Don't forget that the head of the Church is Jesus Christ. There will be much to suffer, but if we remain faithful we do not need to be afraid.
The Church will get holier the weaker it gets. When becoming a bishop no longer is a benefit for selfish men, then only holy men will become bishops. In the meantime, become a saint and the Church will be grateful to you for it.
Don't forget that the head of the Church is Jesus Christ. There will be much to suffer, but if we remain faithful we do not need to be afraid.
The Church will get holier the weaker it gets. When becoming a bishop no longer is a benefit for selfish men, then only holy men will become bishops. In the meantime, become a saint and the Church will be grateful to you for it.
But what if the tactic of Francis is not to become "weak" but to become the lapdog of corrupt governments like China and thus maintain some modicum of respectability, at least enough to continue to receive government monies to distribute to one's corrupt friends? The church as NGO model is a failure if you think about souls, but the church as government lapdog has a long, long history (e.g., Patriarch Kirill of Moscow). The Pope knows the way the US is headed. Why preach against sin when one can line one's pockets as a social service organization, even as the pews empty?
A national Church can be a government lap dog. That is the problem with the Orthodox. An international Church will always be too unruly for that to work. You cannot be the lap dog of all the governments at the same time. There is always something new breaking out in another corner of the world. Perhaps with all these new Cardinals, someone non-western will be chosen next. And what he will do is so completely unpredictable because the framework will be different.
Ultimately, the Holy Spirit will do what he is planning, but that spiritual battle is being fought not only in the international field but also in your soul. Whenever you sin, you provide aid and comfort to the enemy. You can fight against the evil that you see by fighting the evil in you. Then the Holy Spirit will be ready to use you for his good purposes. God is looking for soldiers to fight this war, but too many people are allowing sloth and lust and gluttony to take them out of the battle. Become a saint and you will be part of the transformation of the Church.
Don't forget that the head of the Church is Jesus Christ. There will be much to suffer, but if we remain faithful we do not need to be afraid.
The Church will get holier the weaker it gets. When becoming a bishop no longer is a benefit for selfish men, then only holy men will become bishops. In the meantime, become a saint and the Church will be grateful to you for it.
But what if the tactic of Francis is not to become "weak" but to become the lapdog of corrupt governments like China and thus maintain some modicum of respectability, at least enough to continue to receive government monies to distribute to one's corrupt friends? The church as NGO model is a failure if you think about souls, but the church as government lapdog has a long, long history (e.g., Patriarch Kirill of Moscow). The Pope knows the way the US is headed. Why preach against sin when one can line one's pockets as a social service organization, even as the pews empty?
A national Church can be a government lap dog. That is the problem with the Orthodox. An international Church will always be too unruly for that to work. You cannot be the lap dog of all the governments at the same time. There is always something new breaking out in another corner of the world. Perhaps with all these new Cardinals, someone non-western will be chosen next. And what he will do is so completely unpredictable because the framework will be different.
Ultimately, the Holy Spirit will do what he is planning, but that spiritual battle is being fought not only in the international field but also in your soul. Whenever you sin, you provide aid and comfort to the enemy. You can fight against the evil that you see by fighting the evil in you. Then the Holy Spirit will be ready to use you for his good purposes. God is looking for soldiers to fight this war, but too many people are allowing sloth and lust and gluttony to take them out of the battle. Become a saint and you will be part of the transformation of the Church.