Well, I’m not really surprised anymore about church
scandals. We don’t have to go far away to know that from “shepherds” to the
flock, we have been infiltrated by different types of corruption; man to man
action, masonry, you name it! Sadly, it is both biblical and logical.
Logical? Well yeah. If you are for example, a member of a
gang and you want to eliminate your rival gang, you bop the big boss rather
than the minions. In the case of the Church, who would you target if you want
to destroy more souls? Church leaders! Corrupt the leaders and you easily corrupt their flocks too. That’s why they are the primary targets
of the devil. If your church is super clean, you better watch out. Your church
might be more of a cubic zirconia rather than a real diamond. If you don’t get
the analogy or perhaps you are not familiar with it, cubic zirconia is a man-made
crystalline material used to imitate real diamonds. They have more colour and
may seem more radiant and sparkly as compared to real diamonds, but it is
cheap. Diamonds on the other hand takes billions of years to take form on earth
and is very expensive. If you are a robber, which would you be more interested to steal? Okay I admit! It’s a terrible analogy, but I hope you get the point.
Side Story, super quick OT
When I was choosing an
engagement ring for my fiancé, I was really routing for something that doesn’t have
diamonds in it. Because first, I am well aware of how the prices of diamonds
are manipulated. Second, I am aware of blood diamonds; I just don’t want to
support anything related to it or any industry related to it (causing it, or whatever. I have my own theories.). But my friends convinced me to get a real
diamond ring (yes I was about to get the cheaper cubic zirconia ones) because
diamonds are more symbolic. It is beauty formed by time. AND the colours of
real diamonds sparkle from deep within, just like my love. Iz so deeps…
Going back… Biblical?
“Woe to the shepherds who destroy and scatter the sheep of my
pasture!” declares the Lord. Therefore thus says the Lord, the God of
Israel, concerning the shepherds who care for my people: “You have scattered my
flock and have driven them away, and you have not attended to them. Behold, I
will attend to you for your evil deeds, declares the Lord. Then I will
gather the remnant of my flock out of all the countries where I have driven
them, and I will bring them back to their fold, and they shall be fruitful and
multiply. I will set shepherds over them who will care for them, and they shall
fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall any be missing, declares the Lord.” Jeremiah 23:1-4
Nuff said.
It has been happening before, it is
happening now, and it will continue to happen until the second coming. But don’t
get me wrong, no one should be silent about the evil that’s been happening
around. We are to expose the truth, no matter how ugly it is, and no matter how
much we bleed for speaking out. Practicing Catholics are no snowflakes. All of
us are called to carry the cross; to carry the burden of exposing the truth
that the Church, the Body, is very ill.
Ending this post with a prayer from the liturgy:
Deliver us, Lord, from every evil,
and grant us peace in our day.
In your mercy keep us free from sin
and protect us from all anxiety
as we wait
in joyful hope
for the
coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ.
