Marco Rubio, a Catholic, is stirring the pot. Again.

Well, the pot has been "stirred" if you're an overly-sensitive leftist who doesn't understand how it's possible to agree yet disagree with someone, in this instance the Pope. Here's what Marco Rubio said:

"On the social teachings, on the essential issues like the sanctity of life … those go deep to the theology of the faith. Those are binding," Rubio said. "On the economic issues, the geopolitical issues, the pope is just trying to bring people together. That's his role as a spiritual leader, and I respect that very much. I have a job as a United States senator to act in the best interest of the United States and of our people. And from time to time, that might lead to different opinions."

Rubio is saying he agrees with the Pope on issues of theology, but it's okay as a Catholic to disagree with the Pope on geopolitical issues. What's wrong with that? Nothing to the Catholic faith, as Rubio is, in essence, defining papal infallibility.

But to leftists who understand nothing about Catholicism or even the Bible...everything Rubio said is "wrong."

NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio said Rubio doesn't read his Bible (or Catechism) enough to understand that the Pope is right about geopolitical issues, particularly the treatment of the poor (read between the lines = leftist socialist views). According to deBlasio,

“I would strongly urge Sen. Rubio to go back and reread ‘The Sermon on the Mount,’” de Blasio said on ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday. “Clearly, the core of Catholic teachings and Christian teachings talks about the economic realities that people face, and has for thousands of years.”

“I’m surprised Mr. Rubio doesn’t understand that.”

Could it be that perhaps Mr. de Blasio is the one who needs to read his Bible more often? The Sermon on the Mount he refers to is found in Matthew chapters 5-7. I just read all three chapters and honestly can't tell you - since the Mayor didn't give us specific verses - what passages of the Sermon on the Mount the Mayor is referring to.

Is he talking about Matthew 5:3, "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven"? Thing is, that's not even talking about "poor" people, Mr. Mayor. It's talking about those with a repentant heart.

Maybe he meant Matthew 6:31-33, "Take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you."

That verse basically says, "Yup, you have needs, because you're human. God knows that. So stop worrying all the time." It's not a command to government systems to create vast welfare programs.

Yes, the Bible does teach Christians that it is our duty to minister to the poor. However, in no place does it teach us that it is the government's responsibility to care for those poor in perpetuity.

And that, my friends, is where Marco Rubio and the Pope differ. Where Rubio would say, "It's MY job to buy the homeless guy I meet today a hamburger," the Pope would say, "I'll buy him a hamburger today BUT the government should provide him with hamburgers for the rest of the week so he doesn't have to worry about being hungry."

Does that make sense? It's a difference in geopolitical worldview. And guess what? We're allowed to agree that Jesus is the Son of God and disagree on the roles of government.

So, Mayor de Blasio, here's a little piece of the Sermon on the Mount you may wish to study before going after Senator Rubio again anytime soon:

"Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again. And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother's eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Or how wilt thou say to thy brother, Let me pull out the mote out of thine eye; and, behold, a beam is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, first cast out the beam out of thine own eye; and then shalt thou see clearly to cast out the mote out of thy brother's eye." - Matthew 7:1-5

~Written by Krystal Heath