As a Boy Scout of about 12 or 13 years old, I was busy earning “Merit Badges” in my quest to become an Eagle Scout (I didn’t quite make it that far, but not for lack of trying!) One of the badges I got was for fire safety. I remember I had to go to the local fire department and speak with one of the firefighters who taught me some valuable lessons.
One of the lessons I learned was that you can’t put out a gasoline fire by putting water on it, as you can with just a paper fueled fire. When you try to put out a gasoline fire with water, the flaming gasoline just floats on top of the water, spreading the fire.
In the first reading for the 3rd Wednesday of Easter, we hear of something very similar happening. The religious leaders wanted to put a stop to the new Christian church so they began a severe persecution. What they had not expected was that their persecution actually helped the new Christians by spreading them out away from Jerusalem so they could preach and convert new members. So, in their attempt to put out the fire of Christianity by throwing water on it, they actually caused it to spread.
We (by “we” I mean the Catholic Church) are going through another severe persecution in the 21st century. It seems like every day there is another claim by some “news” organization that yet another priest has been involved in pedophilia and that a bishop or even Pope Benedict XVI is complicit in the acts! And, of course, since we live in a culture that feeds on sensationalism and is prone to believe anything, the vile and disgusting acts of a relatively very few priests become the portrait of all priests. These sinful men started the gasoline fire, but the media (working through Satan) is pouring as much water on the flames as they can! It has been discouraging. But after reading today’s Sacred Scripture, I find a new reason for optimism. I truly believe the Church will go through a lot more persecution before things get better, but when it is all said and done, She will be stronger and more beautiful than ever!
By the way the fireman helping me get my merit badge put the gasoline fire out by “smothering” it with foam from a fire extinguisher. But as we know, nothing can smother the fire of Christianity!
One of the lessons I learned was that you can’t put out a gasoline fire by putting water on it, as you can with just a paper fueled fire. When you try to put out a gasoline fire with water, the flaming gasoline just floats on top of the water, spreading the fire.
In the first reading for the 3rd Wednesday of Easter, we hear of something very similar happening. The religious leaders wanted to put a stop to the new Christian church so they began a severe persecution. What they had not expected was that their persecution actually helped the new Christians by spreading them out away from Jerusalem so they could preach and convert new members. So, in their attempt to put out the fire of Christianity by throwing water on it, they actually caused it to spread.
We (by “we” I mean the Catholic Church) are going through another severe persecution in the 21st century. It seems like every day there is another claim by some “news” organization that yet another priest has been involved in pedophilia and that a bishop or even Pope Benedict XVI is complicit in the acts! And, of course, since we live in a culture that feeds on sensationalism and is prone to believe anything, the vile and disgusting acts of a relatively very few priests become the portrait of all priests. These sinful men started the gasoline fire, but the media (working through Satan) is pouring as much water on the flames as they can! It has been discouraging. But after reading today’s Sacred Scripture, I find a new reason for optimism. I truly believe the Church will go through a lot more persecution before things get better, but when it is all said and done, She will be stronger and more beautiful than ever!
By the way the fireman helping me get my merit badge put the gasoline fire out by “smothering” it with foam from a fire extinguisher. But as we know, nothing can smother the fire of Christianity!
No comments:
Post a Comment