Repeating or Rhyming?

Mark Twain is mistakenly credited to have quipped, “History doesn’t repeat itself, but it rhymes.” This notion has been in my mind these last months as we have witnessed, yet again, the failure of so many in leadership in the Catholic Church regarding sexual misconduct. Some used those days wake-up call to recommit ourselves to the faith, morality, and most importantly live as Christ has called us to live. Dioceses of our state have released the names of those credible accused, sought out the victims to beg forgiveness and seeking healing, and at least begun the settlement of lawsuits. Unfortunately, some bishops and dioceses did not. These last months, we have witnessed high-ranking prelates debasing themselves in the most despicable of ways. We see others covering, aiding and abetting sin and moral failure. Others have created alternative structures, almost an anti-Church movement, heading by duplicitous clergy (priests and bishops) in the Church. While these issues had been named as pedophilia, a more chilling realization has set in – according the 2003 John Jay report, 79% of the crimes were homosexual (male on post-pubescent male). These revelations have shaken most of us to the core. What we are witnessing now in other parts of the country is the rhyme and repeat based on the failure to respond. Too many simply went through the motions, and like a child, swept the dust under the rug, assuming out of sight, out of mind. But that is not clean! Now, the Holy Spirit is challenging us again to look at the corruption. As a Catholic, I deeply believe that this is the time that the Blessed Mother Mary promised, in which she is going to sweep the Church clean. It hurts, and it is hard work. But it is spring cleaning for the whole Church. Lift up the rugs, crush the cockroaches, scrub the dust. Get the filth out! When this is done, there will not be one place for evil to hid in the Church, and then the Church will be able to continue her mission of cleansing the world. Only then will the Church be what she is called to be, a refuge for sinners seeking Christ, and a place of safety for all. The Church will always be the prefect and spotless bride of Christ. Christ has promised that the gates of hell will not prevail against it. But the Church’s members are sinners. The Church is in constant need of purification. Christ suffered and died for this! And we must accept this purification. While we may not be at fault, we all have a role. What we see in the Church is only symptomatic of the culture, especially as we consider the #MeToo movement or the rampant rise of STDs, the use of pornography, the sex trades, or abortion. We need to commit ourselves to saying “NO MORE.” We need to examine every aspect of our culture and remove abuse in all its forms. Only then will history cease to rhyme.