Thirty-Third Sunday in Ordinary Time

http://www.usccb.org/bible/readings/111311.cfm

Concerning times and seasons, brothers and sisters,
you have no need for anything to be written to you.
For you yourselves know very well that the day of the Lord will come
like a thief at night.
When people are saying, "Peace and security, "
then sudden disaster comes upon them,
like labor pains upon a pregnant woman,
and they will not escape.

Sexual sins are in the news once again and this time – knock on wood – the Catholic Church is not at the center of the firestorms. Football Coach Joe Paterno was fired for not reporting to police what he knew about an assistant coach; and presidential candidate Herman Cain has been accused of sexual harassment of women.

The revelations are all the more stunning because the incidents – shameful in one case and criminal in the other -- would not have caused much stir a few years ago. Nobody spoke of such matters in public. 

The accused might argue someone changed the rules! What they did – or what they’re accused of doing -- was not so objectionable at the time. Or they might argue their actions and intentions were misunderstood. Or they weren’t that important. It’s almost certain they feel like hapless victims rather than criminal perpetrators, and they have a large backing that agrees with them.

However, brought to light and described in plain English, deeds of darkness appear criminal. A woman was assaulted; a boy was raped. The perpetrators didn’t think they were committing such crimes but what they thought is irrelevant. How they explained these crimes to themselves -- as “all in fun” or “of no importance” – does not matter in the court of public opinion nor before All mighty God. 

We might suppose one of two things about the public outcry:

• The cynic can say, "They love the sin but hate the sinner." When almost every other sexual behavior is celebrated as harmless and morally acceptable, we should expect that incest, child molesting, and sexual assaults will increase exponentially. Even when they weren't spoken of, they were very common. They happen in the nicest homes and in the worse.
  Nobody really knows how common these crimes are but they are not uncommon. The controversy is not about the sins but about the public discovery of them; and the public is notoriously unforgiving. They really hate when their private sins are exposed to the light.
• Or, better, we can say: Jesus was right all along. What was whispered in the dark will be trumpeted from the rooftops.  And we should expect “the day of the Lord will come like a thief at night.” There are no private sins. Whether "the rules have changed" or not, the behavior is unconscionable. There is no excuse for it. 

Brothers and sisters of the Lord who live in the light have no fear of the light. They are bathed in mercy. But evildoers will always fear the light; and they will be exposed -- sooner or later.