saved. Even Judas. It's not only untrue but dangerous. The belief that people are never fully responsible for their sinful actions and that God's mercy covers even those that completely refuse it even unto death.
Yes! Jude the cousin is also St. Jude. https://www.catholic.org/saints/saint.php?saint_id=127 Safe in the Barque of Peter!
St. Bridget of Sweden had a devotion to St. Jude Jesus inspired the devotion to St. Jude for St. Bridget of Sweden when He directed her in a vision to turn to St. Jude with great faith and confidence. In a vision, Christ told St. Bridget, “In accordance with his surname, Thaddeus, the amiable or loving, he will show himself most willing to give help.” In the Medieval period when St. Bridget was alive, St. Jude was regarded with great respect before falling into a time period of being “the forgotten saint.” The only other known saint to have a devotion to St. Jude is St. Bernard. St. Bridget of Sweden – The National Shrine of Saint Jude
Thank you, Sam and Mario. I have had a longtime devotion to St. Jude. To me, he is quiet, powerful, and stays pretty much in the background. But he listens. Thanks for the new facts about him.
