Pope Francis pens preface to liberal Jesuit priest James Martin's book on Lazarus
Pope Francis penned the preface to the newly released Italian version of a book about the resurrection of Lazarus by controversial American Jesuit priest James Martin, who has drawn scrutiny for his views about gender and sexuality.
"Jesus isn’t scared of coming close to sinners — to any sinner, even the most brazen and undaunted," Francis wrote regarding Martin's book Come Forth: The Raising of Lazarus and the Promise of Jesus’s Greatest Miracle, according to a copy of the preface that was written in March and published Monday by Vatican News.
The pope went on to say that Jesus "has one single preoccupation: that no one goes missing, that none are deprived of the possibility of feeling the loving embrace of his Father."
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Martin's book, which was published in the U.S. last September, explores the story of Christ's resurrection of Lazarus as recounted in John 11, which was one of His last miracles before He was crucified.
“As I read the careful arguments and exegeses of the biblical scholars he cites, it made me wonder how often we manage to approach Scripture with the 'hunger' of a person who knows that that word really is the Word of God," Francis wrote.
"The fact that God 'speaks' should give us a little jolt each and every day. The Bible truly is the nourishment we need to handle our lives. It’s the 'love letter' that God has sent — since long ago — to men and women living in every time and place."
Francis went on to write that all Christians are Lazarus, and that Martin roots himself "firmly in the Ignatian tradition," referring to Ignatius of Loyola, who founded the Jesuit order that led the charge against the Protestant Reformation within the Catholic Church in the 16th century.
"We’re his friends, too — 'dead' as we sometimes are on account of our sins, our failings and infidelities, the despondency that discourages us and crushes our spirits. Jesus is hardly afraid to get close to us — even when we 'reek' like a dead body that’s been buried for three days," Francis wrote.
Martin has faced accusations of opposing Catholic teachings regarding sexuality, though he has repudiated them, as noted by the Catholic News Agency. In 2021, he faced rebuke for retweeting a post referring to God as "Her" and suggesting that using female imagery as a representation of God is "theologically correct."
Pope Francis has also recently been in the crosshairs of criticism regarding comments he recently made suggesting that Roman Catholic seminaries have enough "frociaggine," an Italian slur that can be loosely translated as "faggotry."
Matteo Bruni, the director of the Holy See Press Office, released a statement last week explaining that the pontiff is sorry for using the word.
"The Pope never intended to offend or express himself in homophobic terms, and he apologizes to those who felt offended by the use of a term, as reported by others," stated Bruni.
"As he has stated on many occasions, 'There is room for everyone in the Church, for everyone! No one is useless; no one is superfluous; there is room for everyone. Just as we are, everyone.'"
Francis also recently drew criticism for comments he made in an interview with "60 Minutes," during which he suggested that mankind is basically good, prompting accusations of heresy.
He also raised eyebrows for accusing conservative U.S. bishops of exhibiting "a suicidal attitude" by opposing his "efforts to revisit teachings and traditions."
Jon Brown is a reporter for The Christian Post. Send news tips to jon.brown@christianpost.com
