I have been rather quiet lately. Writer’s block of sorts. I haven’t found much to write about in a weblog format and have been busy preaching and ministering – the former at the parishes, the latter in the clinic and various other locations in the local cities. More to be done than to be written.
We continue to hear of the sad news from Philadelphia regarding sex abuse charges against over 20 priests. We have been inundated (no pun intended here in any way) by the terrible suffering of our brothers and sisters in Japan. Perhaps it is a time to step back a bit in silence and reflect on what all this means for the Church.
Some will interpret the news from Philadelphia and Japan as some form of communication from God, either directly in these events or as fulfillment of a revelation from the Blessed Mother, regarding lack of faith and sin. I have always been repelled by such talk. Sex abuse is a moral evil, a psychological problem and a crime that cries to God for justice. Natural disasters are just that; you could call them a natural evil.
For me the real question is: “How do we see these events as definitive of the Church? How do we not dis-identify with them? How do we respond in a way that reflects the presence of God and His love for all mankind, yes all of creation? The victims and the victimizers are us. How we respond says a lot about how we see ourselves.
Sinners we are, yes; but redeemed we are too. Far from God we are at times, yes; but God is closer to us than we are to ourselves. Catholics we are, yes; but all are called to holiness and salvation. Criminals they are, yes, those who abuse our young and God’s justice will be swift in His own timed; but we all will be sentenced justly for our many sins and crimes. I challenge anyone to claim they have not hurt another citizen through the breaking of just laws of some sort.
We are the Church. We must look out for one another.
We must love one another. We must not cling to our material possessions when so many lack the basics of life.
That, my friends, is the sin for which many of us will need to answer at our judgment – that and judging those who do things we instinctively abhor.
