DESIDERIO DESIDERAVI: On Baptism -- Beautiful Words

In my previous post on Desiderio Desideravi, the pope's latest missive, I described the cognitive dissonance of his work. He often says good things but, as my mom always said, "Actions speak louder than words." Sad to say, this pope's actions often directly oppose his words, which throws the faithful into confusion. Do I listen to the pope? He said abortion is bad and then honored an Italian abortionist? He talks about the value of life, but turned the Vatican Pontifical Academy for Life into a group harboring radical pro-abortion and pro-euthanasia advocates. What gives?

Well...as I've said before, Francis speaks with a forked tongue. The examples that illustrate it could fill an encyclopedia. 

When one sees grey clouds forming and hears thunder, he knows what's coming. The Francis Effect of cognitive dissonance blows the warning trumpet. You cannot trust this man; he uses the truth to advance the lie. That, friends is the classic modus operandi of evil. Administer the poison by disguising it in honey. "For the lips of the adulterous woman drip honey, and her speech is smoother than oil." (Prov 5:3) That proverb could just as easily be used to describe "adultery" (idolatry) against God who brooks no strange gods before Him. 

And so let's reflect on the words of Francis concerning Baptism. Remember when Jesus said this about the scribes and Pharisees:

Then Jesus spoke to the crowds and to His disciples,saying: “The scribes and the Pharisees have seated themselves in the chair of Moses.
Therefore, whatever they tell you, do and comply with it all, but do not do as they do; for they say things and do not do them. (Matthew 23:1-3)

So...returning to Desiderio Desideravi, we read these paragraphs on the Sacrament of Baptism: 

12. Baptism... is a being plunged into [Christ's] passion, death, resurrection, and ascension, a being plunged into his paschal deed. It is not magic. Magic is the opposite of the logic of the sacraments because magic pretends to have a power over God, and for this reason it comes from the Tempter. In perfect continuity with the Incarnation, there is given to us, in virtue of the presence and action of the Spirit, the possibility of dying and rising in Christ.

13. How moving, the way in which this comes about. The prayer for the blessing of baptismal water [3] reveals to us that God created water precisely with Baptism in mind. This means that when God created water, he was thinking of the Baptism of each one of us, and this same thought accompanied him all throughout his acting in the history of salvation every time that, with precise intention, he used water for his saving work. It is as if after having created water in the first place, he had wanted to perfect it by making it eventually to be the water of Baptism. It was thus that he wanted to fill it with the movement of his Spirit hovering over the face of the waters (Ge 1:2) so that it could contain hidden within the power to sanctify. He used water to regenerate humanity through the flood (Ge 6:1-9,29). He controlled it, separating it to open the way of freedom through the Red Sea (cf. Ex 14). He consecrated it in the Jordan, plunging into it the flesh of the Word soaked in the Spirit. (cf. Ma 3:13-17; Mk 1:9-11; Lk 3:21-22) At the end he blended it with the blood of his Son, the gift of the Spirit inseparably united with the gift of the life and death of the Lamb slain for us, and from his pierced side he poured it out over us. (Jn 19:34) And it is into this water that we have been immersed so that through its power we can be inserted into the Body of Christ and with him rise to immortal life. (cf. Ro 6:1-11)

These are beautiful and uplifting words. How wonderful, if Francis' actions matched them. But he has done everything possible to dilute the faithful's belief in the necessity of Baptism. 

I've already mentioned the denigrating of missionary work during the Amazon Synod. That is not the only example. Syncretism, the belief that all religions are basically the same, is a serious problem. Since the reign of John Paul II, the Assisi meetings all spread the message that Catholicism is just one path to God. Not only are the other Christian religions the way to God, but even paganism. How many today believe the Church doctrine that outside the Church there is no salvation? [Go here for an article on what this means.] 

Catholics aren't very good evangelizers. Although Scripture tells us not to hide our light under a bushel, most Catholics would rather be silent according to the secular gospel that says don't bring up religion or politics. A friend who came late to the faith once told me that, the entire time he attended Catholic University no one ever suggested he look into becoming a Catholic. How sad is that?

But today, one sees leaders in the Church at the highest level including the pope giving more respect to pagan practices than to our own Sacred Traditions. Is it any wonder that one of the largest groups in religious surveys is former Catholics? 

It's time for Francis and all Catholics to act like we believe what we say. Those in the Church are on the path to life. Should we not become guides to others who are lost in the weeds or near the path but not on it? What an act of charity that would be. Let us ask all the great saint evangelizers to intercede for us and help us lead others to the waters of Baptism.