Speaking of Judas’ words on St. Mary Magdalene’s “waste” of spikenard, the Holy Father, Pope Francis, said: “This is the first reference that I personally found in the Gospel of poverty as an ideology. The ideologue does not know what love is because they do not know how to gift themselves.”
This passage from the Gospels is a great apologetic for lavishing valuable things on Jesus in the Church’s Liturgy — gold vessels, altar linens, incense, beautiful vestments, sacred art, art-craft, and architecture, great music, etc.
Pope Francis has received criticism for his “liturgical pauperism” as well as his supposed “socialism” in pursuit of his concern for the poor. This condemnation of poverty as an ideology should serve to deflect such criticisms — or, at least give pause to his critics to consider his true motivations.
