I cannot remember any period during my lifetime that has been more challenging for the Catholic Church in our country. We try to be faithful to the teachings of Christ, and we are criticized for being too rigid. We insist that being a disciple of Jesus is a costly proposition, and not simply an exercise in being nice. We repent of the terrible sin of clergy sex abuse and work harder than any other institution to assure that such a horrible thing will never happen again, and the past is continually dug up and thrown in our faces making us liable for what may or may not have happened before we had anything to say about the matter. The important separation of Church and State that is built into our Constitution is now interpreted to mean that religion should have no voice whatsoever in the public domain. The freedom of religion that we have taken for granted as one of the cornerstones of our nation is now reduced to freedom of worship confined within the walls of the church but not allowed to breathe freely in the light of day. The Church that many look to as a moral compass because of its long and deep reflection on human nature and how it thrives best when following the law of God, is now trumped by a secular morality of “ego-theism” in which every individual is deemed a god who decides morality for him or herself, without any reference to how we are made or to the one and only God who made us.
As bad as it sometimes seems, other ages and places in the world have seen worse. It was less than a century ago that Catholicism was outlawed in Mexico, and priests and faithful parishioners were tortured and executed in the name of purging society of their “perverted” ideas, ideas that often criticized the ruling class and upset them very much. In some countries in the Middle East even today Catholics and other Christians are suffering severe persecutions for their faith, losing life, home and livelihood.
The laments above, however, should not be construed as whining. Jesus, our Lord and Master, also was criticized, rejected, tortured, and cruelly put to death, not because he was so nice to everyone, but because he insisted on living and speaking the truth, no matter who might be offended by it. He spoke the truth in love to call us all to repentance, to turn away from sin and believe in the Good News of God’s liberating love for us all. His gospel was demanding beyond the tolerance of his critics, and so the horror of the cross became his lot. But he bore all these sufferings patiently, forgiving those who had rejected him, refusing to be violent toward those who showed him such cruel violence. And in the end, of course, he rose from the dead, vindicating himself, his teachings, and his power. He continues to live in his beloved Body, the Church, and we are undeservingly blessed to be members of that sacred Body of Christ.
The story of his Passion, death and resurrection is not a “once upon a time” story, but is the story of his disciples throughout the ages. St. Paul tells us in Colossians 1:24: “Now I rejoice in my sufferings for your sake, and in my flesh I am filling up what is lacking in Christ’s afflictions for the sake of his body, that is, the church.” And so the story of his death and resurrection is our story, for our day, and our time, as we journey as disciples of the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Jesus never promised that it would be easy, but he did promise us joy even in the midst of difficulties, if we keep our eyes fixed on him and his ultimate victory over sin and death. So we celebrate Easter to rejoice not only in the countless blessings we have, but also to be strengthened in our struggles and difficulties, knowing that if we remain faithful to Jesus he will give us the victory. And so we constantly sing “Alleluia!” “Praise God!” He saves us from our sins and calls us to be his instruments in turning all hearts away from sin and toward the Good News of his everlasting presence and love. He alone gives us the courage to be faithful to our mission through the power of the Holy Spirit he breathed upon us that first Easter night. We, who always remain sinners, do not let our sins keep us from our mission, because we put them into the merciful hands of the Master who conquered sin and death.
May you, in all your joys and struggles, continue to sing a heartfelt and joyful “Alleluia!” Happy Easter!
Most Rev. Larry Silva
Bishop of Honolulu
