Copyright 2019 Kaitlyn Clare Mason. All rights reserved.[/caption]
We live in a culture that says “have it your way” (Burger King), “I am what I make up” (CoverGirl), and as long as “I’m lovin’ it” to no one else’s detriment, it doesn’t really matter if “it” is actually good for me (right, McDonald’s?).
The true Catholic Church at its heart knows better than to be persuaded and swayed by this self-centered breeze blowing through our world.
I marked my calendar several weeks ago with daily Mass reminders, before the grand jury report was released. It just felt like time to get back to attending daily Masses. I share St. John Paul II’s belief that “there are no mere coincidences.”
Reparation is needed. Penance is needed. Sackcloth and ashes are needed, to turn away the wrath of our perfectly loving and perfectly just God.
I can understand that many are frustrated and upset. I share this frustration and anger.
I am heartbroken that so many priests chose hatred when they vowed love to God. I am heartbroken that so many people chose to cover up scandal and shuffle around abusive priests, as if they had not heard our Lord’s words that
there is nothing hidden that will not become visible, and nothing secret that will not be known and come to light (Luke 8:17).Yet, I stand with our priest here in Charlotte, Father Kauth, who said in his recent homily to seminarians that he “wanted to run into a burning building” and “wanted to jump on the boat that seemed to be sinking.” We are truly blessed in our Diocese of Charlotte with many wonderful priests, and I believe this diocese will become an epicenter of reform for our Church. Why an epicenter of reform? Because of the humility of our priests. And why do we run into a burning building? Why do we run in to the heart of the Church, to the celebration of the Mass, to the Eucharist, when the world says the institution of the Church is sinking around us? We run into a burning building to save and console the One inside from the flames of irreverence. We run into a burning building because we hope, and we wait in hope. We run into a burning building because we want to take our place in the redemptive suffering of our Church, made possible through our cooperation with the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life (John 6:68).Jesus Christ is Lord and King, and He will not stand for abuse and injustice. He will not tolerate hatred. He has established His one, holy, and apostolic Church on this earth, and
the gates of Hell shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18).We run to the Eucharist because the Eucharist is truly Jesus Christ, made tangibly present for us in the midst of our aching world. Jesus Christ has chosen to make Himself at home in tabernacles throughout the world – in the heart of each Catholic Church. This truth does not change when the world changes. The infallibility of the Church does not change when fallible people in the Church fall. The presence of our Divine Shepherd Jesus Christ does not leave the Catholic Church when some of our earthly shepherds abandon us. When Peter walked on water and began to sink, Jesus caught him and spoke to him, saying,
“O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” (Matthew 15:31).When we know Christ is at the center of the Church, we know that reform is possible and inevitable. Will we look back on this time of crisis one day and hear Jesus saying to us, “why did you doubt?”
We await with joyful hope the coming of our Savior, Jesus Christ.And so, with great conviction, I choose to say with all my heart, mind, and soul, that
’til He returns, or calls us home, here in the pow’r of Christ, I’ll stand.Listen to more of this beautiful hymn “In Christ Alone”: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8kvFtXphmMU P.S. God is merciful, and He loves us.
Copyright 2019 Kaitlyn Clare Mason
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