TIME TO GET ANGRY

   The latest horrific revelation of abuse of children by priests and the cover-up by bishops is a good opportunity for Catholics to get truly angry at the Church leaders, including Pope Francis.

   First, as a former Philadelphia priest, I want to say clearly and gratefully that I have the privilege to know Philly priests whom it has been a blessing and honor to call my brothers.  The are the exceptions to what I must say below. 

   For far too long Church leaders have directed their attention to the behavior of the priest-predators, especially homosexual priests, and finally to the bishops who covered up the predators' sins and crimes.  But they have refused to see that the problem is not a sexual one but a centuries old structural one.  It is time to wake up!

   The Catholic Church made a spiritually lethal structural error when it ceased being the People of Christ living their way in the life and truth of Christ, and took on the autocratic structure of the Roman Empire.  The role of the Emperor was taken over by the Pope; the Roman Senators became the Cardinals; the Governors became the Bishops, and the Roman peasants became the laity.  Later, the Church leaders added the trappings of Medieval Lords, which they still enjoy.  

   Throughout this time, the leaders isolated themselves from the laity and the world at large in a special class of privilege called the clergy.  For obvious good reasons, Jesus explicitly forbade his followers to take on such titles and honors.  (Lk. 22:26:  Let the greatest among you be as the youngest, and the leader as the servant.)

   What the leaders fail to see is that the anti-Christian clerical structure of isolation and privilege  has produced an ugly, foul atmosphere in which a most terribly debased humanity could flourish.  The problem is not homosexuality.  Both gays and straights abused both male and female children.  It is the dank atmosphere of isolation and privilege that attracts and has permitted deviates, both gay and straight, to operate without detection--or if detected, without accountability.

   The  Barque of Peter is a deteriorating wooden boat propelled by torn sails in a world where ships of steel and exotic metals are run by nuclear generators.  A half century ago, the Second Vatican Council opened the way for the Church to catch up to today's world.  A Council is the highest level of Church teaching.  Pope Francis knows this.  The way to Church renewal is open.  Yes, his opposition is strong and he will suffer greatly.  But the abused are crying out to God!  The world is waiting.  Francis is the Pope.  He has the knowledge and power to change the Church and make it a light of hope and love in today's world.  What is he waiting for?

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MISREADING THE BIBLE

   One of the most dangerous and harmful traditions among some Christians is their picking one Biblical passage out of context and interpreting it according to their own view, especially their own political view.  This is what  happened when Attorney General Jeff Sessions defended the government's horrendous act of pulling children out of their mother's arms by referring to Chapter 13 of St. Paul's letter to the Romans, in which Paul tells us to accept government authority because it has been established by God.   

   In doing this, Mr. Sessions disregards the entire New Testament which is alive with the infinite, self-giving, sacrificial love of Christ for all people, especially for the poor, sick and outcast.  

   What he said showed that his consciousness of the Bible and of Christ is as small as his politics.  It does not extend to the parents and children he is persecuting and most certainly does not extend to Christ.  Equally horrific, he is using the Bible to defend President Trump's decision to change the law to include the parents and children who are now being persecuted.  To put it bluntly, Mr. Sessions' statement came directly out of hell.

   At least we should be happy that he did not read from 1 Samuel 15:3, "Samuel, saying that he was speaking for the Lord, said to Saul, 'Go now, attack Amalek...  kill men and women, children and infants..."  This is a case of a leader of the people of God mistaking the people's own blood culture for the will of God.  Thankfully, Saul disobeyed Samuel and spared the people of Amalek.  Our politicians should not make similar mistakes against the people as Samuel made.    

   So knowing how to read the Bible is of maximum importance.  The Bible is God's unfolding revelation of love to God's chosen people, and through them to the whole world.  It is the story of the people's slowly unfolding understanding of God and God's love, and of their learning how to return God's love by living a life of gratitude, good will and love.

     For Christians of course, the Bible story reaches its glorious fulfillment in the birth, life, teaching, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus, and in his sending his Spirit to all peoples throughout the world, so that all people of good will and love can return themselves to God in love.

   It is God's all permeating love that we should see when we read the Bible.  First, of course, we see the printed words.  If we stop at this level of comprehension, we could say that the bible is a work of literature.  That is a literal reading of the Bible that is open to misinterpretation in accord with our own biases and prejudices.  To read the Bible correctly, we must look into the words and see God present and active in them with all of God's beautiful creative, healing and saving love.

     For example, a literal reading of the Bible makes the following story impossible to understand.  Jesus once asked Peter, "Who do you say that I am?"  Peter looked at Jesus and saw his human body and human soul, i.e., his "literal words."  So he could have said, "You are Jesus, our Teacher."  But Peter had a more sensitive consciousness.  He looked deeper and saw who Jesus truly was.  And he said, "You are the the Christ, the Son of the living God." (Mt. 16:16)  That's how we should read the Bible.

   The same is true when we look at people.  At first we see their physical shape and form, i.e., their "literal" meaning.  At this superficial level, we could see them as people whom we could use for our own benefit, or people whom we must compete with for financial dominance, or even people whom we could coldly disregard or even hate.      

   To Christians, the light of Christ is present, however dimly, even in the prejudiced, criminals and even terrorists.  In them, Christ is being crucified anew.  But in the poor, the displaced, the sick, vulnerable and outcast, the light of Christ shines very, very brightly.  It is this light of Christ being crucified, the light to which Mr. Sessions and President Trump are so glibly blind.  Finally, they loudly claim that such persecution is legal.  I would like to remind both of them that the Holocaust was legal. 
         
   Sometimes it's hard to say, "God bless America!"    
        
Comments:  massimini7@gmail.com