Standing in solidarity with the Pope

Father Byers: “Let’s pray for Pope Francis!”

Tradition-al-ism-ists: “So, Father Byers, when did you stop being Catholic?”

Father Byers: “Let’s pray for Pope Francis!”

Tradition-al-ism-ists: “So, Father Byers, when did you abandon the faith, the truth, the Church, your obligations as a priest to lead your flock to heaven?

Father Byers: “Let’s pray for Pope Francis!”

Tradition-al-ism-ists: “So, Father Byers, why are you such a hypocrite, pretending to be Catholic, but supporting Pope Francis with prayer? You traitor, you false priest, you servant of Satan!”

Since when is it required NOT to pray for someone, anyone, in order to held to be Catholic? It is the supreme denial of Jesus’ mandate to pray for others, even if we consider them to be our enemies, if we require of ourselves and others NEVER to pray for the Pope.

No matter how many times I try to get Tradition-al-ism-ists to lay aside theological differences as being irrelevant to whether or not we pray for the Pope, it is never about helping each other get to heaven with prayer, but only about politics: It is held that if you pray for someone, it means that you agree with everything they say and do always and everywhere. Talk about ultramontanism! How very ironic.

Guarantee: Not even one Tradition-al-ism-ist-ic person will see the irony, but instead just be triggered to condemn any and all prayers for the Holy Father as being a sign of Satan, that one holds that everything the Holy Father says and does is an ex-cathedra proclamation. Guaranteed.

Meanwhile, what did Jesus say? That Peter would be sifted as wheat by Satan, but that after he turns, he is to confirm the brethren? Yes? Well, then, did Peter have anyone to pray for him while he was being sifted as wheat? Maybe, I don’t know… Let’s see… Perhaps Jesus’ good mom? Is she demonic? And – Hey! – Maybe Jesus prayed as well? (See Luke 22:32). Really. It’s there. In Scripture.

• …I have prayed that your own faith may not fail; and once you have turned back, you must strengthen your brothers.
• …ἐγὼ δὲ ἐδεήθην περὶ σοῦ ἵνα μὴ ἐκλίπῃ ἡ πίστις σου· καὶ σύ ποτε ἐπιστρέψας στήρισον τοὺς ἀδελφούς σου.
• …ego autem rogavi pro te ut non deficiat fides tua: et tu aliquando conversus, confirma fratres tuos.

And before anyone, laughing, mocks to say that I must be admitting – finally – that Pope Francis is in the grip of Satan, instead, I say this: Satan sifts us all as wheat. No one is exempt, not Mary, not Jesus. That’s not the question. The question is whether or not we will join Jesus and His good mom in praying for the Successor of him who is now SAINT Peter. Hail Mary…

And still I can hear it:

• Do you know what he did with appointments?
• Do you know what he did with Amoris laetitia?
• Don’t you know that mercy is fake? (Said even with no nuances given.)
• Don’t you know what he’s doing with doctrine and evangelization?
• Don’t you know that he doesn’t wear red shoes?

“STOP PRAYING FOR FAKE POPE FRANCIS!” they shriek.

Sigh…

I wonder if such people would walk up to Jesus in Gethsemane while He sweat as with great drops of blood, and spit on Him, slap Him, throw a hissy fit, even while He prays for Peter. I wonder if such people would walk up to Mary under the cross, and throw her to the ground, screaming at her to have her stop being in solidarity with Jesus, who prays for Peter also from the cross, even while all hell is broken out on Calvary. Let’s try again:

Hail Mary…