Excerpts from a Pastoral Letter to Pope Francis concerning St. Francis Attitude Toward Creation
If you would like to contact the Pope, his address is:
His Holiness, Pope Francis
Apostolic Palace
00120 Vatican City
Rome, ITALY
"I am gravely concerned that you will not be able to totally emulate all the
characteristics of this great Saint whom all Christendom holds in high
esteem by taking his name to establish your papacy. To be able to fill his
humble sandals requires a total commitment to all Biblical principles and a
total love for all God's creation. Now turning to another area that
St. Francis loved and frequently preached to is God's creation.
"Regarding that creation, the Catholic Church has only given lip service to
the love Francis had for all creation. He loved all creation because
Jesus Christ shed His blood so that ALL THINGS could be reconciled in Him
through the shedding of that blood (Colossians 1:20 - Jesus died on cross
for all creation to be reconciled unto Him--not just man alone!) I so wanted
to be like St. Francis with his love for the creation that I implored God to
show me the way. Jesus revealed to me that He is not only the Prince
of Peace but the Prince of Life, that God does love His creation and will
make up to it in the end days causing a sacrifice to be made of men and
warriors for the creation in Ezekiel 39:17-20 - where God makes
restitution to creation for the former animal sacrifices by using man in a
special sacrificial feast for the birds and animals.
"Also God values and love His creation He makes a final covenant with it in
Hosea 2:18 where God promises to make a covenant with birds, animals and
snakes to remove fear of man and gather up instruments of destruction.
"It is more than likely the creation will be with us in heaven when Paul
talks about the creation groaning to be relieved of the curse (Romans
8:18-23 - Strongest indication that creation will be with us in heaven.)
God even shows us that we can learn from the creation (Job 12:7-10 - God
shows His presence in Creation and indicates their intelligence.)
"And don't think the animals were primarily created for man to enjoy and use
as he sees fit. The creation was created for God's PLEASURE Revelation
4:11--King James--Creation was created for God's pleasure, primarily, than
for man's. And what is that pleasure--to PRAISE GOD as commanded in the
Psalms. "Let all things that hath breathe PRAISE THE LORD. Upon
that command Francis obeyed and preached to the creation to glorify Him
through their praise, something sorely lacking in Christianity today.
"And by the way did you know animals have two rights either implied or
granted in the Bible, the right to exist (implied) and the right to humane
treatment (granted) and this right is found in numerous Old Testament
passages, one such being for farmers to leave a section of the field after
harvest to provide food for the wild animals.
"Also I was outraged by the statement of our U. S. Senator, Paul Ryan, who
brags "he is a Catholic hunter". Such an endorsement brings shame to
the Church as anyone who delights in the killing of poor helpless creatures
who hunters do flies in the face of the Commandment, Thou Shalt Not Kill and
shows no respect for Jesus Christ who is the Prince of Life and not Death
whose prince is satan for he is a murderer, thief and liar from the
beginning. I believe that commandment was written exactly as that as
it shows God did not want killing to take place and in when Christ comes
back to reign on earth, killing again will be forbidden (it clearly shows
the heart of God in the matter).
"To me hunting is a moral and intrinsic evil when it causes people to
violate the law by shooting innocent animals, taking poor care of their dogs
used in this grievous act, trespassing on peoples' property and adding
alcohol to the equation which causes carelessness with fire in the
woodlands. All of this is sinful activity as a result of this so
called "sport", and didn't Jesus say if your arm causes you to sin, cut it
off" If hunting produces these qualities in an individual it is not right
and thus sinful. I believe this act is more intrinsically evil than
masturbation which is not even listed under sexual sins specifically
forbidden in the Bible. I would not join a Church bragging about
supporting and condoning an act so brutal and cruel to God's creatures,
particularly when the bow and arrow are used, one of the cruelist of weapons
to be used in the pursuit of the slaughter of the innocent.
"Even St. Francis protested the killing of a dove by two young individuals
saying you should not kill the emblem of the Holy Spirit.
"Therefore I challenge you as a Pope who now bears his name to honor St.
Francis' teachings on the creation and make it official Church doctrine.
To do otherwise is to further disgrace and dishonor the work St. Francis did
to elevate the creation to a higher degree of respect by man.
Knowing Jesus Christ as Prince of Life, I firmly believe the Commandment,
"Thou Shalt Not Kill" means actually that--not to kill any form of animal
life. God did not ordain killing in the Garden until sin entered and
Jesus abolishes it when He returns to earth where animals will once again
become vegetarian and we will more likely become such when God says "there
shall be no more harm on all My Holy Mountain".
"My reverence for life will not even allow me to kill one human being no
matter how wicked or evil, not even Adolf Hitler. Even God, Himself
when pronouncing judgment on the first murderer, Cain, spared his life.
Jesus when confronting the adulteress who was about to be stoned, could have
thrown the first stone since He was without sin BUT DIDN'T. Therefore
I cannot support the death penalty for whatever reason but believe a
murderer should face life in prison, making viable restitution for the life
or lives he took through saving life by giving the use of his or her body to
legitimate research in finding cures for lethal diseases.
"I truly hope you will bring reform to the Church such as the one whose name
your papacy now bears. St Francis will not be happy if you do less.
He expects you to live up to his reputation as a true soul winner, a real
lover of God's creation and a follower of the true doctrines of Holy
Scripture. I pray to God and St. Francis that you will. God
bless your papacy if you will live up to the expectations of this great
saint of God."
Richard W. Firth
SOME TRUST IN CHARIOTS, SOME IN HORSES AND SOME IN GUNS BUT WE TRUST IN THE
LORD!
| 