Frightening news about Jesus for Sarah Palin

                   … Jesus Christ was a liberal

So, lay off Pope Francis!

Yes, Sarah, Jesus Christ was a liberal, and Pope Francis recognizes that the Catholic Church has lost its moorings with Jesus's teachings over the past 35 years. It has forgotten that Jesus was a man of love, a man of peace, a man who cared deeply for the common people, particularly for the poor, the least of our brethren. 

Jesus was a person who wanted change in the world, and he pleaded with 12 men to follow him. They did so, but what Jesus was preaching was a radical thought in those days. That is why Jesus was eventually crucified.  

Jesus was also a man who believed in inclusion, not in excluding people from God. He believed in equality and tolerance. 

In short, that is what Pope Francis has been practicing since his elevation earlier this year. 

Pope Francis has shocked the right wing of the Catholic Church by walking into slums to embrace the poor people, simply wanting to bring God's presence to them. He interrupted his weekly audience recently to kiss a horribly-disfigured man with "Elephant Man" disease (neurofibromatosis). He hugged the man and prayed with him. The public generally avoid people with this disease because they are repulsive-looking. This man was born with this disease, and Francis recognized that he is part of God's kingdom regardless of his appearance.  

Pope Francis has also talked about the needs of the poor, and he has said that capitalism is inherently evil. This has shocked some right-wing Catholics, such as the Opus Dei crowd, and they are complaining to the New York Times to convey their message to the church leaders: "Conservative U.S. Catholics Feel Left Out of the Pope’s Embrace" http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/10/us/conservative-us-catholics-feel-left-out-of-the-popes-embrace.html?_r=0>

Much of this, Sarah, should come as no surprise to Catholics. He took the name Francis because of his love for Francis of Assisi, the 13th Century man who renounced his fortune and returned home and worked with the poor in his home town and throughout Italy. 

St. Francis founded the Order of Poor Clares for women to pray and sacrifice. He eventually founded what we in Pennsylvania call the Third Order Regular, who are Franciscan priests. 

What both Pope Francis and St. Francis focus on is the mission of Jesus, one that is very clear in the book of Matthew. The Sermon on the Mount was very important to Jesus in explaining his priorities to those who were assembled.

In case that you have never read our "beatitudes" in chapter 5 of Matthew, here are a few:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven … Blessed are the meek, for they will inherit the land … Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called children of God."

Jesus also criticized those whose focus is on wealth, making a shocking statement in the book of Mark: "It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God" (10:25). Does not sound like a conservative, eh, Sarah?

Pope Francis is not changing the basic tenets of Catholicism. He is simply changing the narrative, and the people across the world love it. In fact, he is now the most talked-about man on the planet according to Global Language Monitor, a Texas firm that specializes in public communication. 

Obviously, this has shocked the hierarchy in America, like Timothy Dolan in New Yorkand Charles Caput in Philadelphia. In fact, a rumor is circulating that the pope will ask those bishops in America who are upset with him to step down. He will then elevate bishops who have no ideology, which is the way that it should be, the way that Jesus would want the church to operate. Ideology was irrelevant until 1978, and the two popes after that point elevated only those who were to the right of the philosophical spectrum. (In Altoona-Johnstown we have suffered horribly for that decision).

 Dolan has admitted that "the Pope Francis effect" is everywhere in the U.S. 
He spoke to CBS earlier this week about the Pope's popularity. "I can't walk down the streets of our beloved New York without people coming up to me and saying 'Hey, thanks for Pope Francis. You guys did a good job. We love him," Dolan said. "I hear from our parish priests, who are always on the front line, they're telling me the crowds at Sunday mass are up, the confession lines are longer, inquiries about the Catholic faith are more abundant and even the collections are going up."

So, two messages Sarah. First, what Pope Francis says or does is none of your damn business. You lay off Pope Francis, and I will not criticize your holy roller religion. Second, understanding theology requires a triple-digit IQ, so you do not have to try to waste any of your time reading any Catholic dogma. (Where is Tina Fey when you need her?)

Thank you, Pope Francis, for elevating Catholicism in a way that has not been seen in decades -- or perhaps in centuries. It is nice to have Jesus back.