The emphasis I placed in my last reflection on the harmfulness of false teachings is very necessary, for even today believers are confronted with erroneous teachings that have crept into the Church. I have written and spoken about this in my publications, and I invite you to read about the teachings and practices endangering the faithful in the Church today:
https://en.elijamission.net/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/The-5-Wounds-of-the-Church.pdf
Heretical teachings, however, must be clearly rejected, which is usually done through the authority of the Church. The problem arises when the Church itself spreads errors or fails to correct them. Unfortunately, this is increasingly the case. Thus, the faithful must—hopefully with the help of some priests—reject these errors themselves based on the Catholic faith handed down through the ages.
In the context of St. Paul’s Letter to the Colossians, I will cite one example of an erroneous current direction at the highest levels of the Church, which is, however, very painful. It concerns a statement made by Pope Francis in September 2024.
Kath.net reported:
On the last day of his nearly two-week trip, Pope Francis said the following during an “interfaith” meeting with young people at a Catholic junior college in Singapore: “All religions are paths to God. They are—to draw a comparison—like different languages, different dialects, for reaching Him. But God is God for everyone. If you start fighting and say, ‘My religion is better,’ where does that lead us? There is only one God, and each of us has a language to reach God. Some are Sikhs, Muslims, Hindus, Christians—different paths to God.”
This statement contradicts the words of Jesus himself: “I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but by me,” (John 14,6) as well as the Church’s tradition. After all, the Church is sent forth to proclaim salvation in Christ to all people.
Unfortunately, the late pope’s statements are not a one-time lapse but part of a pattern of similar statements and actions that his successor in the papacy has not corrected.
Without making this the main focus of this reflection, let us simply clarify what this would mean for the Church’s mission. If all religions were paths to God, there would be no need to proclaim the Gospel, as people could be saved through their own religion. Jesus, then, would not have had to send out his disciples, nor would Paul and the apostles have had to give their lives—for what purpose would the many missionaries and martyrs have died?
Now, let us turn once more to the words of the Apostle, who exhorts his church:
“If then you have been raised with Christ, seek the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. For you have died, and your life is hid with Christ in God. When Christ who is our life appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. On account of these the wrath of God is coming. In these you once walked, when you lived in them. But now put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and foul talk from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old nature with its practices and have put on the new nature, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. Here there cannot be Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scyth′ian, slave, freeman, but Christ is all, and in all.” (Col 3:1-11)
For the sake of the glory given to us in Christ, which we possess through faith, we must engage in the spiritual battle. Even though our “old self” died and was buried through baptism and we received new life in Christ, we still struggle against inclinations corresponding to a life of sin. The apostle clearly names them! They used to rule over us. Now, we must learn to rule over them and strive for the corresponding virtues. This is a long struggle, but God will provide all the help we need. Yet, we must realize that we must persistently work at all this and not slacken. In this way, we are renewed in the image of the Creator as the new life in Christ takes shape.
The last paragraph of this section is particularly enlightening. When we have accepted Christ and set out on the path of following Him, a unity arises among people that goes far beyond their nationality or social status. This is the unity in Christ to which all people are called.
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Meditation on the day’s Gospel: https://en.elijamission.net/prudent-children-of-light/