FRANCIS WON'T SATISFY OUR 'CURIOSITY'

Silence. 

At his first Mass back at Santa Marta in Rome after his summer break, what does Pope Francis take from today's Gospel, in which Our Lord Jesus Christ stands up in Nazareth and identifies himself as the One of whom Isaiah speaks, and because he tells the Jews what's what, is hustled out of the synagogue and escapes an attempt to kill him?

Silence, that's what. 

The few words Pope Francis had to offer us were these: "Rather than satisfy their curiosity, Jesus used only the word of God." But actually in that synagogue in Nazareth, according to St Luke, "they wondered at the words of grace that proceeded from his mouth" (Lk 4,22). 

Oh, for some "words of grace" from the Vicar of Christ, for the faithful to wonder at now! (In fact, Jesus confronted the Jews with some home truths about God's preference, at times in their history, for the Gentiles.) 

Then the Pope added: "With people who only seek scandal" (viz, +Carlo Maria Vigano), "who seek only division, only destruction: silence, prayer."

So, people, shut up. Talk to God. He'll answer you. 

Ahem. Ironically, it was St Francis of Assisi who prophesied that there would come "a man raised to the pontificate … who, by his cunning, will endeavour to draw many into error and death" and at "the time of this tribulation" it would be necessary to "obey God rather than men" (Acts 5,29). 

So of course we should pray. That goes without saying. At all times, and at this time like no other. And as long as we're not seeking scandal and division and destruction, the question of obeying God rather than the Pope doesn't arise.

Not yet, that is.