For Latin Rite Catholic Christians, this week marks the beginning of another Advent – a word that quite literally means “The Arrival”. We await the arrival of our King… born in a stable, in all humility and quiet splendor.
Many of us are going through a hard time with our Church right now. Unless you have been under a rock the past year, you know the news, and its not good. For many of us the past year has been met with anger, disappointment, resentment. Once again men we trusted… led many astray, in pursuit of worldly pleasures. While it is epitomized in the sexual abuse crisis, it is equally exhibited in a broader sense in the relaxed characters of many of our clergy, who have opted for popularity out of pride, rather then as a great confessor of mine used to tell me “Following Jesus up the hill”.
Its easy to want to throw your hands up…run away. Some of us have even threatened to “Dox”… (in other words, head east). This isn’t the answer though either.
Jesus told us the church would never end… that Hell’s gates could never triumph – But he didn’t absolve us of being involved in that… He simply said…it would never end. Its up to us now, more then ever, to defend Holy Mother church. Those of us who are apologists (amateur or professional), need to teach. Those of us who can contribute, need to. Most importantly all of us need to be courageous, and our Bishops, Priests, Deacons need our prayers.. especially the “rotten” ones, but most importantly the pious ones.. who are mighty…but fewer.
Our Lord allowed the enemy 100 years to do his worst, and its easy to say.. that that has occurred… However its superficial. Even as we speak, rebirth and renewal is occurring. Though they are in small pockets, bastions of Orthodoxy are springing up.
Im truly convinced at this point it is manifest in the renewal of the Liturgy, that you see not in great Orders such as the FSP or the ICKSP – No they only paved the way. The real renewal is coming when the small oratories and parishes embrace the so called “Mass of Ages”.
How we worship, is how we believe – Ill take it a step further… How OTHERS SEE US WORSHIP… is how they know Who we believe in. When the Mass is completely rooted in sublime worship, our eyes cannot help but be fixated on our God.. who is living before our eyes.
This Advent.. I know I personally am going to try to make it about renewal, both in a deepening of my understanding of the liturgy, but also doing my part to bring about that renewal, which I again think is happening before us. We all need to take courage. While we can seem overwhelmed by an overwhelming complacency, in the end, all will be restored… All will be right, and all will know HIM in the liturgy.
“Come Lord Jesus, Come Quickly”