Feast of Saint James, Apostle

 Lectionary: 605

You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them,
and the great ones make their authority over them felt.
But it shall not be so among you.
Rather, whoever wishes to be great among you shall be your servant;
whoever wishes to be first among you shall be your slave.

Truth is given to us with enormous authority, but with little power. The world often notices that failing and takes advantage of it. "How many battalions does the pope have?" Lenin asked when told that Rome opposed his Communist rule in Russia. 

We have seen the enormous teaching authority of the Church flouted recently in Switzerland when Archbishop Lefebvre's disciples anointed another generation of bishops. Several of those men were anointed without Rome's permission by the late archbishop. Although Pope Benedict lifted the excommunication they had brought upon themselves; they apparently accepted the reconciliation cynically, as if Benedict had admitted Saint John Paul II was wrong. They have taken their disobedience even further from fidelity. But, of course, feel they are treated unjustly. 

The Church can only watch with sadness. We do not, and would not want, the power to force external compliance or internal obedience to the Magisterium of the Church. If the Lord God would not force anyone to obey him, we should never think of it. 

Jesus knew his disciples would flee from the Garden of Gethsemane when his enemies arrested him. And he knew several would return when he rose from the dead. Judas made his decision when he hanged himself. The others took extra time to reconsider. 

What consumers want, consumers get. Whether its abortion, drugs, alcohol, guns, gambling, or the Traditional Latin Mass, providers will be found. Providers and consumers will agree they are well within their rights to sell and purchase these goods. The devout might even cite the Second Vatican Council when they argue that consumers demonstrate sensus fidelium when they split from the Church. Hasn't the United States regarded their democratic mandate to the nations as the right to promote consumer rights and universal shopping? 

Above ourselves, we must love and obey the Truth. She is more beautiful than anyone or anything; and demands more than the world can offer. We must make every sacrifice for her, and in her name. We must go with her wherever she leads. The only external signs we'll ever have of her reliable presence in the world is the Roman Catholic Church and those Orthodox Catholic Churches who are in union with Rome. 

I've told this story before: On a summer day in August, several years ago, while serving as the Catholic chaplain in the VA hospital, a Protestant minister asked what the "Assumption of Mary" meant. When I explained it as simply as I could, without many citations of the Bible, he asked, "Do you believe that?"

I was taken aback. "Of course, I believe it! Why would I not believe it? It's what the Church teaches and what we have always believed. Better minds than mine, with better understanding of scripture, liturgy, and theology have taught it for many centuries. Would I oppose them because I have a right to believe what I feel is right? I may have been born at night, but I wasn't born last night! Of course I believe it!

We must pray for schismatics who name their sect after a canonized Pope. Their consumers will soon recognize the pious arrogance of these bishops and priests, but only some will return to the Church. The rest will be lost; therein lies the tragedy of sectarianism.