Pope: an inconsistent pastor is 'a wound in the Church'

What gives authority to a pastor is closeness: closeness to God in prayer and closeness to people. "Authority: authority, a gift of God. It only comes from Him. And Jesus gives it to his own. Authority in speaking, which comes from closeness with God and with people, always together ".

Vatican City (AsiaNews) - What gives authority to a pastor is closeness: closeness to God in prayer and closeness to people. And coherence, not inconsistency in his lifestyle, not "leading a double life", which is "a wound in the Church", said Pope Francis at mass this morning at Casa Santa Marta.

The Pope was commenting on the passage from the Gospel of Mark which describes Jesus teaching "as one who has authority". Francis underlined  that Jesus’ teaching was a "new teaching": the "novelty" is precisely the "gift of authority" received from the Father.

Faced with the teachings of the scribes, the doctors of the law, who also "told the truth", people "thought of something else", because what they said "did not touch their heart": they taught "from the pulpit and were not interested in the people".

Instead "the teaching of Jesus causes astonishment, it [caused] heart’s to move", because what "gives authority" is closeness and Jesus "had authority because he approached the people", understanding their problems, pains and sins.

"Because he was close, he understood; but, he welcomed, healed and taught with closeness. What gives a pastor authority or awakens that authority that is given by the Father,  is closeness: closeness to God in prayer - a pastor who does not pray, a pastor who does not seek God has lost part - and closeness to people. The pastor detached from people does not reach people with the message. Proximity, this double proximity. This is the anointing of the pastor who is moved by the gift of God in prayer, and can be moved in the face of people’s sins, problems, diseases: a pastor who is moved."

The Pope added that the scribes had lost the "ability" to be moved precisely because "they were neither close to the people nor to God". And when this closeness is lost, the pastor ends up "with an inconsistent life".

Jesus is clear in this: "Do what they say", "but not what they do". The double life. It is bad to see pastors with a double life: it is a wound in the Church. Sick pastors, who have lost authority and go on leading this double life. There are many ways to lead a double life: but it is still double ... And Jesus is very hard with them. He not only tells people to listen to them but not to do what they do, but what does he say to them? "But you are whitewashed sepulchers": beautiful in doctrine, from the outside. But inside, rotten.

The Pope then recalled the figures of Anna, who prays the Lord to have a son, and of the priest, the "old Eli", who "was weak, had lost closeness to God and to the people" and he had judged Anna a drunkard. Instead she was praying in her heart, moving only her lips. It was she who explained to Eli that she was "embittered" and that "the excess" of her "pain" and her own "anguish" was talking.

And while she was talking, Eli was "able to get close to that heart", to tell her to go in peace: "the God of Israel will grant you what you asked for". He realized, the Pope observed, "that he was wrong" by making his blessing a prophecy came from his heart, because then Anna then gave birth to Samuel.

"I will tell the pastors who have lived their lives cut off from God and the people, from the people: Do not lose hope. There is always the possibility. For him [Eli] it was sufficient to look, approach a woman, listen to her and awaken his authority to bless and prophesy; that prophecy was made and the son to the woman came '”.

Pope Francis concluded: “Authority: authority, a gift of God. It only comes from him. And Jesus gives it to his own. Authority in speaking, which comes from closeness with God and with people, always together. Authority that is coherence, not double life. It is authority, and if a pastor loses it he should not lose hope, like  Eli: there is always time to draw close and awaken authority and prophecy".