THE POPE AND JESUS

One of my favorite websites is www.thefederalist.com. The following posts were most perceptive about the Pope’s visit to the USA. 

Ten Stories the Media Won’t Tell You About the Pope’s USA Visit

http://thefederalist.com/2015/09/25/10-stories-the-media-wont-tell-you-about-the-popes-usa-visit/?utm_source=The+Federalist+List&utm_campaign=13f1fdea47-

4 Times Pope Francis Completely Dropped the Ball in Front of Congress

http://thefederalist.com/2015/09/25/4-times-pope-francis-completely-dropped-the-ball-in-front-of-congress/?utm_source=The+Federalist+List&utm_campaign=13f1fdea47-

Who’s Really Being Divisive, Pope Francis?

http://thefederalist.com/2015/09/24/whos-really-being-divisive-pope-francis/?utm_source=The+Federalist+List&utm_campaign=13f1fdea47-

Personally I would have liked the Pope to have been more outspoken about Jesus and the Gospel and less moralizing. There is no doubt that he is a loving man who has a heart for the poor and the disadvantaged. He showed that in his actions. But I thought that much of what he said was full of pious platitudes and not of practical help. For example, he cited Abraham Lincoln as an example in his speech to Congress and advocated the end of the arms trade, but Lincoln had to wage a bloody war to bring about freedom and the defense of the Union. The Pope’s pacifist beliefs and his call for dialogue will not bring about peace in the Middle East and the defeat of ISIS and the cruel Assad regime. Jesus spoke harshly and condemned the religious leaders of his day and they crucified him. He decried popularity in favor of confronting the people with the need for repentance and faith in the kingdom of God not the kingdom of this world. Yes, Jesus rode into Jerusalem and the common people loved him, but at the end of that week he died upon the cross for our salvation. What would Jesus have said to Congress and the United Nations that would have caused such a reaction? It is worth pondering.