I find it an interesting commentary that the media entirely misses the importance of the election of the Pope. This is not political; it is a religious event. The Pope isn’t elected to bring divergent sectors of the Catholic Church together. He isn’t elected to please one group or to punish another. His role is that of being the head of one of the oldest established institutions on the face of the earth, the Roman Catholic Church. He helps Catholics by being a shepherd over the beliefs of the Church.
It seems that the commentators and reporters want an election with the incumbent changes brought by the winner. They want to report that the Pope will be responsive to the demands and desires of society. Let us hope that he does not respond in such a way. He is the leader and specifically he is the person who is responsible to maintain and interpret God’s Word and the Gospels. He isn’t a Supreme Court Justice who must past a litmus test on one topic or another. Our belief is that by the power of the Holy Spirit, the cardinals elected the best person to take on the responsibility of being the figurehead and leader of the Church today.
The appropriate verse from scripture to consider the mission of the Pope which should be understood by the media is found in Matthew Chapter 26 verse 39 which states in part: “Yet not as I will, but as You will.” The Pope is charged with leading the Church and following God not the other way around.
MARYLANDER'S THOUGHTS.......... Random Ramblings on topics from Maryland
Tuesday, April 26, 2005
Sunday, February 13, 2005
Observation on Feb 13, 2005
As I read through the Howard County Times, there was an article on religious holidays and the school system. The issue was that the Muslims were demanding that the School Board not have exams during their holy days. The Superintendent stated that the system had a policy in place that no student would be penalized for honoring a religious holiday and that the administration was aware of this rule.
My immediate reaction was that the Muslims were overly sensitive and were trying to gain special treatment. My impression was that if this were a theocracy, similar to the Muslim Theocracies in the Arab Countries, a similar request by Christians would not even be heard much less have any chance of gaining consideration. Initially I was incensed. Then I stopped and thought that this was something which differentiates us from many of the "third World" and other countries.
By protecting their rights, we protect ours. No matter how much we object to the other and no matter that if the positions were reversed that they would not grant us similar consideration, we must grant equal protection to them if we expect it for ourselves. To do otherwise would betray the Constitution and the responsibilities placed upon us by the Framers of the Constitution.
My immediate reaction was that the Muslims were overly sensitive and were trying to gain special treatment. My impression was that if this were a theocracy, similar to the Muslim Theocracies in the Arab Countries, a similar request by Christians would not even be heard much less have any chance of gaining consideration. Initially I was incensed. Then I stopped and thought that this was something which differentiates us from many of the "third World" and other countries.
By protecting their rights, we protect ours. No matter how much we object to the other and no matter that if the positions were reversed that they would not grant us similar consideration, we must grant equal protection to them if we expect it for ourselves. To do otherwise would betray the Constitution and the responsibilities placed upon us by the Framers of the Constitution.
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