We Interupt This Lent With…

Well, I just have to get this off my chest.  Yesterday, on Talk of the Nation on NPR they were asking callers what the were looking for in their next Pope, it was an interesting interview and I was heartened by most of the responses until the last one, which has disturbed me since.While most of the people calling in were calling for a Pope that brings unity and some much needed internal conversion, the final caller prefaced her call with, “I want a Pope who is most like Christ.”  I thought, awesome, so do I.  She then pointed out that the church is ruled by the Holy Spirit, and again I am pleased that people are hearing that…now having started in that manner led me to believe that this was someone who was open to the workings of the Holy Spirit in cleansing our spiritual home and of healing all that is wrong, (for example the pedophile crisis or the witch-hunt on nuns, pick something).  Instead she suggested that we should have a “zero-tolerance policy on disobedience.”  Say wha??? So the host asked for clarification and she said essentially that if a person couldn’t follow the doctrines than they couldn’t be part of the church.  That even though that may leave us with a smaller church it will be better in the end and will grow from that.  Hmmmm…Now, I want to be fair. It can be argued that she meant that if the priest, bishops and cardinals had been obedient we wouldn’t be in this mess.  But, that isn’t what it sounded like, this seemed directed at the rank and file and she isn’t alone in her thinking.  I couldn’t stop thinking about a moment ruined by this.  The other callers clearly articulated the Gospel arc that tells us to go and gather people to the word of God through love, service and acceptance.   That whole neighbor -loving aspect. Needless to say all of chapter 23 in Matthew speaks to what Jesus considers the benefit of rules.  There are so many that speak to the emptiness of rules if one carries them out with a hard heart.  Jesus is very clear about the hard hearted and stiff necked.  Don’t get me wrong, I believe and strive to be obedient, but I am not sure what she wants us to be obedient to since there is a big difference to being obedient to the Gospel and being obedient to Rome.  I am all good with being obedient to the Gospel, that is where I am at peace and even though I fail, I strive to do that.  But being obedient to Rome…well, that gets tricky.  I rely on much of what Rome wants me to do being in the Gospel anyway, but I will be honest, we don’t always see eye to eye.  I think that is ok…I think it is good, I think it is healthy.  I think it means I am owning my faith.But back to the caller because she is one of many who thinks this way and I can’t help but find it disturbing.  So, I went to my bible and look what stared back at me;       “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those who sent you, how many times I yearned to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her young under her wings, but you are unwilling!”  Matt 23:37Yes, too many of us are unwilling to not have our own way. On many things I am unwilling.  I am unwilling to keep quiet when such people talk this way, believe me, I know it is rooted in pride.  But I cannot help but think that there is damage done here when the perception is that because it is uncomfortable for us to grow that it is wrong to even suggest we try.  If indeed, we believe that the Holy Spirit is in charge, than we need to have courage, one of the gifts of the Holy Spirit, that we will be guided in the direction that God wants us to go.  Is it any accident that one of the most conservative pontiffs in recent memory has resigned because, to quote him, “God wants him to”  NO.  Listen; if you hold the Seat of Peter so dear, than listen with your heart to what we are being told in this moment. Last weeks reading was to repent…so let us repent.  Not just you and I, but let us demand that the church who has let it’s people down repeatedly, repent.  Stop holding it to a childish standard of perfection, there is no perfection outside our triune God.  Stop demanding that one person be all things to all people.  “When I was a child, I use to talk as a child, think as a child, reason as a child; when I became a man, I put aside childish things.” 1Cor 13:11We have been given an incredible opportunity here.  But our own hearts have to be prepared for what is coming next.  If the conclave chooses a cardinal who is hard fisted and stiff necked, well…I love my church and that is the choice and let the chips fall where they may.  But if they choose someone who sees a way out of this sinkhole…than open your hearts and minds to him.  That is all. We are being given a gift…let us all fall on our knees in gratitude that God has heard our prayers.“In the same way, the Spirit too comes to the aid of our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we ought, but the Spirit itself intercedes with inexpressible groanings.  And the one who searches hearts knows what is the intention of the Spirit, because it intercedes for all the holy ones according to God’s  will.”  Romans 8:26