Abuse Crisis Reflection
Here is a reflection I wrote for the Notre Dame Alumni Association's Daily Gospel Reflection, located at
faith.nd.edu.
Gospel: Matthew 23:13-22
Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples:
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You lock the Kingdom of heaven before men.
You do not enter yourselves,
nor do you allow entrance to those trying to enter.
"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, you hypocrites.
You traverse sea and land to make one convert,
and when that happens you make him a child of Gehenna
twice as much as yourselves.
"Woe to you, blind guides, who say,
'If one swears by the temple, it means nothing,
but if one swears by the gold of the temple, one is obligated.'
Blind fools, which is greater, the gold,
or the temple that made the gold sacred?
And you say, 'If one swears by the altar, it means nothing,
but if one swears by the gift on the altar, one is obligated.'
You blind ones, which is greater, the gift,
or the altar that makes the gift sacred?
One who swears by the altar swears by it and all that is upon it;
one who swears by the temple swears by it
and by him who dwells in it;
one who swears by heaven swears by the throne of God
and by him who is seated on it."
Reflection
It is a certain rite of passage as children when we encounter the sinful or at least human side of those who serve as our mentors. I can vividly recall scenes when family members and spiritual leaders fell from the pedestals where I had placed them in my mind’s eye. We then begin to understand St. Paul’s message to the Romans that “all have sinned and are deprived of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Nevertheless, these are sometimes painful events that, depending on their severity, can present trials to our faith.
I cannot help but read today’s gospel passage without bringing to mind the most recent round of scandals that have plagued the Catholic Church. We weep bitterly with the victims of the abuse carried out by those who were entrusted with their spiritual care, and we cry in disbelief that something so sinister could have gone on hidden for so long. The betrayal is deep, especially because, like the Pharisees in the gospel, these are the leaders who are ordained to protect us from evil and spiritual harm.
We are left wondering what we can do to help, knowing we cannot undo the wrongs of the past or exercise complete control of the future. During my prayer with this gospel, I thought about the following themes that I would offer. We must, first and foremost, pray for the Church without abandoning it. So much contrition, forgiveness, and healing must take place, and our prayers and presence can only help facilitate that. Secondly, we can lend our support to appropriate and ongoing reforms to ensure that the most vulnerable are protected without question, any future abuses are snuffed out without delay, and transparency is the norm. I think it is also important for us to search our own hearts, guard against our own inclinations to sin, and seek forgiveness from those we have wronged. No one is exempt from temptation or the depths to which the human heart can move towards evil, and individuals earnestly seeking holiness is a tremendous means of redirecting our culture.
Finally, I would suggest that we recall that ultimately, we are followers of Jesus Christ and no one else. We commit ourselves to the one who was without sin and who can be our refuge and ultimate source of hope in times such as these.
