Jesus Of Nazareth And The Dalai Lama On The Indispensable Role Of Service

Alan: I am struck that the word "service" gets so little play in the parlance of religion.

In the 10th chapter of Mark, shortly after counseling the wealthy man to "sell all you have and give the money to the poor" as the surest way to enter paradise, Jesus adds this comment about hierarchy and service: 

 “As you know, the kings and great men of the earth lord it over the people; 43 but among you it is different. Whoever wants to be great among you must be your servant.44 And whoever wants to be greatest of all must be the slave of all. 45 For even I, the Messiah, (Son of Man) am not here to be served, but to help others, and to give my life..."

Alan: Often, it seems that direct attempts to insure "personal salvation" distract from the service that actually saves.

Pope Francis comments on atheism:

"The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the Blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone! ‘Father, the atheists?’ Even the atheists. Everyone! And this Blood makes us children of God of the first class! We are created children in the likeness of God and the Blood of Christ has redeemed us all! And we all have a duty to do good. And this commandment for everyone to do good, I think, is a beautiful path towards peace. If we, each doing our own part, do good to others, if we meet there, doing good, and we go slowly, gently, little by little, we will make that culture of encounter: we need that so much. We must meet one another doing good. ‘But I don’t believe, Father, I am an atheist!’ But do good: we will meet one another there. Read more here: http://www.catholicvote.org/what-pope-francis-really-said-about-atheists/

"Pope Francis Links"

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2013/11/pope-francis-links.html

Pope Francis: Quotations On Finance, Economics, Capitalism And Inequality

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2014/04/pope-francis-on-finance-economics.html

Pope Francis: One Of The Most Powerful Critiques Of Capitalism You Will Ever Read

http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2015/03/pope-francis-one-of-most-powerful.html

Pope Francis: "This Economy Kills"
http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2015/01/pope-francis-this-economy-kills.html

Catholic Social Teaching
http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2015/01/catholic-social-teaching.html

Pope Francis: Moving The Moral Compass 
From "The Individual" Toward "The Collective"
http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2015/01/pope-francis-moving-moral-judgment-from.html

Pro-Science Pontiff: Pope Francis On Climate Change, Evolution And The Big Bang
http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2015/01/the-pro-science-pontiff-pope-francis-on.html

Pope Francis: What Christianity Looks Like When Believers Realize "God Is Love"
http://paxonbothhouses.blogspot.com/2014/12/pope-francis-what-happens-when-jesus-is.html