25th Sunday after Pentecost 18 Nov 2012 Sermon

25th Sunday after Pentecost 18.11.12 (Readings 6th Sunday after Epiphany) Church, sign of hope


In the news at present the Catholic Church (in Australia) is under heavy attack from all sides, and even from within.

We are accused of large-scale sexual abuse of children and of covering up what has been done. We are accused of being a dark, secretive, powerful organisation which uses its strength to continue doing evil.

It is extraordinary that so much negativity could surround an organisation that really is the brightest light, the greatest source of hope in the world.

If we consider what the Church is: the kingdom of God on earth; the light on the hilltop, the salt in the food, the leaven in the bread, the tree that gathers all the birds in its branches, the net that gathers all the fish, the banquet where everyone is welcome, the city of God, the bride of Christ (Mt 13 et al).

We are all these things, yet we have bitterness, fear and suspicion all round.

Part of the explanation can be found in the words of Our Lord: If they hate you it will be because they hated Me first (Jn 15,18).

The world hates Christ because He threatens their status quo, the way things are done. Other empires must give way before His.

So the world hates all who identify with Christ, and clearly the Catholic Church is the most prominent organisation to do that.

It is a kind of back-handed compliment to us that we are criticised so much. It is because we are worth hating. The enemies of Christ see that we must be taken seriously.

We do not make light of the sins that individual Catholics commit. These must be acknowledged in their full force.

It is tragic that sins are committed, including sins against children.

This is not the fault of the Church as such, but of those who choose to sin. The Church herself does not sin.

The Church can review structures and procedures and should do everything possible to create a climate of holiness, but in the end it is up to individual Catholics to choose right over wrong.

If other Catholics sin all the more must we be holy. All the more must we atone for sins committed and make certain they are not repeated.

We cannot control what other Catholics do but by our own attention to getting it right we can go some way to helping.

The Church is the small flock which will get bigger and take over the whole world. It is the nucleus ready to explode - but this time to spread goodness, not destruction, over the world.

So we are not that dark sinister organisation as portrayed in the media. We are big, yes; strong, yes. We do want to make people join us, but only to make them happier. And we will never use force.

The main way in which the Church can make progress is through gaining hearts and souls; ordinary people, one here and one there, grasping the essence of faith in Christ, being purified, made better than they were; embracing the life of holiness, penance and reparation.

We need a cultural change in the Church but this will not come about through legislation. Only a change of heart can set people straight.

So it is not time to close the Church and sell off the assets!

It would be a much better solution if we become what we already are, and then win over even our harshest critics.

We must present to the world the image of a bride made pure, the city of God, come down among us (Rev 21). Holy, as we have always been destined to be.