What is the first thing to strike you when you look into the eyes of a little child? Surely, it is the child’s innocence! A little child does not lie or put on airs. A little child simply is. A flower is what it is, a star is what it is. So, too, is the child.
Jesus calls on us to put on the spirit of the child if we are to enter into His kingdom because His kingdom is from within, and it is all about love. He also asks us to be as wise as serpents if we are to survive the treacherous snares of the ‘world.’ Make no mistake about it. Jesus wants us to become as little children for “to such as these belongs the kingdom of God.” Are you surprised then that the deviously clever and politically connected people of Jesus’s day tried to undermine His teaching of unconditional love by twisting His words to suit their own false interpretations and their arrogant lust for power?
In today’s scripture, the Lord also strongly condemns those who lead his “little ones” to sin. Child abuse, especially the scourge of child sex-abuse, is a terrible evil in today’s society, but especially in the Church which was founded by Christ to protect the “little ones” and to spread the good news of the gospel. The Church has been reeling from this tragic, moral earthquake of child sex-abuse and institutional cover-up for the past fifty years and, maybe, longer. Does it not seem to an unbiased observer that the Church’s hierarchy, like the Pharisees, Scribes, and Sadducees of Jesus’s time, has shown more interest in their positions of power rather than Christian service? The good news is that abuse of the Church’s office, however, does not nullify the validity of the office itself. That is why Jesus says: “do what they say, but don’t do as they do”( Matthew 23 : 2-3 ). But, this is no excuse for abuse of the office. Jesus was addressing the need of His flock for direction from the Church”s leaders when He said: “do as they say, not do as they do.” He was, in no way, condoning the sad dereliction of duty of the Church”s leaders, such as we are witnessing today in the Church.
Scandals are not new in the Church ( Matthew 18 : 7 ). Jesus had to deal with the scandal of Judas who, out of greed, betrayed His trust. He also dealt with the scandal of Peter who denied Him three times. And then there are the scandals of the bad Popes who perverted the true mission of the Church. Still, these scandals do not alter the effectiveness of the good news of the Gospel which has survived and continues to bear good fruit in the lives of the saints and faithful Christians down through the ages, even when the Church was in the grip of ambitious and corrupt Popes.
The present-day crisis of sex-abuse in the Church, however, is of seismic proportions, and cannot be denied. Not only did the victims suffer the indignity of sex abuse by clergy, they also suffered the double indignity of abuse by the institutional Church which was supposed to protect them and, in which, they placed their trust.
What can be done about this? Rather than abandon hope, we need to ask: what does Jesus say? In the Parable of the wicked tenants in the Vineyard, Jesus addresses this situation, and offers a solution. This parable does not talk of a co-operative Church but of a Church whose leaders produce a harvest of ‘wild grapes” or scandals. The Church or Vineyard, He says, will be taken away from then, and “given to those who will yield a rich harvest.” This will come about in God’s good time. The Lord is in charge, ultimately.
Let us remember, the Church is the people of God, and that means everyone struggling to be faithful to the gospel in a sinful wold. We are the Church, Christ residing in us. As long as we put Chris first and foremost in our lives, and follow Him, the Church will “produce a rich harvest.”
So, let us pray for our Church:
Father in Heaven, help our Church to walk in a manner worthy of the calling You have given us.
Help us to be meek and humble of heart.
Grant us the patience to bear one another’s burdens with love.
Grant our shepherds the will and courage to reform the Church,
and follow the example of Christ, so they can lead wisely
and fruitfully for the good of all.
Fr. Hugh Duffy
4 Comments
Robert Galligan
Thank you Father. I’m speechless. Wonderful.
Jeff Hammond
Great to hear truth while the Church leadership ignores things.
Jeannie Otto
Oh, how we need these words of clarity and hope! It is difficult to remain faithful, not to Jesus the Lord…but, to this worldly institution that appears so corrupt with the intent to cover up this massive injustice. I find myself hardly able to walk through the Church doors, even though that is where our Sacraments are. It is difficult to face this hypocrisy! Pray for/with us, Father Duffy!
Hugh Duffy
Jeannie: Many Catholics have been finding it difficult to walk through the doors of the Church for a long time but never more than now after these awful revelations. The gift of faith is personal and it would be inadvisable to throw the baby out with the dirty water. Keep going to Church and keep receiving the sacraments so you can produce a “rich harvest.”