In
the past few years there has been a virtual persecution of Roman Catholic
priests and brothers in many western countries on the matter of child
abuse. Many cases of children being interfered with by clerics have
come to light in the U.S. Canada and Australia. These have let to
many expensive law-suits. The Irish Government actually collapsed
because of a case which involved a pedophile priest. There are many
aspects to this news. It is not really amazing that there would be
some members of the clergy who, like the population in general, are
sexually sick or perverted. It is not surprising either that the clergy
like any family will try to avoid making its internal embarrassments
public.
While
the abuse of trust by a priest who makes use of his position is appalling
there is no easier way of destroying a good and innocent man than
by accusing him of such behavior. There are organizations linked to
law firms, who deliberately seek out those who remember, or imagine
that they remember being abused, even decades ago.
Of
relevance to our discussion today is the fact that this whole matter
of the Church's embarrassment has also a Gospel value. Some clergy,
especially when dressed as clerics, have had nasty remarks thrown
at them in the streets or in supermarkets: "Pedophile! I would
not trust a priest ever again." For the vast majority who are
innocent it is very painful to be suddenly toppled from a place of
honor in the community to a place of disrepute. It has meant that
the Church in general and the clergy in particular have lost much
of the respect which they enjoyed. For many this loss of moral high
ground is seen as disaster. How can they condemn evil now as they
did in the past? However, if we look at it from a gospel perspective
we may see a blessing in the persecution.
In
Luke's Sermon on the Plain - in contrast to Matthew's Sermon on the
Mount - which we read about in today's Gospel we hear a balancing
of blessings and woes;
Blessed
are you
Woe to you
who are poor
who are rich
who are hungry and
who are full
who weep
who
laugh
who are reviled
who are lauded.
As
ever, Jesus gives the lie to many of our assumptions. He was the word
become flesh and he entered a sinful community. By word and act he
showed that he was on the side of the sinful. He said that sinners
would be the first in his kingdom and he spent much of his time with
people who were despised as sinners. His problem was with the self-righteous,
self-sufficient and self-enclosing religious leaders who considered
themselves above others and cut themselves off from those whom they
called sinners. The Scribes and Pharisees were not the only people
to set themselves off as better than others. It has been repeated
many times in history by church and civil leaders. The assumption
of high moral ground is a widespread temptation. It can be the sickness
of those who set themselves up to pray for sinners and thereby deny
their own weakness. (A friend of mine used to say that many who
credit themselves as virtuous are simply those who lacked opportunity.)
The
community of Jesus' disciples must recognize their own continuing
sinfulness, and so must their priestly leaders, if Jesus' saving grace
is to get through. The pedestal role of a priest, or of anyone else,
is always dangerous. Being faced with our own sinfulness, and the
sinfulness of our esteemed leaders, bring home the point that sin
and holiness overlap in everybody. Being mocked or reviled is a blessing
when it reminds us of our common sinfulness and our need for Gods
grace and redemption.
St
John of the Cross said that those who think that they are doing well
should be careful when they go before the Lord in prayer that they
are not there to glorify themselves rather than to glorify the Lord.
To be before God in meditation, just trying and failing to repeat
the prayer word, is an experience of our human weakness that makes
us open to awareness of our never ending need for the Lord who alone
is good and sinless.
