Pope Francis revealing his take on Synod controversies in his private homilies?
![](https://seedus3932.gloriatv.net/storage1/2bygaw329q03pm57aozzoozu29uah0lych0x8qu.webp?scale=on&secure=wv4aeSeJXhRRztIS17-HRA&expires=1720987331)
From middle of article click link to view commentary around these paragraphs.
Indeed, even consummate Vatican journalist John Allen of the Boston Globe agreed, writing: “In his usual impromptu homily at morning Mass (Monday), Pope Francis seemed to prepare the ground for the (interim report), and the conflicting reactions it was destined to stir, by delivering a strong rebuke to rigid legalists of all stripes.”
During the homily, Pope Francis spoke of the “Doctors of the Law” who were “unable to understand the signs of the times.” They were, he said, “closed within their system, they had perfectly systemized the law, it was a masterpiece.
“Every Jew knew what they could do and what they could not do, how far they could go. It was all systemized. And they were safe there."
The pope noted that the Doctors of the Law "did not like” Jesus, he “was dangerous; doctrine was in danger, the doctrine of the law” which the theologians had formulated over the centuries. Pope Francis said that while the theologians had "done this out of love, to be faithful to God," they had become “closed", they had "simply forgotten history. They had forgotten that God is the God of the Law, but He is also the God of surprises."
Seeming to address one of the major sub themes of the Synod, that doctrine will never change, but pastoral practice should, Pope Francis said: "They did not understand that God is the God of surprises, that God is always new; He never denies himself, never says that what He said was wrong, never, but He always surprises us. They did not understand this and they closed themselves within that system that was created with the best of intentions.”
www.sanctepater.com/…/pope-francis-re…