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/

'BLING BISHOP' REPLACED

AFTER INQUIRY, POPE FRANCIS
REPLACES GERMAN 'BLING BISHOP'

VATICAN CITY (AP) - Pope Francis on Wednesday permanently removed a German bishop from his Limburg diocese after his 31 million-euro ($43-million) new residence complex caused an uproar among the faithful. Francis had temporarily expelled Monsignor Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst from Limburg in October pending a church inquiry. 
At the center of the controversy was the price tag for the construction of a new bishop's residence complex and related renovations. Tebartz-van Elst defended the expenditures, saying the bill was actually for 10 projects and there were additional costs because the buildings were under historical protection. But in a country where Martin Luther launched the Reformation five centuries ago in response to what he said were excesses and abuses within the church, the outcry was enormous.

The perceived lack of financial transparency also struck a chord since a church tax in Germany brings in billions a year to the German church. The Vatican said Wednesday that the inquiry into the renovation found that Tebartz-van Elst could no longer exercise his ministry in Limburg and that Francis had accepted his resignation, which was originally offered Oct. 20.
The Vatican said Monsignor Manfred Grothe, currently an auxiliary bishop in Paderborn, would take over but that Tebartz-van Elst would get a new job "at the opportune time." It added that the pope hoped that the faithful of Limburg would accept the decision with "docility and willingness to rediscover a climate of charity and reconciliation." 

Pope Francis has replaced a German bishop whose $43 million new residence complex sparked outrage among Catholics. The so-called ‘Bishop of Bling,’ Monsignor Franz-Peter Tebartz-van Elst from Limburg was temporarily expelled during a church inquiry in October. Tebartz-van Elst spent lavishly renovating his residence, including a reported $20,000 on a bathtub and $620,000 on artwork. That inquiry has now found him incapable of holding his diocese and demanded his resignation, the Vatican said. His conduct of glitz and glamor contrasts with the attitude of Pope Francisco, who since taking office in the Vatican last year, has emphasized charity and combating social inequality. All people who hold a position of importance, but especially those holding religious posts, must not live the lavish style of kingly life. They should not take delicious foodstuff, nor use luxurious clothing. Those who are dedicated to the service of the Lord and represent God on earth, should  live a life centered on austerity, modesty, temperance and sobriety. Our spiritual masters have taught us that Swamis and Brahmanas should not eat luxurious dishes nor dress in fine garments, they should not live a life of material comfort and pleasure, but they always remain humble and serve Their Lordships Sri Sri Radha Krishna in their mind and heart. (Editor's note).

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

The scriptures establish the superiority of he who is recognized to be a brahmana on account of his virtues. ... Inner tranquility, self-restraint, austerity, cleanliness, contentment, forgiveness, simplicity, knowledge, compassion, devotion to God, and truthfulness are all among the qualities of a brahmana. The activities allocated for each of the four varnas are prescribed solely in accordance with the innate qualities of four types of individual. And according to these qualities and their coincident prescribed activities, the four asramas (societal roles at different stages of life) were created. ... The scriptures condemn those who know nothing of the Absolute Truth but conceitedly flaunt the threads they ceremoniously received, designating their brahminical status, by calling them pasu-vipras - animals dressed up like brahmanas.

Śrīla Bhaktivedanta Vamana Maharaja :
"Javala and Satyakama"
'A man’s Virtues define him, Not his Birth'
http://www.purebhakti.com/teachers/bhakti-discourses-mainmenu-61/52-discourses-2009/1104-javala-and-satyakama.html
http://www.bvml.org/SBVM/index.htm

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