These are tough times in the Roman Catholic Church. If you’re paying attention to the headlines, you know that our Church is being rocked with scandal – a scandal that is no doubt testing the faith of many a good man or woman.
In times like this, it’s important to remember that the sins of our fathers and our bishops should have nothing to do with our own journeys toward Jesus Christ. It just makes that journey a little more difficult.
Anger. Guilt. Shame. More anger.
We are all feeling the emotions as sins are brought to light.
In times like this, I try to find tiny pieces of wisdom in our daily readings at Mass. Words that can soothe our souls or give us hope. Some days are easier than others, but today is one of the good ones, at least for me.
Starting with our first reading, where we find Ezekiel about to experience a huge loss in his personal life – and an even bigger loss later (referring to the coming destruction of the Temple in those days). The reading begins …
Son of man, by a sudden blow I am taking away from you the delight of your eyes,
Ezekiel is about to lose his wife to death. But is this also aimed at us? Are we all about to witness the taking away of our own delights? Will the news continue to hammer us with headlines (like sudden blows) that result in the sudden fall of many more in the Church who we have come to follow and admire?
I pray no, but I expect yes.
More importantly, how should we react?
In our reading, Ezekiel is faced with the same dilemma. It has been foretold that the Temple will be destroyed. Using his own personal tragedy as an example, he embraces the Lord’s admonition not to be overcome with grief.
“… do not mourn or weep or shed any tears. Groan in silence, make no lament for the dead.”
Why mourn when God has always kept his covenant. The Temple would be destroyed, but God’s love, grace and promises would continue to exist in the hearts of those who love him.
Same for today … groan in silence, but don’t go crazy. Don’t be like those who want you to believe the sky is falling, the Church is falling and the end is near.
“The gates of hell shall not prevail.” And by that, I don’t mean the “hell” of the headlines and those who are angry at the Church. They have a right to be angry and to hold us to the highest standard of behavior.
No, I am referring to the “hell” that has been unleased within some of the men – many of them leaders of the institutional Church – who have placed their own sick, depraved interests ahead of their vows to shepherd the Church and her people.
Speaking of how we should react, there is also inspiration to be gleaned by St. Bernard of Clairvaux, who we celebrate as our saint of the day today. St. Bernard’s life as a monk, abbot and a doctor of the Church, played out during several controversies of the day in 1100s … makes me wonder what steps he might take to address our current challenge.
While exploring some of Bernard’s many quotes, I found one that addresses our tendency to quickly react, quickly condemn and quickly offer our own opinions – usually by posting comments on Facebook or Twitter. We all want to have that kind of outlet where we can vent, but too often we do so far too quickly without thinking through and exploring the issue of the day.
St. Bernard might tell you that before you vent … you take it to prayer and meditation. Pray for wisdom. In other words, think twice (or more) before venting. We need to be more like a reservoir and less like canals:
“The man who is wise, therefore, will see his life as more like a reservoir than a canal. The canal simultaneously pours out what it receives; the reservoir retains the water till it is filled, then discharges the overflow without loss to itself … Today there are many in the Church who act like canals, the reservoirs are far too rare … You too must learn to await this fullness before pouring out your gifts, do not try to be more generous than God.” (Bernard of Clairvaux, On the Song of Songs).
Then there is this piece of wisdom.
Many appear full of mildness and sweetness as long as everything goes their own way; but the moment any contradiction or adversity arises, they are in a flame, and begin to rage like a burning mountain. Such people as these are like red-hot coals hidden under ashes. This is not the mildness which Our Lord undertook to teach us in order to make us like unto Himself.
With all that is happening today, don’t forget there remains a simplicity of faith, which is captured perfectly in today’s Gospel, when Jesus spells it out for the curious man who wants to know how to get to heaven.
It is like a recipe. Follow the commandments, love and stop worrying more about your treasures on earth than storing up treasures in heaven. No matter how many cooks in the kitchen have gone bad, the recipe is still good and needs to be followed.
Let’s let St. Bernard explain in his words what awaits those who choose their own recipes.
“O wretched slaves of Mammon, you cannot glory in the Cross of our Lord Jesus Christ while you trust in treasures laid up on earth: you cannot taste and see how gracious the Lord is, while you are hungering for gold. If you have not rejoiced at the thought of His coming, that day will be indeed a day of wrath to you.” (Bernard of Clairvaux, On Loving God.)
Let me leave you with a final thought. Throughout church history, it is during times like these that the Lord has raised great men and women who became instruments of change under the guidance of our Lord. Let’s pray that those souls are being stirred to greatness at this very moment.
And let the cleansing begin.
