The Preachers Sound Words to the Pope and to Us this Lent

Father Cantalamessa is of course the well known and at times controversial Preacher to the Papal household.

Last year during his Lenten Homilies he made quite a buzz talking about the anti Christ. He is also very well received in charismatic circles here in the USA whether they are are Catholic , Evangelical, or Pentecostal leaning.

I was very struck by the Homily he did. Friday for the Pope and the Papal Household. It is located here on his web site and is called "For Every Useless Word": Speaking "as With Words of God". It is a incredible spirit filled Word.

It speaks also a warning to Catholics in the lay , religious and clerical state that we should all heed. I plan to print this out and meditate on this during the week from time to time. He hits a lot of points. However he gives one of the best lessons on the following passage of Scriptures:

In Matthew's Gospel, in the context of the sermon on the words that reveal the heart, a saying of Jesus is reported that has made readers of the Gospel tremble throughout history: "But I say to you that men will have to answer for every useless word on the day of judgment" (Matthew 12:36).It has been difficult to explain what Jesus intended by "useless word." Some light is shed by another passage in Matthew's Gospel (7:15-20) that addresses the theme of the tree that is known by its fruit and where the whole discourse seems to be directed at false prophets: "Beware of false prophets who come to you in sheep's clothing, but underneath are rapacious wolves. You will know them by their fruit.".

Well what is this "useless word"? Well Father goes to explains it. There is a lot of great insight he gives to get to the following conclusion so be sure to check it out. I suppose when you are preaching to the "boss" one is on ones "A" game and really asks a lot of help from the Holy Spirit. However he says:

The useless word, for which men will have to answer on the Day of Judgment, is not, therefore, every and any useless word; it is rather the useless, empty word pronounced by him who should instead pronounce the "energetic" words of God. It is, in sum, the word of the false prophet, who has not received the word of God, but nevertheless persuades others to believe his merely human words are the word of God.What happens is exactly the reverse of what St. Paul says: Having received a human word, it is not taken for what it is, but for what it is not, that is, a divine word. For every useless word about God, man will have to answer! This, then, is the meaning of Jesus' grave admonishment.The useless word is the counterfeit of the word of God, it is a parasite of the word of God. It is recognized by the fruits that it does not produce, because, by definition, it is sterile, without effectiveness -- for the good, of course. God "keeps vigil over his word" (cf. Jeremiah 1:12), is jealous for it and cannot allow man to make use of the divine powers that it bears.

I also think there is a message to Catholic blog land here when he says

St. Paul wrote to his disciple Timothy: "Be eager to present yourself as acceptable to God […] imparting the word of truth without deviation. Avoid profane, idle talk, for such people will become more and more godless" (2 Timothy 2:15-16). Profane chatter is that talk that is not relevant to God's design, which does not have anything to do with the mission of the Church. Too many human words, too many useless words, too many speeches, too many documents. In the era of mass communication the Church too runs the risk of falling into the "straw" of useless words, speaking just to say something, writing just because there are journals and newspapers to be filled.

In this way we offer to the world an optimal pretext resting content in its unbelief and its sin. When they have heard the authentic word of God, it would not be easy for unbelievers to go off saying -- as they often do after listening to our preaching: "Words, words, words!" St. Paul calls the words of God "the weapons for our battle" and says that they alone "destroy arguments and every pretension raising itself against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive in obedience to Christ" (2 Corinthians 10:3-5).

Humanity is sick from noise, the philosopher [Soren] Kierkegaard said; it is necessary to fast, but a fasting from words; someone needs to cry out, as Moses did one day: "Be silent and listen Israel!" (Deuteronomy 27:9). The Holy Father reminded us of the necessity of this fast from words in his Lenten meeting with the pastors of Rome and I believe, as is his wont, his invitation was not first directed to the world but to the Church.

Wow. Of course I am struck again how I am not at all in my daily life taking a fast from words and images this Lent as the Holy Father asks us. I AM GUILTY. I notice many bloggers are trying to live up to this request in many ways. However I have failed in am much miserable fashion. For a News Junkie in political season, a sports junkie, and of course a blog junkie I am in nirvana right now. However that does take away from the silence I need for prayer at times.

It is a a pretty hard hitting message directed to the Pope and Roman Curia and also I suppose us in the pews.

One final thought that also touches on the season we are in the US and how we must be careful not to be "false Prophets. Father said:
The word of God cannot be used for other ends or to clothe already existing human discourses with the mantle of divine authority. In times that are still near to us, one saw where such a tendency led. The Gospel was used to support every type of human project from class struggle to the death of God.

When a listener is so predetermined by psychological, factional, political or impulsive conditions, to make it impossible, from the outset, not to say what he expects and not to make him completely right about everything; when there is no hope of being able to lead the listeners to that point in which it is possible to say to them: "Convert and believe!" then it is well not to proclaim the word of God so that is not be used for party goals and, therefore, betrayed. It is better, in other words, to renounce a real proclamation, limiting oneself -- if one pursues the matter at all -- to listening, and trying to understand and taking part in the people's anxieties and sufferings, preaching the Gospel of the kingdom rather by presence and charity. Jesus, in the Gospel, shows himself to be very careful about not letting himself be used for the political ends of a party.

Well I think that is very true. Now one cannot and I don't think Father Cantalamessa would want us to take a "Fundamentalist or too literal" view of what he is saying. That does not mean we can not and should not bring out Christian faith into the political sphere on many issues. I am pretty sure Father would not endorse the people that give us shrill cries of "Separation of Church of State" whenever one tries to brings up the gospel as to things like immigration, abortion, the poor, war and peace, etc etc. However it is a warning I think for balance and to measure our words and intentions with care.

Anyway good read. So in the spirit of avoiding "Too many human words, too many useless words, too many speeches, too many documents." I will try to remain silent for the rest of the day on this blog :) Partly because I hope to keep this at the top so people can read Father's very real compelling message.