Vatican City, Sep 7, 2016 / 07:56 am
On Wednesday, Pope Francis warned against making Jesus into the person we want him to be, and thus creating obstacles to a true relationship with Christ and his mercy.
"The admonition of Jesus is always present: even today man constructs images of God that prevent him from enjoying his real presence," the Pope said during the general audience Sept. 7.
"Some carve out a 'do it yourself' faith that reduces God in the limited space of their own desires and their own beliefs. But this faith is not conversion to the Lord that is revealed, in fact, it prevents him from arousing our life and our conscience."
In his catechesis, Pope Francis named several different ways in which people create false images of God, such as those who invoke his name in defense of their own interests, or in the interest of hatred and violence, or those who deny Christ's divinity, considering him just a good ethical teacher and leader.