[Greek] ἀφορίζω (aphorizō), [Latin] separare, [Latin] segregare, [French] isoler: to separate, to exclude, to appoint, to set apart; Mt.13:49, Mt.25:32, Lk.6:22, Acts 13:2, Acts 19:9, Rom.1:1, 2Cor.6:17, Gal.1:15, Gal.2:12
Pope John Paul II rightly points out God’s moral truth. Pope Leo XIV is beginning set himself apart [from Pope Francis] in providing some moral and doctrinal clarity.
Background information:
Greek Hellenism: This term means to mark off, to establish, to border on, to define, to separate, to exclude, to bring to an and, and to banish.
Isocrates’ To Phillip 5.120: “What opinion must we expect the world will have if you actually do this undertaking to establish cities in this region.”
Plato’s Timaeus 24a: “You see how the priestly class is separated from the rest: craftsmen, shepherds, and farmers, each distinguished and separate.”
Plato’s Greater Hippias 298d: “Did you make the distinction that in the category of the pleasing that which is beautiful, whereas, you say that that which is pleasing according to other senses.”
Old Testament: This term means to separate, to divide, and to cleave. Israel is separated from the world. The lepers, unclean, and the unholy are to be separated from the community. The Levites are to be a separated priesthood.
New Testament: This term means to separate, to disperse, to exclude, to set apart.
Mt.25:32: “The Son of Man will separate them one from another, as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.” (The criterion of judgment is ultimately the acceptance or rejection of Jesus. The Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne and assemble all the nations [Gentiles and Jews] before Him. The criterion of judgment will be deeds of mercy.)
Lk.6:22: “Blessed are you when people hate you, and when they exclude and insult you, and denounce your name as evil on account of the Son of Man.” (Being excluded: persecution, being deposed, being marginalized, and being excommunicated. Being insulted: being accused as heretics, apostates, and enemies [to the law or the Jews]. Being denounced as evil: being perceived as hateful and intolerant, being countercultural, and being monsters.)
Acts 13:2: “While they were worshipping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, ‘Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them'”. (The Jerusalem community had earlier been the center of missionary activity. Now Antioch becomes the center of activity for these new Christians.)
Acts 19:9: “When some in their obstinacy and disbelief disparaged the Way before the assembly, Paul withdrew and took his disciples with him and began to hold daily discussions in the Tyrannus lecture hall.” (The truth had no impression on their opponents as they were not persuaded by the Way’s message. Therefore, it was necessary for Paul to find another place to hold daily discussions.)
Gal.1:15: “But when God, who from my mother’s womb had set me [Paul] apart and called me through His grace, was pleased to reveal His Son to Me.” (Paul makes reference to revelation, not conversion. This language echoes the Old Testament prophetic call of Jeremiah.)
Gal.2:12: “Peter used to eat with the Gentiles; but when the Jewish Christians came, Peter began to draw back and separated himself, because he was afraid of the circumcised.” (Because of peer pressure, Peter walked away from the Gentiles. Since Peter’s actions were in public, Paul rebuked Peter in public. The Jerusalem Council recognized the freedom of Gentile Christians from the Jewish law.)
Aphorism: This is a term describing an important truth in a short or pithy sentence.
Aphorisms/Quotes St. Augustine:
“Pray as though everything depended on God. Work as though everything depended on you.”
“Trust the past to the mercy of God, the present to His love, and the future to His providence.”
“If you believe what you like in the Gospels and reject what you don’t like, it is not the Gospels you believe, but yourself.”
“The cost of obedience is small compared with the cost of disobedience.”
What did Pope Pius X prophetically say about how Modernists (and Synodalists) would intend to separate the Church from Traditional Catholicism? (From Pascendi Dominici Gregis (1907):
- They seek to separate objective moral truths (Church teachings) into personal and subjective explanations for religion. This is called vital immanence.
- They seek to democratize (separate and share) Church authority among the clergy and laity. This seeks to undermine the structure of the Church.
- They seek to further separate Church teachings from Tradition. Modernism is a synthesis of all heresies leading to atheism.
- They seek to transform Jesus’ divine Church (separate from the world) into a worldly synodal Church (in the world) made in the image of man and his lived experiences.
Etymology:
- The Greek preposition (apo-) means off and from.
- The Greek verb horizo means to separate and to define.
- The Greek noun horos means boundary.
Conclusion:
Separate, separation, aphorism, segregate, segregation, isolate, isolation
Update: Pope Francis’ Traditiones Custodes seeks to eventually shut down the Traditional Latin Mass. This is essentially seeking to marginalize, separate, and exclude Traditional and conservative Catholics. Pope Francis claims it is “divisive” to have both the TLM and Novus Order Mass.
The diocese of Charlotte is seeking to shut down the TLM to “promote the concord and unity of the Church.” This is greatly opposed by the laity.
St. Josephs’ Catholic Church in Indiana, having recently removed the TLM, was forced to close their Church for lack of attendance. This is a wake-up call in hearing what the laity want.
There have been clergy who continue to exclude and ignore Jesus’ command to sin no more (Jn.8:11) pertaining to the homosexual lifestyle. These clergy are failing in their duty to properly catechize the LGBTQ community. These clergy are putting many people’s eternal mortal souls in peril. These clergy will also face judgment.
It has been said by some that Fiducia Supplicans (offering non-liturgical blessings to same-sex unions) has become a new “mill-stone moment” in the Church for the grave nature of blessing sin (evil.)
In contrast to Pope Francis’ confusion and ambiguity, Pope Leo XIV is now providing more doctrinal clarity.
Jesus associated with sinners in order to save and forgive them, not to accept and tolerate their sinful lifestyles.
We hope Pope Leo XIV will be responsive to the wishes of the laity: to reinstate the Traditional Latin Mass, to receive the Eucharist on the tongue, and to use altar rails.
God will also separate those wicked, unfaithful, and clergy who do not properly fulfill their responsibilities to bring souls into heaven. As a result, there will be some priests, clergy, and pastors who may be SEVERELY JUDGED BECAUSE OF THEIR FAILURE TO ACT LIKE PRIESTS, CLERGY, AND PASTORS.
It is important to note that God will remain faithful to those clergy and laity who were persecuted, marginalized, and cancelled in remaining faithful to Him.
THIS IS WHAT POPE PIUS X WARNED US ABOUT: Bishop Drainey of Middlesbrough UK diocese calls upon the Church to re-examine its theological position on sexuality, gender, and identity in light of “modern scientific discoveries and of the LIVED EXPERIENCES of people with different sexualities and identities”. This is elevating lived experiences over Church teachings. SYNODALITY (LIVED EXPERIENCES) BECOMES AN IDOL. This is setting apart lived experiences from Church teachings.