“It is said that the theophilanthropist Larevellère-Lepeaux once confided to Talleyrand his disappointment at the ill-success of his attempt to bring into vogue a sort of improved Christianity, a benevolent rationalism which he had invented to meet the wants of a skeptical age. ‘His propaganda made no way,’ he said. ‘What was he to do?’ he asked. The ex-bishop politely condoled with him, feared it was indeed a difficult task to found a new religion, more difficult than could be imagined—so difficult that he hardly knew what to advise. ‘Still’—so he went on after a moment’s reflection—’there is one plan which you might at least try: I should recommend you to he crucified and rise again on the third day!’“
Missing the Point
- Donald R. McClarey
Donald R. McClarey
Cradle Catholic. Active in the pro-life movement since 1973. Father of three, one in Heaven, and happily married for 43 years. Small town lawyer and amateur historian. Former president of the board of directors of the local crisis pregnancy center for a decade.
Unfortunately, in the minds of many running the Church today, it has long left the Cross and it’s value of suffering for a higher good, in favor of social justice nonsense. One priest told me that “we can’t talk about suffering, because they’ll get up and walk out.” This, he exclaimed as in his pews sat less than half of what it once had…and even those were 99% gray haired faithful.
The du jour, appropriate response to such @$$holes is, “OK, Groomer.”
Don’t waste your time arguing with numbskulls whose opinions deserve no respect.
It’s like casting pearls before dogs who only turn it around and attack you; or, before swine who only trample The Truth under foot.
“We adore You, O Christ, and we bless You. Because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the World.”
The clergy are perpetuating this false illusion by not talking about suffering. I don’t think people leave the Church because the priest scares them away with homilies about suffering. Ultimately they leave because they are lazy. And use other things as excuses for why they left. Scratch the surface of every lapsed Catholic who has an excuse as to why they dropped their Faith.
Anyway, Suffering exists whether we talk about it or we don’t talk about it. It only ceases to exist in Heaven.
Just think, by talking about suffering and helping people accept suffering, people are given meaning to their suffering, which is the Cross, which Christ has asked each of us to carry with him throughout our lives. Besides, who are we, sinful and flawed, to think we are better than our Lord who suffered and died even though was without sin and without blemish or fault?
Flynn missed a chance to point out that most Jews wouldn’t have been Roman citizens, and that the crucifixion story seemed believable to people in the first century.
Each Lent, I read the Gospels. Just finished Mark. It’s going to be tough to get through Luke and John by Friday afternoon.
I found this listed as an old ending for Mark, in plain English, Jesus himself sent out through His disciples from the east to the west the sacred and ever-living message of eternal salvation.
Earth and the heavens will pass away but not the Word.