Rebuild my church
In imitation of our Lord Jesus Christ, and with his servant, Francis, "we pray
for the grace to serve God, free from fear, to transform the Church and to conform it to that Body, Christ's own, to which it belongs."
Day 1
Day2
Day 3
Day
4
Day 5
Day
6
Day 7
Day
8Day 9
Day
10
Day 11Day 12
Day 13
Day14
Day
15
Day 16
Day
17
Day 18Day 19
Day 20
Day
21
Day 22
Day
23
Day
24
Day 25
Day
26
Day 27
Day
28
Day 29Day 30
Day 31
BeatitudesDay 29 Admonition 26
That The Servants Of God Should Honor Clerics.
Blessed is the servant of God who exhibits confidence in clerics who live uprightly according to the form of the holy Roman Church.
And woe to those who despise them: for even though they [the clerics] may be sinners, nevertheless no one ought to judge them, because the Lord Himself reserves to Himself alone the right of judging them.
For as the administration with which they are charged, to wit, of the most holy Body and Blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, which they receive and which they alone administer to others—is greater than all others, even so the sin of those who offend against them is greater than any against all the other men in this world.
Honour priests because they confect the blessed sacrament and not because they are good men.
Francis uses the word 'blessed' as the adjective to describe the one who has confidence in upright clerics. No doubt he does so after the form of the Beatitudes.
Francis refers to spiritual blessings and cursing
It is 'blessed' to respect and 'woeful' to despise the upright cleric.
Francis goes further - he states that we must not despise clerics even though they might be sinners because "the Lord Himself reserves to Himself alone the right of judging them" 1
Clerics are ordained to confect the holy Sacrifice of the Mass and as such handle the Body and Blood of Christ. They are the only ones permitted to do this (at that time) and so when they sin their sin is all the greater due to their great responsibility.2
And " Even so the sin of those who offend against them is greater than any against all the other men in this world."
[1] Matthew 7:1,2 ; James 4:12
[2] Luke 12:48
Updated Updated Thursday, 26. May 2011
Prayer of St. Francis of Assisi before the Blessed Sacrament:
|
|
We adore You, O Lord Jesus Christ, in this church and all the churches of the world, and we bless You, because, by Your holy Cross You have redeemed the world |
 |
