Tuesday of the Thirty-third Week in Ordinary Time

The roots of a fallen tree
by the lake. 

I know your works, that you have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.

During the Second Vatican Council, the Catholic Church finally agreed that democracy is a good idea. Until then the Vatican preferred monarchies and even dictatorships, provided they were Catholic. In fact next Sunday’s Feast of Christ the King was instituted in a last ditch effort to support the crumbling monarchies of the 19^th century.

Democracy, especially with the American principle of non-interference between church and state – Jefferson’s so called “wall of separation” – has allowed the churches a free hand in teaching, proselytizing and evangelizing. The Christian churches have gratefully responded by encouraging citizens to participate in democratic governments and fight their wars.

It’s a bit embarrassing when Christian nations go to war with each other, as during the American Civil War; but the churches seem to cope with that apparent scandal. Even the Catholic Church was sorely divided during the American Civil War and survived.

But Christian churches within a democracy, relying on the weekly contributions of their members and without government support, sometimes avoid the scathing challenges of their own prophetic traditions.  It is a rare bishop who can say to a given parish, “I know your works, that you have the reputation of being alive, but you are dead.”

The pastor of that church will certainly come storming into the bishop’s office to report the collection has dried up! It has happened, but it costs!

But “the power of the purse” can work in both directions. It can also remind a pastor or bishop that the congregation has a right to good stewardship, sound teaching, and courageous leadership. The Catholic priest who allows his inner demons freedom of speech in the pulpit should be yanked out of office pretty soon! He cannot get away with irrational harangues, whether they concern abortion or women’s hats. The bishop, if for no other reason than finances, will see to that.

In the United States only the smallest churches assume an apocalyptic posture. Their mercurial preachers, who may be moonlighting as ministers, can afford to be outrageous as they lambaste the dominant culture. They have nothing to lose! And their sympathetic congregations may actually enjoy the entertainment at someone else's expense.

The Church of New Testament times could welcome these challenges from within because they lacked the rigorous structures of today’s Catholic Church. When Saint John of Patmos penned the words of Jesus to the churches of Sardis and Laodicea, he didn’t have to worry about their collections, nor his own income. Likewise the churches, who never supposed their names might be fixed forever in The Bible, could choose to heed or ignore John’s message. But we can suppose his messages stirred up some lively discussion.

And that, I suppose, is the best we can hope for. The apocalyptic writer, of ancient or modern times, would like to subvert the political process and dictate the way things should be. But that is always a mistake. Remember Jim Jones and his Kool-Aid. 

Rather, we should welcome the two-edged sword, God's Word, ponder it deeply in our hearts as Mary did, make our decisions and move together as God’s graceful, holy people. In a democracy, if one person wins, the community loses. But when everyone is unhappy with the final decision, it was probably the right one.