"Facing the current challenges, let us take the high road." Monsignor Desmond, homily on Saturday May 7, 2022, Ascension Church, Avon, NJ (Anticipating the disruptions, protesting the Alito opinion, at Churches on Mother's Day.)
Fifty years into the Culture War: it is getting worse. With the release of the Alito opinion this week, a violent hysteria has shaken the left. Many of us anticipated that the eventual demise of Roe would relocate the abortion debate to the states and bring a national calm. It doesn't look that way. Nevertheless, we do well to heed the wise words of Monsignor Desmond. Winning this war is not as important as how we wage it: with honor, dignity, respect, clarity, compassion, humility and holiness. Here is our strategy.
1. Light-hearted. We can relax. Renounce anxiety, defensiveness, heaviness! The Culture War is a big deal but not the most important thing in the world. What is more important? Our relationship with God. That is number 1. And as I grow closer to God...in gratitude, trust, joy, hope, humility, compassion, charity...I bring others with me. God is with us and we abide in him.
2. Confidence, calm, quiet strength, certainty. Whatever our failures, defeats, disappointments, we can stand in the Truth and be certain that our God is with us. The first, fundamental gift of the Risen Christ to us is Peace. This peace is super-abundant, overflowing, extravagant, inexorable, impregnable, almighty.
3. Keep moving. I loved that phrase: Keep moving. A friend with some interest in but little knowledge of Catholicism said "What I like about your Church is that you keep moving." I don't know what she was thinking. But what I thought of is that with God we are always moving, in a steady manner, into the New: a fresh day, unexpected joys, surprising challenges, marvelous relationships, fascinating dramas. But also: the liturgy. Every day is a new feast day; the seasons move along at a steady, measured, reassuring pace; the dance of sorrow and joy and glory and luminousness; the balance of the routine and the eventful. So even setbacks in the Culture War can be occasions of joy and grace as we receive them in tranquil, trusting surrender to the Divine Mercy.
4. Reverence: especially for the adversary. This is perhaps the greatest moral failing of the theological and political right: the propensity to ridicule, demean, belittle the opposition. This is a strong temptation because so many of their views are simply ridiculous. But we distinguish the viewpoint from the person: the later is always received with respect. This includes the "catholic" impulse to recognize and appreciate whatever is good, true, beautiful in the position of my opponent.
5. Compassion. At my last confession my penance was: "See the wounds." I took this to mean for me to see the hurt, the suffering of those around me. Marvelous penance: maybe the best I ever received! All around me there are aching wounds. This also means seeing the wound that is expressed by the adversary, even in the mode of confusion, hysteria, anger, error, accusation. And so, when the Left speaks about misogyny, homophobia, racism, transphobia, dominance and oppression...there is real, genuine suffering there. These are real things. And the suffering is intense. Perhaps prior to engagement on the cerebral, intellectual, diagnostic level we must be sure that we receive and recognize the real suffering.
6. Clarity. Sober, prayerful, contemplative reflection. Empathy for the victim does not mean we must endorse his self-diagnosis. My nauseous friend is convinced he has cancer: I cannot confirm his evaluation. My anxious friend is certain he is being monitored by the FBI from our sprinkler system: his pain is real but his analysis faulty. We always return to: Hate the sin; Love the sinner. This must be also complemented by: Comfort the suffering. It is a challenging task to do all three at once. The teenage girl with an unwanted pregnancy; the young homosexual suffering shame and loneliness; the depressed executive in midlife crisis yearning for a new, younger woman; the pornography addict...These and countless others are suffering deeply. But it is not genuine love to endorse them in sin.
This is a marvelous time to be Catholic. Our challenges are huge. The Culture War is intensifying and will continue for decades if not centuries. We need not worry about winning this war. We need to wage it honorably, humbly, truthfully, reverently, joyfully, light-heartedly and compassionately. We need to love each other, always in truth.
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