It seems that religion is falling out of vogue. It also seems that those of us still among the faithful are making apology for it, not in the old sense of a defense of the faith but adopting a sense of shame that we actually happen to BE members of a Church.
Now, recent events have made it very clear that quite a few (not a few, QUITE a few) scoundrels have done truly atrocious things in the name of the Cross. The abuse scandals, the Residential Schools, colonial evils, and many other nasty things, shameful things, were done in God's name even in living memory...a preschooler's living memory.
Pope Francis made an "apology" recently that fell flat, which amounted to every cart has a few bad apples. The enemies of the Cross of Christ are unwilling to hear that, and any defense of that nature merely stokes the fires of hatred against the Church.
St. James in today's Epistle reading for Mass notes that teachers of the faith are held by God to a higher standard, then goes on to decry the tongue as a dreadful poison, a hellish little fire that can burn down whole nations. He is very right. Not holding to the standard and not governing well what is said will do much more harm than good. However, this is NOT an admonition to keep quiet about the Gospel of our Lord. The teachings of the Church should be held in balance.
Note in today's Gospel Our Lord Jesus Christ tells us the Son of Man must suffer, die, and rise again, and that Peter (and the rest of the disciples for that matter) are aghast and ask Him to keep a lid on it. Our Lord then disabuses them of the notion of brushing this under the rug, that keeping the message "palatable" for human consumption is NOT part of the divine plan. In fact, He goes on to state that those who are ashamed of His words, who try to brush them under the rug, will receive shame with interest when Our Lord returns with the angels at the end of time.
So what do we take from this?
We know we are held to a higher standard because we as members of Holy Mother Church are the teachers of the World. We bring the news of God to all and sundry to tell them the good news. We must never be ashamed to tell the unvarnished truth of the Kingdom of God, the salvific Life, Death, and Resurrection of Our Lord Jesus Christ, the grace and mercy of God, and His call for righteousness. When we fall short, we must own the truth with due penance, but never waver in our proclamation of the Gospel. Where evil has been done in God's Name, then we must make reparations in God's name. Where harm has been done, healing must be offered. We must speak and show the Good News to an unbelieving and hostile world, in the hopes that when they see an honest desire for reconciliation, for restoration, then the words of the Gospel will fall on fruitful soil.
This will not be easy. The actions of some have poured forth brackish water instead of fresh, and much fresh water must flow to sweep it away. Therefore we cannot stop living and proclaiming the news of the Kingdom. We are held to a higher standard, let us then live it without shame and without apology.
