Christian "Pagans"

Suffering is a result of the world.  Redemption (overcoming suffering) comes from heaven.


Be careful not to slide down the road that leads to being a Christian in appearance, but "mediocre" in substance, to being pagan, "enemies of the Cross," because "citizens of this world", in short of being worldly, and not "citizens of Heaven".  This was Pope Francis' warning at Mass Friday morning at Casa Santa Marta based on the First Reading.


Pope Francis was inspired by the words of St. Paul to the Philippians to dwell on two groups of Christians, still present today as they were in the time of the Apostle of the Gentiles. Christians who go forward in faith and Christians who "live like enemies of the Cross of Christ".


"Both groups - he said - were in the Church together, they went to Mass on Sunday, they praised the Lord, they called themselves Christians". So what was the difference? The second group "act like enemies of the Cross of Christ! Christians enemies of the Cross of Christ".


The Pope said these were "worldly Christians, Christians in name, with two or three Christian things, but nothing more. Pagan Christian". "A Christian name, but a pagan life." Or to put it another way: "Pagans with two strokes of Christian paint, so as to appear like Christians, but pagans nonetheless".
"Even today there are many! We must be careful not to slip toward the path of being pagan Christians, Christians in appearance. The temptation to get used to mediocrity, the mediocrity of Christians, these Christians, it is their undoing because their hearts cool, they become lukewarm. And the Lord had strong words for these lukewarm [Christians]: 'because you are lukewarm, I will spit you out of my mouth'. These are very strong words! They are enemies of the Cross of Christ. They take the name, but do not follow the requirements of Christian life".


Paul, he said, speaks of the "citizenship" of Christians. "Our citizenship," he noted, "is in heaven. Theirs is on earth. They are citizens of the world, not of heaven". "Citizens of the world. And their surname is worldly! Beware of these" warned Pope Francis adding that everyone, himself including, must ask: "Do I have something of these? Do I have some worldliness within me? Some paganism?".


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