Angels and Demons? A Need for Realignment towards Truth and Virtue

The wife of an Ambassador, a very "West" oriented (emancipated) and nominally Muslim woman, told me she had the impression that what she was reading of the present crisis in the Catholic Church reminded her of the movie "Angels and Demons", starring Tom Hanks. I wish I knew whose fault that was!

Unlike the movie, what we as Church are suffering today in terms of scandal has little or no to do with the "illuminati" out for revenge in the name of science. It has everything to do with unfaithfulness to the Lord and to His Commands. What is most frustrating is the hesitancy of those with the burden of office to act to turn matters around, as if outrage about unchaste behavior among our cardinals, bishops and priests were no more than a chase down some rabbit hole (to quote a phrase).

The impasse has something to do with failed leadership. In truth, the whole sad story reminds me of a frightful chapter of the book of John Climacus, The Ladder of Divine Ascent, where on "step 5" (of 30 steps) up the ladder we read:

"Repentance is a renewing baptism. Repentance is a covenant with God for another life. A penitent is one who purchases humbleness. Repentance is a lack of trust toward comforts of the body. Repentance is a condemning of oneself upon reflection and a lack of care of oneself. Repentance is the daughter of hope and the giving up of despondency. A penitent is a convict that is not dishonored. Repentance is a reconciliation with the Lord by the exercise of good works against sin. Repentance is the cleansing of the conscience. Repentance is the willful suffering of all injuries. One who is repentant inflicts his own punishments. Repentance is an ill-treatment of the stomach and a compulsion of the soul into strict awareness." (p. 32). Kindle Edition. 

Climacus' subsequent description of a monastic prison in this same chapter was more than I could bear in terms of deliberate, self-inflicted punishments by monks looking for nothing else in this life but to gain the Lord's pardon and eternal salvation. It goes against the grain (mine anyway) what is described there; I really cannot fathom it. I ask myself very simply if that might not be what is wrong with us today and hence the cause of our shame. We seem not to be open to the Gospel,  radical as it is, not for bearing the wounds of Christ in our own bodies and not for coaxing, urging others to flee with us from the wrath which is to come.

I hope and pray that all of those with the office and the possibility of acting will do so, yes, in order to establish justice and right order, but also much more. Indeed, on the part of us consecrated to the service of the Church, maybe it will require "Climacan" repentance. The Book of Revelation would seem to indicate so, as it makes much of condemning lukewarmness:

"To the angel of the church in Laodicea, write this: 'The Amen, the faithful and true witness, the source of God's creation, says this: "I know your works; I know that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. For you say, 'I am rich and affluent and have no need of anything,' and yet do not realize that you are wretched, pitiable, poor, blind, and naked. I advise you to buy from me gold refined by fire so that you may be rich, and white garments to put on so that your shameful nakedness may not be exposed, and buy ointment to smear on your eyes so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and chastise. Be earnest, therefore, and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, (then) I will enter his house and dine with him, and he with me. I will give the victor the right to sit with me on my throne, as I myself first won the victory and sit with my Father on his throne. "Whoever has ears ought to hear what the Spirit says to the churches." (Apocalypse 3: 9-15)

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