This is my third attempt to make clear something that has long been on my mind. I wrote at length about the problems besetting the two mindsets of the church, those "heart" oriented and those "head" oriented. I went into detail about how exactly each of these might be fixed to bring everything into proper balance.
That done and the previous drafts set aside, I gave myself a moment to think about it and reached a new conclusions about the problems besetting the Church. The reality is that there are so many people in the Church who insist on seeing things differently than I do. This is a serious problem. But it isn't the Church's problem. It's mine. I have all sorts of solutions to suggest to bring the Church and its various members into exact accord with me. Somehow, I find myself questioning the wisdom of that particular direction.
So, the solution to the problems in the Church is this: I need to bring myself into accord with the mind of the Church and not busy myself nearly so much with fixing up everything I see as wrong. Wrong or right, my view is not the wisdom of the ages, the wisdom of the age, or even (very likely) wisdom at all. So rather than tell you all how you can fix your broken church, I think I'll make my way to confession and fix my broken self (at least until the next major goof-up.)
Perhaps someday I will learn that not everything should circulate around me. I pray that that day is sooner rather than later.
The reality is that there are so many people in the Church who insist on seeing things differently than I do. This is a serious problem.
OK, this really made me laugh. Thanks! :)
I definitely agree with you, but I think it's still important to try to fix the Church while also trying to fix one's self. I know I don't have to tell you this, you already know, but Christianity is not just about the individual -- it's also about the community. So I think you're right to suggest how the Church can be fixed, and it does need fixed.
But I do agree with you on fixing one's self, as well, and primarily. It's taking the beam out of your own eye before trying to take the splinter out of someone else's, and you're very wise for seeing that you should do that.
Dear Nathan,
Thank you. And were my attention directed to those things that REALLY need fixing, it would be one thing. But I'm too busy nitpicking at really minor attitude and ideas that don't really need remediation, but need to be either ignored completely as something that is none of my business, or, if completely erroneous, gently corrected. Instead, I'm inclined to charge in like gangbusters and enforce the universal code of Catholic Thinking according to Steven. How good God is that He didn't put me in charge of a church!
shalom,
Steven
FYI, on suffering
Thanks for the exhortation to humility. May we see Christ's Church with His eyes of love and accept the purification that he sends with good grace.