Excerpted from Fr. Jack
Sullivan
St. John Church, Glenwood
03/12/06
It was great seeing such great crowds at our Masses last
weekend. With Lent upon us plus all the anguishing, seemingly
non-ending news accounts of clergy sex abuse, we all have a deeper need
to cling to the cross of Christ. We hope for better days.
Our religion needs to be
cleansed a la the sons of Levi in the Book of Malachi. In the famous
oratorio “Messiah,” Handel saves one of his most hauntingly beautiful
melodies for this passage: “But who shall survive the day of His coming,
and who shall still be standing when He appears? For He is like a
refiner’s fire.” Handel was a very religious man and never again
re-used any of his 48 Messiah melodies in any of his subsequent works.
The idea of the refiner’s fire is not supposed to conjure up ideas of
physical pain. The refiner’s fire is needed when goldsmiths and
silversmiths purify their gold and silver and get rid of impurities and
dirt that doesn’t belong. It’s a time-consuming trade and takes years
of practice before one becomes a master. Because if the precious metal
(us) is held in the fire too long by the refiner (God), it wilts and
becomes useless and limp without glimmer or beauty. The refiner knows
when the object is perfect only when he sees his own reflection in it!
We ask God to purify us in this manner. No one is
without sin so we’re all in this together. This parallels Genesis’
teaching that we’re truly made in God’s image and likeness. It’s one of
the most powerful messages in all of scripture. Finally, it speaks not
just to purify us in the 6th commandment, but total purity:
purity of heart and mind; purity in our thoughts and feelings.
This is what we need nationwide in Catholicism and
perhaps around the globe. Many of our Protestant brothers and sisters
put us to shame. Pause for a moment and recall the times you were a
guest at a Protestant church. You’re always treated well. I know I
have been. But, if I am a guest at a Catholic church, will I be treated
with grace, when so many are only concerned about their own agendas,
likes and dislikes and pigeon holes? It’s a toss-up. The only agenda
should be the Good News of Jesus Christ.
Yes, we need an overhaul! Vatican II attempted a start,
but after re-arranging the sanctuary furniture, imposing other
alterations without explanation, and angering many, it fizzled.
Let’s pray the Holy Spirit “plays through” and purifies
our Church so to make It and us in His image. We pray the Lord helps us
in being gracious and not judgmental. |
