Opposite of a pure heart is hypocrisy, papal preacher tells pope

[sanctus]

By Cindy Wooden
Catholic News Service

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The beatitude, "Blessed are the pure of heart," is an appeal for honesty and humility, the preacher of the papal household told Pope Benedict XVI and top Vatican officials.

Capuchin Father Raniero Cantalamessa, leading the traditional Friday Lenten reflection at the Vatican March 9, said that only in the 19th century did people begin equating the phrase of Jesus with "do not commit impure acts."

The opposite of purity of heart, he said, is not impurity but hypocrisy.

In the teaching of Jesus, purity of heart is not a specific virtue, but rather a quality that must accompany all virtues, he said. It is the quality that ensures a good deed or correct attitude is truly a virtue and not a mask or act put on in order to win praise and adulation, he said.

Father Cantalamessa said secular movements for justice and nonviolence use the beatitude, "Blessed are the peacemakers," but too few people realize the social impact that would come from following the call for purity of heart, a call to live the values one preaches.

In the preaching of Jesus, he said, the harshest criticism is reserved for religious hypocrites.

The papal preacher said the danger of hypocrisy increases as one becomes more pious and more religious and "the reason is simple: Where there is greater esteem for the values of the spirit, of piety, of virtue or even orthodoxy, there also is a greater temptation to show them off."

Father Cantalamessa said that never having found a formula for an examination of conscience that covers hypocrisy, he decided he had to add questions to his own daily accounting: "Have I been a hypocrite? Have I been more concerned with how people see me than with how God sees me?"

The preacher told the pope and Vatican officials that the world would be a better place if everyone kept alive in themselves a yearning for a purity of heart, "for a world that is clean, true, sincere and without either religious or secular hypocrisy, a world in which actions correspond to words, words to thoughts, and the thoughts of human beings to those of God."

 

[karrie]

The preacher told the pope and Vatican officials that the world would be a better place if everyone kept alive in themselves a yearning for a purity of heart, "for a world that is clean, true, sincere and without either religious or secular hypocrisy, a world in which actions correspond to words, words to thoughts, and the thoughts of human beings to those of God."

beautifully put.

 

[L Gilbert]

Far as I can tell, my heart consists of pure muscle, pure veins, arteries, pure blood, and pure chambers.

I think what you people are calling "purity of heart", I would call sincerity, like I try my damndest to be as sincere in my principles as I can sorta thing. With me it kinda fits more with being the opposite of hypocritical than "pure of heart" does.

 

[selfactivated]

The preacher told the pope and Vatican officials that the world would be a better place if everyone kept alive in themselves a yearning for a purity of heart, "for a world that is clean, true, sincere and without either religious or secular hypocrisy, a world in which actions correspond to words, words to thoughts, and the thoughts of human beings to those of God."

beautifully put.

I liked that part too. Theres another part in the bible I like.......Come to him as a child. To me thats humility, as a child would see the world. I dont know the verse but the older I get th more childlike I become.

 

[karrie]

Far as I can tell, my heart consists of pure muscle, pure veins, arteries, pure blood, and pure chambers.

I think what you people are calling "purity of heart", I would call sincerity, like I try my damndest to be as sincere in my principles as I can sorta thing. With me it kinda fits more with being the opposite of hypocritical than "pure of heart" does.

heeheehee, trust you to nitpick over wording. what would you define as 'purity of heart', if not a purity of the intent of our actions, thus, sincerity? Do you really think that the religious folk are picturing a pumper made of crystal somewhere in the world? lol.

 

[darkbeaver]

It's pressing hard to yearn for a pure heart when your stomach is yearning for a bowl of soup. Anyway the speech from the leech is the emptiest of rhetoric recycled endlessly and never realized.
Hypocricy indeed, one wonders that the papal lump is not in fact cooked on the spot by a bolt of plasma from on high.The clothes on his back would feed a village for a year, the seal on his pinky for a decade, he sleeps between silk sheets and eats the finest of food and has the gall to address purity of heart. I retch in disgustmortal mystification..

 

[karrie]

I liked that part too. Theres another part in the bible I like.......Come to him as a child. To me thats humility, as a child would see the world. I dont know the verse but the older I get th more childlike I become.

So many beautiful teachings, it's amazing humans can muck it all up so much. lol.

 

[L Gilbert]

heeheehee, trust you to nitpick over wording. what would you define as 'purity of heart', if not a purity of the intent of our actions, thus, sincerity? Do you really think that the religious folk are picturing a pumper made of crystal somewhere in the world? lol.

