This is my perspective on the visit of Pope Francis I shared with one of my Catholic Brothers who was having difficulty explaining the actions of the Pope on his recent visit to the US.
As a knowledgeable Catholic, it is important to point out that we believe in the value of the oral tradition, Magesterium and Bible. Those who do not accept the teachings of the Catholic Church are presenting their argument without all the facts.
Of course, it would be nice for the Pope to excoriate all the sinners on abortion, contraception, missing mass on Sundays, not taking care of the poor, sick, hungry, homeless, etc. but Pope Francis is following in the footsteps of Saint Francis, the first person to experience the Stigmata of Christ. He preached love of sinners and nature and believed that all creatures and earth were holy. We have a responsibility to care for the creatures and earth as stated in our Church teachings.
When Jesus came, He ate and partied with the sinners, knowing full well you had to accept them where they were before sharing with them where He was inviting them to come. When you indict people in their sins, it hardens their hearts. Jesus realizes some good food, wine and fellowship opened sinners’ hearts to the message of love.
Many self-righteous Christians and Catholics are quick to condemn others and call down the wrath of God. However, it is wise to remove the beam out of one’s own eye before judging others.
As you know, we cannot move in the direction of God until the Holy Spirit comes to visit. That is accomplished through love and a desire to experience the joy and peace beyond understanding demonstrated by believers. It is much easier to invite people into the kingdom of God when they realize you understand where they are coming from.
That was the mission of Pope Francis on his visit to the US, to share God’s love. He wanted to show that he was willing to open a dialogue with everyone on what they believe in comparison to what the Church teaches.