Fr Dwight Longenecker: Pope Francis and the Kickback God

Pope Francis' words and works emphasizing radical poverty contrast with the grotesque greed and consumerism which plagues our world.

Satan lures many people to destruction through twisted sexuality, but he lures many more through the materialism and greed that most people in our society not only take for granted, but believe to be a virtue. "Success" is understood purely in terms of financial prosperity and worldly achievement. Taking kickbacks, cheating and lying to get ahead has become a lifestyle choice. Pope Francis is eager to call attention to the violence that results from such greed.

GREENVILLE,SC (Catholic Online) - When a relative of mine was taking instruction to be received into the Catholic Church he was told by a well meaning sister that "Since Vatican 2 Catholics don't have to believe in hell."

It's not a mistake Pope Francis would make.

Whenever secular journalists write about Pope Francis they cannot resist a paragraph about him adopting a "softer, more inclusive stance on sexuality and divorce." They seem somewhat bewildered therefore when the pope also speaks in traditional language about evil.

Pope Francis has used language about the devil when attacking mafia leaders, war criminals and corrupt businessmen and politicians. He described people engaged in corruption as "whitewashed tombs", saying that "they appear beautiful from the outside, but inside they are full of dead bones and putrefaction." A life based on corruption is "varnished putrefaction", the Pope said. Referencing the gospel, he implied that they should have a millstone hung around their neck and thrown into the sea.

Pope Francis is keenly aware that Satan is alive and well on planet earth and that hell is a reality. His de-emphasis on some Catholics' main talking points of sexuality is not an attempt to take a "softer and more inclusive" line, but to draw attention to the fact that sexual sins are not the only human failings. Because sex sells, too many journalists only report Catholic news when it involves some issue below the belt. By avoiding those topics Pope Francis shrewdly deprives the journalists their usual gossip point.

Instead Pope Francis draws attention to the corruption and greed that leads to violence in our society. Some time ago Pope Francis also attacked Catholics who grow wealthy from graft and use tainted money to shower their children with gifts and send them to expensive schools. "Those who take kickbacks have lost their dignity and give their children dirty bread", he said. Corruption was as much of an addiction as taking drugs - "We might start with a small bribe, but it's like a drug," he said. He prayed "that the Lord may change the hearts of those who worship the kickback god".

Satan lures many people to destruction through twisted sexuality, but he lures many more through the materialism and greed that most people in our society not only take for granted, but believe to be a virtue. "Success" is understood purely in terms of financial prosperity and worldly achievement. Taking kickbacks, cheating and lying to get ahead has become a lifestyle choice.

Pope Francis is eager to call attention to the violence that results from such greed. When greedy, corrupt politicians and business people steal they deprive the poor of their daily bread. They twist political systems, rob ordinary people of power and steal from the most vulnerable. That they buy lobbyists, pay off politicians and change the law in order to steal legally is even worse.

Pope Francis' words and works emphasizing radical poverty contrast with the grotesque greed and consumerism which plagues our world. On the one hand the Pope condemns the corrupt and venal with the strongest language, and on other hand he shows a "yet more perfect way"--the way of gospel charity, love for our neighbor and detachment from our worldly goods.

One of the three disciplines of Lent is almsgiving. We're called to give generously not only because the poor need our help or because the mission of the church needs to be funded, but more importantly so that the hold of wealth over us will be broken. We can only over come our addiction to "kick back" when we "give back" and Lent is one of the times when we are called to make that special effort.

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Read Fr Dwight Longenecker's latest Lent Book Sugrip Instructs in which the demon Slubgrip teaches popular culture at Bowelbages University. Learn more about this inspiring, entertaining and sobering book at dwightlongenecker.com

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