I must admit it would be a lot funnier if they chose an elbow or something as the container for "spirit".
"I feel in the deepest parts of my left big toe, that you are a good person". :roll:

 

[L Gilbert]

It's pressing hard to yearn for a pure heart when your stomach is yearning for a bowl of soup. Anyway the speech from the leech is the emptiest of rhetoric recycled endlessly and never realized.
Hypocricy indeed, one wonders that the papal lump is not in fact cooked on the spot by a bolt of plasma from on high.The clothes on his back would feed a village for a year, the seal on his pinky for a decade, he sleeps between silk sheets and eats the finest of food and has the gall to address purity of heart. I retch in disgustmortal mystification..

Geeeeeez yer a noisy beaver sometimes. Lots a squawking. One would think you're going to lay an egg like your Australian cousin the platypus.

 

[talloola]

Maybe it should be placed somewhere that can't be amputated, cause then you would lose more
than just your big left toe.

 

[L Gilbert]

Duodenum.

 

[talloola]

Duodenum.

that's better? OK, then

 

[sanctus]

I liked that part too. Theres another part in the bible I like.......Come to him as a child. To me thats humility, as a child would see the world. I dont know the verse but the older I get th more childlike I become.

Also, it indicates, to me anyway, how complicated we as adults make things. This is why Jesus tried to teach us to remove these adult layers and see our faith again as through the eyes of a child.

 

[selfactivated]

Also, it indicates, to me anyway, how complicated we as adults make things. This is why Jesus tried to teach us to remove these adult layers and see our faith again as through the eyes of a child.

Seems to me its much easier that way. If we look at everything with wonderment we see through the eyes of Goddess/God This/herself. For my own purposes does it offend you if I say Goddess? Its silly to try to be PC you know Im Pagan right LOL ?

 

[sanctus]

Seems to me its much easier that way. If we look at everything with wonderment we see through the eyes of Goddess/God This/herself. For my own purposes does it offend you if I say Goddess? Its silly to try to be PC you know Im Pagan right LOL ?

I'll survive Yes, I believe you mentioned it once or twice...hah hah hah...Just popping in between Masses...be back at 'cha later on

 

[selfactivated]

I'll survive Yes, I believe you mentioned it once or twice...hah hah hah...Just popping in between Masses...be back at 'cha later on

Have a great Sunday Dont let them nod to much.

 

[karrie]

I must admit it would be a lot funnier if they chose an elbow or something as the container for "spirit".
"I feel in the deepest parts of my left big toe, that you are a good person". :roll:

Well, according to some, the seat of human emotion is the second chakra, which is located in your genitals. I think that's a bit more realistic than 'heart', but MUCH less poetic. Frankly, I can't imagine a homily by any priest on any level being able to work that in without a few giggles, even from the pope himself. lol.

 

[darkbeaver]

Geeeeeez yer a noisy beaver sometimes. Lots a squawking. One would think you're going to lay an egg like your Australian cousin the platypus.

Concentrate harder, you're to easily distracted by noise.How long does static hold your attrntion?:wave:

 

[darkbeaver]

Geeeeeez yer a noisy beaver sometimes. Lots a squawking. One would think you're going to lay an egg like your Australian cousin the platypus.

Concentrate harder, you're to easily distracted by noise.How long does static hold your attention?:wave:

 

[AndyF]

Far as I can tell, my heart consists of pure muscle, pure veins, arteries, pure blood, and pure chambers.

I think what you people are calling "purity of heart", I would call sincerity, like I try my damndest to be as sincere in my principles as I can sorta thing. With me it kinda fits more with being the opposite of hypocritical than "pure of heart" does.

Well put.!!

Logically I don't get it.

The post actually criticizes the spiritual attainment process. For instance St. Paul says spirits mature. Therefore, everyone is at some stage of maturity in their spirit, and we can count a very few who have attained it. According to the author's theory, the vacuum that fills the rest is purity's alter ego hypocracy. It follows then everyone who hasn't obtained and isn't absolutely pure are some grade of hypocrite. It seems to me, that pretty well labels the world hypocrites?

The thread boarders on the "glass being half empty" anology. Personally I'd rather focus on the achievements of spiritual accomplishments. And considering the topless bikiniless world that differs from that of antiquity, and man has to contend with, I think he deserves some consideration he was able to achieve any spiritual gains. Father Raniero through personal revelation has been able to discern a method of analysis that works for him, and may work for someone else depending I imagine on a person's personality and level of esteem. I think his half empty coincides with everyone else's half full analysis, still accomplishing the same thing, a movement to betterment.

AndyF