That lesson that Jesus taught his disciple is as relevant to us, and the NRA, as it was the early movement of Christians in the first century.
The material in chapter 19 follows seamlessly on chapter 18: the description of the speeches that Pythagoras gave upon his arrival in Croton in chapter 18 is followed in chapter 19 by an account of the disciples that he gained as the result of those speeches and a discussion of what he taught these disciples.
"Christ would not have taught the disciples by correspondence course, I'm fairly sure".
In the Lord's Prayer Jesus taught his disciples to address God as "our Father".
He sponsored sporting events around the world, and taught his disciples to believe that they, too, could achieve spiritual growth through extreme athletic accomplishment.
Here, he taught his disciples the mathematically complex rhythms of the tabla, the humble two-piece drum that he elevated to an exalted status in more than half a century of playing the world's grandest concert halls, often with the renowned sitar player Ravi Shankar.
But the pope's apology should also be viewed within its theological context -- it will, after all, take place during a Mass and is fully in keeping with the Christian belief that repentance of misdeeds is necessary to future service to God. "Forgive us our trespasses," asks the prayer that, according to the Gospels, Jesus taught his disciples.
The final phrase of the prayer Jesus taught his disciples is "deliver us from evil".
Throughout his ministry, Jesus taught his disciples to expand their circle of inclusion.
Maybe Francis is following the Jesus who taught his disciples to be "as wise as serpents, as innocent as doves".
Do you remember when he taught his disciples, just a few days ago, about the reign of God in Matthew 25?
