THE CATHOLIC Church and her bishops and priests are once again under vicious attack. In response, what should we, Catholics, do?
Normally, the first impulse is to fight back but, more often than not, in a sinful way. If the Church is falsely accused, it is normal to think of a worse accusation to hurl back against the accuser. But, of course, that is not what the Church teaches us.
Let us instead learn from David. When David’s enemies were spreading lies and acting violently, David did not fight back. He instead used these trials to draw near to God, prayerfully offering them to God and taking refuge in Him. Psalm 5 says, “When you are under attack, take refuge in the Lord through prayer.”
While we lodge in God’s hands these attacks against the Church for divine justice, it is equally important for us, Church members, to examine ourselves. When insults are hurled against the Church and members, why do most of us respond by bursting into laughter? Is it because we are not offended by the nasty and sarcastic remarks? Or is it because the insults are “salted” with truth and our spirit of religion is bereft of the spirit of God, which is why our feelings don’t get hurt? Or is it because we like to remain with the winning crowd even when it means faking our smiles and laughter? Let us do some reflection; let us undergo a Socratic self-introspection and find out if the nasty remarks against the Church reflect our own images and attitudes as Catholics.
Why is our Church so silent about these attacks against her? Does she feel inferior or feel giving in to rut mediocrity? Does God’s superiority no longer matter so that the carnal world takes the center stage? The Church is still warm but, I guess, it has no fire. Her silence is nauseating and certainly is crippling her prophetic role of bringing the saving Gospel to the world.
While we offer these unwelcome attacks against the Church to God, is it not prudent and wise for the leaders of the Church to reenergize, reevangelize and reedify the Catholic faithful in accord to her ethos, teachings and the divine commands of the Scripture?
If we cannot silence her attackers, which is not in order, let us at most win their souls to Christ by showing them that we, Catholic devotees, remain faithful to God, to His Church and her teachings despite the sarcastic, nasty and even demonic attacks against her.
—REGINALD B. TAMAYO, Marikina City