In his homily at Santa Marta, the pope criticized the clericalism of those who try to advise others without worrying about them. He recalled that Jesus had more authority because He was always at the service of others.
POPE FRANCIS
'The adjective Jesus so often uses to describe them is 'hypocrites.' It is understood that one who considers himself a prince, who has a clericalist attitude, who is a hypocrite, doesnâ??t have authority! He speaks the truth, but without authority. Jesus, on the other hand, who is humble, who is at the service of others, who is close, who does not despise the people, and who is coherent, has authority. This is the authority that the people of God feel.â?
Pope Francis concluded by saying that in order to give advice to others, first be humble and close to them and their life.
EXCERPTS OF PAPAL HOMILY
(Source: Vatican Radio)
'Jesus served the people, He explained things because the people understood well: He was at the service of the people. He had an attitude of a servant, and this gave authority. On the other hand, these doctors of the law that the peopleâ?¦ yes, they heard, they respected, but they didnâ??t feel that they had authority over them; these had a psychology of princes: â??We are the masters, the princes, and we teach you. Not service: we command, you obey.â?? Jesus never passed Himself off like a prince: He was always the servant of all, and this is what gave Him authority.â?
'They were detached from the people, they were not close [to them]; Jesus was very close to the people, and this gave authority. Those detached people, these doctors, had a clericalist psychology: they taught with a clericalist authority â?? thatâ??s clericalism. It is very pleasing to me when I read about the closeness to the people the Blessed Paul VI had; in number 48 of Evangelii nuntiandi one sees the heart of a pastor who is close [to the people]: thatâ??s where you find the authority of the Pope, closeness. First, a servant, of service, of humility: the head is the one who serves, who turns everything upside down, like an iceberg. The summit of the iceberg is seen; Jesus, on the other hand, turns it upside down and the people are on top and he that commands is below, and gives commands from below. Second, closeness.â?
On the other hand, this people was not coherent and their personality was divided on the point that Jesus counseled His disciples: â??But, do what they tell you, but not what they doâ??: they said one thing and did another. Incoherence. They were incoherent. The adjective Jesus so often uses to describe them is 'hypocrites.' It is understood that one who considers himself a prince, who has a clericalist attitude, who is a hypocrite, doesnâ??t have authority! He speaks the truth, but without authority. Jesus, on the other hand, who is humble, who is at the service of others, who is close, who does not despise the people, and who is coherent, has authority. This is the authority that the people of God feel.
