For what it worth!! Thought by Fr Stefan
It is said that ‘The crisis of our era is a crisis of Saints.’
Often we think we want to be the loudest voice speaking out against those who we think our the enemies.. this is often take the form of political outrage. And Yes at times this is necessary.. St John Chrysostom who was exiled, or St Athanasius, who was exiled 5 times, or St John the Baptist who was killed for speaking the truth.. the martyrs are the icons of human freedom.. in that they would rather die than violate their conscience.. think of St Thomas More.. who died rather than say that King Henry VIII marriage was valid. God is no respecter of person and a king is as much bound to the Divine Law as much as a the poorest man.. or servant.
“Well . . . I believe, when statesmen forsake their own private conscience for the sake of their public duties . . . they lead their country by a short route to chaos.”
“In matters of conscience, the loyal subject is more bounden to be loyal to his conscience than to any other thing.”
From Robert Bolt book ‘A man for all Season’
When a man takes an oath, Meg, he’s holding his own self in his own hands. Like water (he cups his hands) and if he opens his fingers then, he needn’t hope to find himself again. Some men aren’t capable of this, but I’d be loathe to think your father one of them.’
But we still we not re evangelize our culture until we take the hard road of ‘taking up our crosses and following Christ.’
Which is another way of saying that ‘the real crisis of our age is a crisis of Saints.’ We might want to be John the Baptist and be the loudest voice in decrying those who fall short, create scandal, or enact laws that are contrary to natural law or religious freedom.. all necessary. But as Blessed Pope Paul VI says ‘the modern world listens to witnesses before if listens to teachers and if they listen to teachers it is because they are first witnesses.’
This is why Mother Theresa could speak to graduates at Harvard about Chasity, or about the sin of abortion and receive a hearing.. even applause.
Pope Francis says ‘that all the offices in the Church need to be at service of Evangelization.’
That the Church is not a ‘NGO’ or just another special interest group.
At some point we will need to realize the only person we can change is ourselves, and when we become Saints then that will change the world. Then Christ Light will shine through us.
During this lent may the light of the Holy Spirit reveal to us our total poverty and need for Christ.
And May Christ give us then men and women who are like St Thomas More..
who died saying ‘I am the kings good servant but God is first.’
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