POPE FRANCIS WASHES FEET OF DISABLED PEOPLE

EASTER CELEBRATIONS, POPE FRANCIS

WASHES FEET OF ELDERLY AND DISABLED

Vatican City (CNN) - The washing of feet was a radical act in Jesus' time. It is no less radical in the modern era, with Pope Francis' decision to break with the long-standing papal tradition of washing only priests' feet, to include women and non-Christians in the symbolic ceremony. The controversy began on Holy Thursday last year when Pope Francis washed the feet of two women and two Muslims at a juvenile detention center in Rome. 
Before this, modern Popes had only ever washed the feet of 12 priests at the Vatican, during the Mass for the Last Supper. This year, Pope Francis visited a home for the elderly and disabled, the Fondazione Don Carlo Gnocchi, to wash the feet of "12 disabled people of different ages, ethnicities and religious confessions," during a special Lord's Supper Mass, according to the Vatican.

Those chosen for the special honor included a 16-year-old boy from Cape Verde who was paralyzed in a diving accident last year, a 19-year-old man and a 39-year-old woman diagnosed with cerebral palsy, and two 86-year-olds with mobility problems. The 78-year-old pope smiled at each of the people whose feet he washed, but clearly struggled to get up from his knees as he moved down the line; two assistants helped him to his feet. He appeared to tire towards the end of the short ceremony. 
The tradition of the pontiff washing his priests' feet is based on a passage of the Bible which says that Jesus attended to his disciples at the Last Supper, saying, "If I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another's feet." (John 13:15) But until last year, no pope had dared to go against Vatican rules and choose anyone but priests for the Holy Thursday event. In choosing to change the practice, Francis is being as radical as Jesus was in his own time.

Pope Francis washed the feet of 12 elderly and disabled people during a Holy Thursday ritual in Rome on Thursday. Francis continues to break with tradition by performing the pre-Easter ritual on non-Catholics. According to Vatican leaders, Francis' gesture was one of humility and service, intended to embrace those on the fringes of society. From the beginning of his papacy, the pope himself has been on the "fringes" of long-standing Vatican protocol, for example by choosing to live outside of the papal palace and eschewing traditional papal garments and modes of transport. In breaking the rules of foot-washing at the Vatican, the Pope is acknowledging what has been a practice in local churches for some time, and also reminding Catholics that the important thing is not whose foot is being washed, but the spirit behind that gesture. The congregation of the Roman Curia, named Vatican's Congregation for Divine Worship, states that foot-washing “represents the service and charity of Christ, who came 'not to be served, but to serve.'” We try to follow the steps of our spiritual teachers, despite all our weaknesses and imperfections, and thus, we celebrate this concept and agree with Pope Fracis who has said, “Jesus made a gesture, a job, the service of a slave, a servant. And he leaves this inheritance to us: We need to be servants to one another.” This is what Srila Prabhupada taught us that the Vaishnava is a server that is always ready to provide a service to the Lord and, in the same way, the Lord is always looking for an opportunity to render some service to His devotee. We must overcome the selfishness that is based on ignorance and to seek spiritual enlightenment that allows us to change ourselves, and go step by step developing the qualifications to be eligible to engage in the loving devotional service of the servants of the servants of the loving devotees who are eternally engaged in serving the Supreme Lord. (Editor's note).

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

Unless we cleanse the pollutions, the artificial impositions that are upon our mind we can’t understand our natural state of health. So the purpose of human life according to the great acharyas, according to the great scriptures is to clean the mind, to make it pure. ... Because think about it, is happiness something outside of yourself, is happiness something you can put in yourself? Real happiness is a state of consciousness. ... Every religious system every religious path that is actually authorized teaches how to clean your heart, how to purify your mind, how to see your true eternal self in the mirror of your consciousness. First thing is we have to stop throwing dirt in our mind by our activities. We should live according to ethical, moral principles. We should live in a spirit of service to others rather than exploitation of others.

Śrīla Radhanath Swami Mahārāja :
“Conquering The Greatest Enemy”
http://www.radhanathmaharaj.net/content/conquering-greatest-enemy-radhanath-swami
http://www.radhanath-swami.net/  -  http://radhanathswami.info

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/

POPE FRANCIS CELEBRATED EASTER SUNDAY MASS

POPE'S FIRST EASTER MASS
SENDS MESSAGES OF PEACE

www.npr.org - Pope Francis celebrated his first Easter Sunday Mass praying for world peace and urging a diplomatic solution to the standoff on the Korean peninsula. Only two weeks after his election, the first pope from the developing world continues to make his mark on the Catholic Church. St. Peter's Square was bedecked with flowers and packed with joyous pilgrims and tourists as Pope Francis celebrated Easter Mass. In his first message to the city and to the world, Francis urged peace for the Middle East and for Israelis and Palestinians to resume negotiations to end a conflict that has lasted too long. "Peace in Iraq," Francis said, "that every act of violence may end, and above all, for dear Syria. ... How much suffering must there still be before a political solution can be found?" The Argentine-born pope also decried terrorism in the war-torn countries of Africa: Mali, Nigeria, Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic.

He appealed for peace in Asia, especially on the Korean Peninsula. May disagreements be overcome, he said, and a renewed spirit of reconciliation grow. Francis' most intense appeal was for what he called a world divided by greed, looking for easy gain, wounded by selfishness. He singled out human trafficking, calling it the most extensive form of slavery in this 21st century. He urged peace for a world torn apart by violence linked to drug trafficking and by the iniquitous exploitation of natural resources. 
In keeping with his humble image, Francis wore simple unadorned vestments and celebrated the Mass alone, without his cardinals. In another contrast with his predecessor, the rituals this holy week have been shorter than in past years. The new pope has struck a chord with his direct language and by referring to himself as the bishop of Rome rather than supreme pontiff.

Pope Francis is taking part in his first Holy Week as pontiff. These days, Christians around the world take part in the celebration of the Passion, Death and Resurrection of Jesus Christ. Christians flock to churches to celebrate Easter Sunday, praying, singing and rejoicing. The biblical account of the life and passion of Lord Jesus teaches us many things, and one of them is that people like to judge others. The only fault of Lord Jesus Christ was that he was explaining God consciousness. The reward he received for his preaching was the cruel crucifixion. However, he was able to tolerate all these sufferings, showing the world his compassionate heart.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

A Krishna conscious person does not sit down idly. He knows that Krishna consciousness is such an important philosophy that it should be distributed. ... A devotee displays great compassion toward conditioned souls. The word kapa means “mercy,” and sindhu means “ocean.” A devotee is an ocean of mercy, and he naturally wants to distribute this mercy. Lord Jesus Christ, for instance, was God conscious, Krishna conscious, but he was not satisfied in keeping this knowledge within himself. Had he continued to live alone in God consciousness, he would not have met crucifixion. But no. Being a devotee and naturally compassionate, he also wanted to take care of others by making them God conscious. Although he was forbidden to preach God consciousness, he continued to do so at the risk of his own life. This is the nature of a devotee.

Śrīla A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupāda :
"The Path of Perfection"
Chapter Five:
"Determination and Steadiness in Yoga"
Bhaktivedanta Book Trust International

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/