Greetings!
Sometimes I wonder if Satan — the cunning divider — uses debates within the Church to turn our focus inward and keep us from sharing the Good News with our neighbors. Pope Francis recently released a letter reversing the rights of all priests to celebrate the Traditional Latin Mass and assigning discernment to local bishops. If we spend more time engaging in criticism of this decision than we do accompanying our neighbor through their suffering, we need to adjust our priorities.
More often than I care to admit, my thoughts can be a form of spiritual entitlement: “I want Father to preach about x”; “It’s not fair that a virus can deter Communion on the tongue”; “I refuse to sing these cringey contemporary worship songs…” Then, the Holy Spirit gently reminds me that all aspects of our lived faith are gratuitous gifts from God. I did nothing to deserve daily access to the Sacraments when so many through history — and even now — do not. While theological and liturgical issues are worth deep discussion, they are not the Great Commission given to us by the Lord Himself. I’m going to challenge myself to spend more time affirming and serving those around me than I do reading commentary on Church politics.
Yours in Christ,