Pope Francis Rebukes Consumerism In Christmas Eve Mass

[onehandle]

VATICAN CITY (AP) — In his Christmas Eve homily Thursday, Pope Francis noted the simplicity of Jesus' birth as he rebuked what he called societies' intoxication with consumerism, pleasure, abundance and wealth.

Christians around the world joyfully prepared to recall the birth of Jesus. But in his only public Christmas Mass, in the splendor of St. Peter's Basilica, the pope counter-weighted his joy with a lament for people's excesses and what he described as a "culture of indifference, which not infrequently turns ruthless."

Francis said Jesus "calls us to act soberly, in other words, in a way that is simple, balanced, consistent, capable of seeing and doing what is essential."

Referring to Jesus' birth in a Bethlehem stable, the pope said the child was "born into the poverty of this world; there was no room in the inn for him and his family."

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/pope-francis-christmas-mass_567cc648e4b0b958f6595d41

[cantbeserious]

1. This Citizen Is Unable To Fathom Why Any Citizen Struggles To Understand His Message

eom

[List left]

2. +1 nt

[libodem]

3. This Pope

Last edited Sat Dec 26, 2015, 07:45 PM - Edit history (1)

Has my undying atheist love.

[Skittles]

13. atheist

[libodem]

15. Love you sister

[former9thward]

4. Maybe the Pope should read the Bible.

Jesus was not born of poverty. He was born of a skilled labor father. The only reason he was in a stable was because the government has commanded people pay taxes as as result of a census and there was no room at that location. The middle class did not exist at that time but Jesus was born into a well to do family of that time.

[REP]

5. And from a noble family, too, the House of David, if you accept that interpretation

But I never expect Christians to know their own mythology (referring to Pope Frankie McDreamy Photo-Op).

[LuvNewcastle]

7. The story is full of symbolism.

Jesus's birth didn't literally happen that way. It's all about establishing the divinity of Jesus and foreshadowing his ministry.

[SoLeftIAmRight]

12. So true...

Have you seen the woodwork from that time

Geometry was a must

[saltpoint]

6. Pope Francis makes effective use

of the Luke narrative in service of his larger point about greed and materialism, which in the past he has likened to "the Devil's dung," and about the "culture of indifference," which he says can move swiftly to brutality.

We don't know anything about the people in this narrative except from the narrative itself, and some many people have suggested that it is a story with larger points as opposed to a "news account" of actual events.

I personally think it's a beautiful story. But I don't think it's an account of actual events.

Francis:

rebuked what he called societies' intoxication with consumerism, pleasure, abundance and wealth.

I wish he had not included 'pleasure.' For centuries the Catholic Church has been seen as anti-pleasure generally and as anti-sexual pleasure particularly. If western societies are "intoxicated" with consumerism, individual world citizens can work to overcome this limit in their own lives and attitudes. They don't have to be anti-pleasure to do this.

[mikehiggins]

8. That bull down by Wall Street

The only reason it isn't a golden calf is that it wouldn't take a day for someone to steal it.

Probably be a banker or a hedge fund manager.

A tawdry symbol showing just how right Pope Frank is.

[Bluenorthwest]

9. Anyone who can stand in St Peter's and lecture others about displays of excessive

wealth needs to meditate upon the word 'irony'.

[niyad]

10. excellent point.

[Skittles]

14. agreed

clueless

[SoLeftIAmRight]

11. All the TV said was it is not too late to buy...

even on christmas day

We are insane