A Scandal-Free Church

You may have just read this post's title and thought "Ooh intriguing. 'Bout time those Catholics try to get their act straight?" Or perhaps you thought "Is this some new fad diet?" Or maybe you didn't think either of those things. Any way "scandal" and "church" are two words we are not unfamiliar with lately.

I must say that the greatest scandal of the Church is that it welcomes sinners. Now hold it, New York Times, before you go and publish some slander, make sure to get your facts right, and this is an issue you want to take up with Jesus Christ himself.

(Note: This reflection is intended to address the many misconceptions that segments of society are attempting to propagate from recent true wrongs of individuals in the Church. I in no way mean to downplay the severity of the tremendously horrid acts of sexual abuse of late that need to continue to be addressed thoroughly. I pray especially for healing for any victims of this evil.)

Yes, the Church is full of sinners. I myself being one of them, but by the grace of God. This issue of sinners has perhaps been overlooked by the New York Times because Jesus himself had the greatest response of all time to one who attempt to cast a stone at a sinner. And the unwillingness to look at this problem of sin causes the Media to completely overlook the fact that the Catholic Church was born in the midst of scandal. One of the first Bishops betrayed the Church's founder, other Bishops abandoned him, and the first Pope denied he even new him when a similar mob reared its ugly head about 2000 years ago. And even worse, our Founder was even seen associating with prostitutes!

I must also say that I partly understand the motive of the popular media to fix its gaze on issues in the Church. I mean, the Catholic Church talks so much about Saints and our need to become saints that the hypocritical contrast of what we strive to be versus where we are at right now makes great gossip. But that is the reality of the road we are on. It is hard to hide, and at times we don't want to hide it. For example, when you are heading on vacation all you like to talk about is where you are going, not work or school or wherever you came from. It is the same with Catholics. We know where we came from, but as we look ahead to where we are going, we can't help talk about it or people we know who are already there.

I came into the Catholic Church completely aware of the fallen character of many of its members but also aware of my own flaws. Unfortunately Jesus isn't offering a scandal-free Church. Though, if you are looking for a Gluten-free Church, I hear there is a Baptist congregation down the street with this appeal.

Yes Jesus Christ knew what was going on when he was inviting the sinful, fallen, and shameful to be apart of his followers. But it seems no one has mentioned that to the New York Times yet.

"And the scribes of the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, 'Why does he eat with tax collectors and sinners?'And when Jesus heard it, he said to them, 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners.'" (Mark 2:16-17)