The Church Needs No Defense
I regularly get e mail's from a non-Catholic (actually ex-Catholic) friend of mine who wants to make sure I am aware that every scandal in the Catholic Church does not go unnoticed by him. Maybe he feels it's his duty to inform me of the latest "chink in the Church armor."(Just in case I was thinking that Catholics never mess up)
I used to think, "Oh nooo... how am I going to defend this one now?" The good news for me is that I have come to the realization that it is not my job to defend the sometimes indefensible actions of flawed and occasionally boneheaded Catholics, sometimes even those in leadership positions. For awhile, I thought it was my job because I want so badly for my non-Catholic and particularly ex-Catholic friends to "taste and see that the Lord is good" in the Catholic Church. Every time I got one of these e-mails or read the latest scandal, I would think: "Now they will never come back to the Church." But, that's between them and God, and I suspect that these scandals provide a justification for them to not be Catholic. Thankfully, the Holy Spirit has a way of bringing people into the Church despite the scandal that surrounds it and the promise of Jesus to Peter to build a Church that will never be prevailed upon still stands. For example, despite 12 cowardly disciples of Jesus scattering after the crucifixion, the Church now has 1.5 billion members throughout the world and continues 2000 years later.
The past two weeks of news media have provided a fertile source of information for those seeking to convince themselves and others that Catholicism is not true, based on the lives of those who don't live it. Scandal has been with the Church from the beginning and will be with it to the end. The mystery of the Church is that it is divine yet made up of human beings who are sinners. Sometimes I just gotta keep reminding myself of this.
posted by Russ Rentler, M.D. | 8:38 AM
6 Comments:
I remind myself that one of Jesus' handpicked apostles denied he even knew Jesus, and another handed Him over to His enemies.
For those who have eyes to see, no defence is necessary and for those who have not eyes to see, no defence will ever suffice...or something like that.All those disciples scattered like bugs exposed to sunlight when a rock is lifted when their Lord was crucified, But had their "reversion" in the cenacle when the Holy Spirit descended upon them, and Mary exhorted them I'm sure, like a good Jewish mother, and they ended up reconvening and changing the entire world. I'm with you, TJ.
hi tiber jumper, thanks for a post that continually reminds us of how the devil will continually try to destroy the Catholic Church . . . and of course, we know those attempts will always fail....and yes, you are right to say to the nay-sayers that humans are the problem simply due to their humanity and that the Catholic Church is grounded in God's perfection. I always remind my non-Catholic friends of the numerous scandals conducted by their ministers, etc. and that the Catholic Church is so large that it seems to always be more easily under attach. Keep the faith! Roz
It's discouraging sometimes to hear about various "scandals" within the Church, but I can sort of twist around to be positive.
"the gates of hell will not prevail against it," declares the Lord.
Any business or other organization with the kind of baggage the Catholic Church has (Crusades, Inquisition, anti-popes, schism, scandals....) would have folded centuries ago. But despite the human weaknesses that have sometimes weakened the Church, she endures because Jesus promised.
Oh, silly fallen-away Catholics. How sad I am for them :(
Thanks for visiting my blog Bella.
Sometimes, folks will strain at our Catholic gnats and swallow their own non-Catholic camels.
"for those who have not eyes to see, no defence will ever suffice"
So true Susie, it's all grace if they see.
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