On what do we base our
faith? Over the last few years I have come across a
number of people, who have told me that they have lost
their faith because of a priest or minister's homily
or actions; a decision by the pope, a bishop, or another
Church official; an affront from a fellow parishioner;
etc. I am saddened by the thought that people can put
their faith at the mercy of humanness. It seems a bit
risky and scary to me.
The Catholic Church is both
a sacrament, an experience of grace – an experience
of God's real presence - and a human institution. The
Church as an occasion of grace is an uplifting experience
filled with awesome moments of joy, consolation, strength,
and community. The Church as a human institution can
be frustrating, slow to change, undemocratic and flawed.
Some people may be distressed
by this latter comment, while others may nod in agreement.
Yet I am stating only a fact. If the Catholic Church
had never done anything wrong, then why would our present
pontiff, Pope John Paul II, apologize and ask for forgiveness
more times than any other Church official in history?
The focus of my point is not
that the Catholic Church has or has not made mistakes,
but that our merciful God is much bigger than this institution
with its human failings. Our faith needs to rest in
God and not in a denial of human fallibility. So, then
in what do we put our faith?
Personally, I am convinced
that God (and God's Spirit) is with the Catholic Church.
History would seem to prove it to me: as a human institution
the Church would have faltered long ago under the weight
of its own foibles, if God's Spirit were not with it.
It is God and the fulfilled promise of God's Spirit
that should be the foundation of our faith. The Catholic
Church with its rich tradition, sacramental life, and
spirituality, is the best way for me to grow in my faith
and baptismal relationship with God and God's people.
One should not demand human flawlessness in order to
be part of the Catholic Church.
Recently we celebrated the feast of Pentecost. The Holy
Spirit was not just sent one time long ago, nor just
once each year when we celebrate Pentecost Sunday. The
Spirit of God is with us now and helps to enlighten
and guide the human institution of the Church and its
members - us. We, and all other churches, are in need
of redemption.
We need to trust that the Holy
Spirit is with us and with the leadership of the Church
today. Along with trust we need to foster mutual respect.
We do not have to agree nor understand in order to still
have respect and charity. No human being is perfect
and, since the Church is partly made up of human believers,
there will be differences of opinions, mistakes and
foibles aplenty. Will we allow our humanness to divide
us, or allow the power of God to form us into a stronger
faith community?
On what do we base our faith?
Let us not make our faith dependent on someone or something
other than God.
SMTRozga 10/23/00
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