Resisting the Cross means resisting Christ, Pope reminds audience

CWN - August 29, 2011

“Thinking as the world thinks is setting God aside, not accepting his plan of love,” Pope Benedict XVI told his midday audience on Sunday, August 28.

Reflecting on the day’s Gospel, in which Jesus told his disciples that He must go to Jerusalem to suffer and die, the Pope said that the disciples’ resistance was the same as the reaction of the many Christians who are not ready to accept the Cross. The Pope reminded his audience that Jesus instructs all his followers to pick up the Cross. Resisting that challenge means rejecting Christ, the Pontiff said: “When the fulfilment of one's life is geared solely to social success and to physical and financial well-being, one no longer reasons according to God but according to men.”

After reciting the Angelus, the Pope welcomed several groups attending the audience at his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, including a delegation of seminary students from the North American College. He urged the American seminarians: “Do not be afraid to take up the challenge in today’s Gospel, to give your lives completely to Christ.”

Additional sources for this story
Some links will take you to other sites, in a new window.

An appeal from our founder, Dr. Jeffrey Mirus:

Dear reader: If you found the information on this page helpful in your pursuit of a better Catholic life, please support our work with a donation. Your donation will help us reach five million Truth-seeking readers worldwide this year. Thank you!

Easter Campaign:
Progress toward our Spring 2013 goal ($33,066 to go):
$80,000.00 $46,933.77
41% 59%
Sound Off! CatholicCulture.org supporters weigh in.

All comments are moderated. To lighten our editing burden, only current donors are allowed to Sound Off. If you are a donor, log in to see the comment form; otherwise please support our work, and Sound Off!

There are no comments yet for this item.

Catholic World News Email Newsletter
Donate to Support this Site: Your contribution will be put to good work.
Tour the CatholicCulture.org Site
Shop Amazon to Raise Money for Catholic Culture

Recent Catholic Commentary

Learning from the sick, and from the death of a child May 17
The case for change in Irish abortion law: based on a framework of falsehood May 17
The Smell of the Sheep May 16
Too many missing funds: Catholic institutions need tighter financial controls May 16
What capitalists should learn from the Pope's critique May 16

Top Catholic News

Most Important Stories of the Last 30 Days
Pope strongly supports call for reform in religious life CWN - May 8