The Great Pope, Self the First

                                                    (channeling my inner Pope Selfie)
 I am going to describe an unfortunate phenomenon that I see, all too often, in the Catholic faith. I call this Lutherism, and no, I don't mean Lutheranism. Hence this post is not directed at our separated brethren the Lutherans or other Protestants.  Lutherism occurs when individuals in the Catholic faith, (assuming they have agreed to the tenets of the faith) believe that they know more than the pope and understand better than the magisterium the direction the Church should be going. Martin Luther began with the desire to correct the abuses of the Church but ultimately found himself outside of the Church Jesus started. It was his sincere belief that he alone knew better than the current pope and the magisterium of the Catholic Church.

"The wrath of God is coming upon the papists, the enemies of the cross of Christ, that all men should resist them. You then, Leo X, you cardinals and the rest of you at Rome, I tell you to your faces: “If this bull          ( Papal Bull of excommunication) has come out in your name, then I will use the power which has been given me in baptism whereby I became a son of God and co-heir with Christ, established upon the rock against which the gates of hell cannot prevail. I call upon you to renounce your diabolical blasphemy and audacious impiety, and, if you will not, we shall all hold your seat as possessed and oppressed by Satan, the damned seat of Antichrist; in the name of Jesus Christ, whom you persecute."

But ultimately the man who said these things at a more saner moment said this:

"I am more afraid of my own heart than of the pope and all his cardinals.

 I have within me the great pope, Self."

 And that my friends, is the heart and soul of Lutherism - Believing that we know better than the current pope while listening only to our inner pope, the Great Pope, Self the First!

Dear God, free us all from the "pope" inside us and let us happily submit our mind, will and emotions to the working of the Holy Spirit in this Church you started. Let this be our heart and mind, especially when we feel like we know better than our current pope.