Of late, much of the news about the Church has been pretty negative and frustrating.
Sadly, the Church has shown little evidence that it is prepared to engage in the type of restoration necessary to protect and pass on the legacy of authoritative teaching to the next generations of the Christian faithful.
Modernity presents humanity with some difficult choices.
It is the duty and mission of the Bishops to provide the wisdom discernible from the Sacred Scripture and the wealth of the Church’s Tradition that humanity will require to avoid its own destruction.
Bishops of late have shown themselves much to eager to compromise their legitimate teaching office to preserve a kind of artificial tranquility between the Church and modern society.
Something needs changing.
The needed change is possible.
But the restoration and reform called for will come at a price.
To restore confidence, dignity and respect in their moral voice, Bishops will need to make personal sacrifices and make controversial, unpopular decisions. The willingness to do so will be the source of inspiration for Catholic believers to follow.
But these days, the Episcopal Office itself has been so decimated by scandal that there appears to be little hope that the People of God will be willing to once again submit themselves to the authority of the Successors of the Apostles entrusted by the Lord to pastor his flock.
Trust is a precious commodity. Once lost, it is near impossible to re-establish.
As difficult as it may seem, there is reason to maintain hope that the Holy Spirit will not fail to raise up leaders within the Body of Christ capable of assuming the tasks the Spirit lays upon their shoulders.
Often such leaders comes from outside the College of Bishops.
The history of the Church has shown this to be the case time after time in the lives of such prophetic reformers as Francis, Dominic, Benedict, Peter Canisius, Joan of Arc, Theresa of Avila, and Teresa of Calcutta.
But as needful as the People of God are of reformers and prophets, they themselves must also prove to be worthy of them.
We cannot expect the needed restoration of the Church to take place only at the top echelon of Apostolic authority.
Individual Catholics must be willing to accept and defend the authority of the Successors of the Apostles, but at the same time hold them accountable for their words and actions.
Catholics must engage themselves in the work of the Gospel.
The days of mindless, obsequious obedience must end. Bishops can no longer parade themselves as aristocratic autocrats with no concern for the impact which their actions have upon the faithful.
For their part, the faithful must demand that their Bishops are committed to providing for their spiritual and sacramental care and must hold them accountable to higher authority when they do not.
The Bishops need to speak with a clear, uncompromising voice. The People of God must be willing to open their ears, their minds and their hearts.
The Bishops, on their part, must show themselves willing and capable of listening to the faithful, even when what they hear in response to their words and actions may be difficult and burdensome.
At present, it seems as though the Bishops have lost interest in being pastors and are more concerned with acting like CEOs. Likewise, the People of God seem much too ready to abandon their Catholic heritage and listen the wisdom of the secular gurus and high-priests of materialism.
Only the Holy Spirit can break the stranglehold of indifference and apathy at the corruption presently assaulting the Church.
We fail when we do not pray. When we do not entrust ourselves to the powerful presence and influence which the Holy Spirit can exercise among God’s People, we are lost.
Each day, we need to surrender and entrust ourselves to the Paraclete and Comforter, the Lord and Giver of Life.
Come, Holy Spirit, renew the face of the Church and kindle within Your People the fire of Your Love.
Come, Holy Spirit, come!
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