MANILA, Philippines – Pushing for a “poor Church for the poor,” Pope Francis rejected the “scandal of business” in parishes as he stressed that “redemption is free.”

In a homily in Vatican City on Friday, November 21, Francis also said the flock cannot forgive “a priest attached to money and a priest who mistreats people.”

“How often when we enter a church do we see… a price list hanging there ‘for baptism, blessings, Mass intentions.’ And people are scandalized,” Francis said, as he explained the day’s Gospel.

The Gospel was about Jesus Christ driving sellers away from the Temple, as they “have made it a den of thieves.”

“When those who are in the Temple – be they priests, lay people, secretaries, but who manage the Temple, the ministry of the Temple – become businessmen, people are scandalized. And we are responsible for this. The laity too! Everyone,” he said.

The Pope added: “Why does Jesus have an issue with money? Because redemption is free; it is God’s free gift. He comes to brings us the all-encompassing gratuity of God’s love. So when the Church or churches start doing business, then it is said that… salvation is not so free…. This is why Jesus takes the whip to hand to carry out this act of the purification of the Temple.” 

To stress his point, Francis recounted his experience as a newly ordained priest – an anecdote that resounds in many parishes in the Philippines. (READ: Filipinos shun ‘expensive’ Church weddings)

‘Sin of scandal’

Back then, he said, he was with a couple that wanted to get married. “They went to a parish, but they wanted a wedding ceremony with the Mass. And the parish secretary there said, ‘No, no, you cannot.’”

The couple answered, “Why can’t we have a Mass? If the Council always recommends people to have a ceremony with the Mass.”

“No, you cannot, because it can’t last more than 20 minutes,” the secretary said. 

“But why?”

The secretary explained that “there are other slots” in the timetable for ceremonies.

The couple said, “But we want the Mass!”

The secretary replied, “So you will have to pay for two slots!”

“So in order to have a wedding ceremony with the Mass they had to pay two slots. This is the sin of scandal,” Francis said. “It is scandalous when the Temple, the House of God, becomes a place of business, as in the case of that wedding: the church was being rented out.”

The Pope said: “We know what Jesus says to those who are the cause of scandal: ‘Better to be thrown into the sea.’” – Rappler.com

Join Rappler in a 100-day countdown to Pope Francis’ visit to the Philippines: a journey from the Vatican to Tacloban. Tweet us your thoughts using the hashtag #PopeFrancisPH!