What if this year, or next year, or every year, the bishop
of Rome took the part of Jesus in a passion play? What if, as part of the Holy
Week celebrations, Francis had himself dragged out in front of a mob screaming
abuse and throwing garbage at him, accusing him of everything the Church is
truly guilty of in our time, especially in the “public face” of her bishops and
priests…
“Child abusers! Liars! Pompous hypocrites! Pharisees!”
“Hey! Your Holiness! Eminence! Your Excellency! Monsignor!
Reverend Father!”
“What about your million-dollar mansions? Your
thirty-four-thousand-dollar Cardinal’s robes?
“What about the people you drive away from the Church by
your laziness? Your arrogance? What about the ones you bar from Communion?”
“You teach little children God is a monster! You tell them
their little faults are ‘mortal sin’! That they are going to Hell for doing
things no parent would reject them for!”
What if everyone in the crowd were invited to take out on
the pope their anger against the Church? To yell out everything bottled up inside
of them?
What if they had a mock scourging, with cords doctored to
leave red marks on his body?
What if the pope then preached, still dirty from garbage and
imitation blood. What if he made a public confession in the name of the whole
Church, admitting the defects and failures both clergy and laity are guilty of
in our day, begging pardon for everything that is really going on? What if he
admitted his guilt, the guilt of the bishops and priests, and invited the laity
to acknowledge their guilt in the Church’s failure to convert the world?
What if he then made a sacramental confession in the sight
(not the hearing) of everyone? And then all the priests present did the same,
confessing to one another?
What if the priests then put on some kind of penitential
garment over their clerical costume – and, put on view as fellow sinners, made
themselves available to hear the confessions of all present?
Would this have an effect? Would it say something in a way
we could hear it? Would it be a catharsis? A moment of truth? A healing?
Would it bring reconciliation?
What if every bishop did this in his diocese? Every priest
in his parish?
What if I did it with the Hispanic community here at His Way
House?
This is scary. What do you think?
(We invite your comments).
Scary can be good. Just hope all the lawyers don't get in the way rushing to their courts with lots of lawsuits. I think this may be the practical reason why this doesn't happen today, but I have to wonder doesn't Jesus call us to go beyond the practical?
ReplyDeleteScary can be good. I think the reason it is not likely to happen is the church is afraid of all the lawyers who will rush to their courts with an "admission of guilt" in the lawsuits they file. But, what if we can look beyond this? Would the loss of material possessions really compromise the church's mission in the world? Isn't this what Jesus really asks?
ReplyDeleteSome would still sit like knots on a log, satisfied that they had participated in some way. Some would walk away disgusted with the theatrics of it all. Some would be moved to contrition, would confess and leave radiant and profoundly grateful.
ReplyDelete