Here’s an interesting clip for you: Pope Francis urges more understanding for homosexuality. (The embedded video is below, but it’s Javascript, so it may not works on your platform.)

The video shows Fr Jonathan Morris, a Fox News regular, commenting on Pope Francis’ now famous (notorious?) interview:

Fr Jonathan makes a big call. He says that Pope Francis is introducing radical changes. Not in doctrine, but in tone. This is an interesting idea. Max Lindenman proposed it weeks ago in The day the pope said ‘gay’. Then, I wasn’t convinced. But now . . .

To illustrate his point, Fr Jonathan cites the testimony of his lesbian sister, who was profoundly moved by Pope Francis’ interview:

My first feeling, when I was reading the pope’s interview, is that I felt like I was listening to the voice of Jesus. A Jesus I could believe in. I have had extreme difficulty in opening up a Bible in the past couple of years. I get knots in my stomach . . .

. . Yesterday, while I experienced Jesus through Pope Francis’ words, I would have been disappointed if after reading the whole interview – 12,000 words – it did not include anything more than what the news cycle has been talking about . . .

. . It was filled with radical empathy, radical love, radical humanity while not at any point watering down the pope’s understanding of objective truth. The news clippings conveniently left out the parts about moral consequences flowing from the simple, profound, radiant message of the Gospel.

I think Pope Francis is speaking to the periphery the way our Lord spoke to them — to the Samaritans and tax-collectors and public sinners. That might give those of us in the Synagogue cause to facepalm him occasionally, but God forbid we start tearing our garments and plotting against him. The moment we do that, we’ve assumed the role of the scribes and Pharisees.