Let's take a look again at this notion of this so-called "god of surprises". Again I'll link to the Pope's closing address at the SinNod. I'm not certain that I dealt with it thoroughly in the last post and want to do so for we are seeing way too many manifestations of clergy bowing before this idol.
He chides those whom he considers embroiled in "hostile inflexibility". Supposedly we close ourselves within "the written word" and don't allow ourselves to be "surprised by God". Now think of it. What would cause the serious, faithful Catholic to be surprised, even alarmed, if they were to encounter something that seemed off the mark? Most likely it would be some deviance from God's word. There's no doubt that our understanding of God's written word is not perfect; but in many cases neither is that understanding completely lacking. The Catholics who have made good faith attempts to study their faith and to live it out (via prayer, Sacraments, good works) are, to varying degrees, able to perceive spiritual danger. Often that spiritual danger is signaled by a divergence from God's written word as found in Scripture and/or Church tradition. Thus the "surprise" that some may experience is really a red flag, a warning that spiritual peril is afoot; rather than embracing that source of "surprise" perhaps it should be fled, as Peter urges us to do with Satan.
The Pope has suggested that "God always surprises". "Always"??? I can see surprises happening from time to time, but if one is always surprised, perhaps that tendency betrays an abysmal ignorance of the faith OR they are dabbling with spiritual forces that will lead to their eternal perdition.
Dare I suggest that any attempt to dissuade Catholics from reliance on God's written word in favor of some "surprise" is itself seduction by the devil?
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I thank you for all of your hard work and efforts. I wasn't upset by the God of Surprises comment by Pope Francis. A couple of thoughts came to mind. One was hearing the Gospels, reading the Gospels, and yet when meditating on the Gospels that you've heard or read many times (and maybe even meditated on in the past), God "surprises" with a deeper awareness of a phrase, word or portion that wasn't there for you ever before but your soul almost expands during that moment (a moment of humility) in God's vastness. I must be getting old because the example that springs to mind was a few years after my reversion (short term memory is the first to go?). In the Gospel of John (3:30 perhaps), St. John the Baptist states, "He must increase, I must decrease." Forgive me if I flipped that, but it was a moment made clear of how life-long necessary these few words for me to bring family back to the Faith or bring others to the Faith. To almost become invisible so that when I would meet others (whether through my words or actions) they would somehow see our Lord and desire Him profoundly.
ReplyDeleteAnother example that came to mind was my husband. When he asked me to marry him, my first response was, "What time is it?" I know it was a rather odd answer to a proposal of marriage, but he said, "6:07." Then I said something like, YES! I will. I always want to remember this moment and to celebrate it, which we do every August 2 at 6:07 p.m. But, the biggest surprise of all is that if someone were to ask me 23 years ago, "If God were to give you a husband, what would you ask for from Him." My husband is so much more than I could ever have even dreamed to ask for from God, and my love and admiration for him continues to grow.
So, when Pope Francis says, "God of surprises," I see it as a good. That God doesn't change but, rather, expands.
May Almighty God bless you.
Mariann
(sorry, I don't know if this went through so I'm resending)
The devil is cunning, and smarter than we. And might I add, confusing. Confusion and chaos are not from God. This papacy is inundated with confusing actions, statements etc. BIG RED FLAG, I would say.
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