Pope Francis explained that there is a great difference between the weak man and the hypocrite. He explained that the weak man is humble: he recognizes his sins. The hypocrite, on the other hand, does not want to change his bad behavior. He is actually lukewarm.
POPE FRANCIS
“Someone can say: 'But father, we are weak, we are sinners...' 'Ah, this is another thing.' If you accept that you are a sinner and weak, He forgives you, because part of the newness of the Gospel is to confess that Jesus Christ has come for the forgiveness of sins. But if you say you are a Christian and you live with these worldly novelties, no. This is hypocrisy. That's the difference”
The pope recalled that hypocrisy is not new. St. Paul already reproached some Christian communities in the early days of the Church.
EXCERPTS OF PAPAL HOMILY
(Source: Vatican News)
“The newness of the Gospel, the newness of Christ is not only transforming our soul; it is transforming our whole being: soul, spirit and body, all of it, everything: that is, transforming the vine – the leaven – into new wine-skins, also everything. The newness of the Gospel is absolute, is total; it takes all of us, because it transforms from the inside out: the spirit, the body, and everyday life.”
“And so many people seek to live their Christianity 'on novelties': [They say,] 'But today, it can be done this way; no today we can live like this.' And these people who live out the novelties that are proposed by the world are worldly; they don’t accept all the newness [of the Gospel]. There is a distinction between the 'newness' of Jesus Christ, and the 'novelties' that the world proposes to us as a way of living.”
“Someone could say, 'But Father, we are weak, we are sinners…' 'Ah, this is another thing.' If you accept that you are a sinner and weak, He forgives you, because part of the newness of the Gospel is confessing that Jesus Christ has come for the forgiveness of sins. But if you who say that you are a Christian and you live with these worldly novelties – no, this is hypocrisy. That is the difference. And Jesus has told us in the Gospel: 'Be careful when they tell you: ‘Christ is here, He’s there, He’s there… The novelties are these: 'No, salvation is with this, with this…' Christ is the only one. And Christ is clear in His message.”
