Aug 16 - Thursday 19th Week in OT

+ Today we have very timely readings, but for a topic that you might not except to hear. The gospel passage talks about unlimited forgiveness, “seventy times seven” meaning no end to forgiveness. And then it goes on to a story on how a man who was forgiven, goes out and treats a fellow debtor even worse than he was treated when forgiven. This will not do in the Kingdom of Heaven, which begins here on earth.

Usually the “work of the devil” is quite easily recognizable with what is going on in the political debacle that plays out daily on our tv screens – and it’s the moral duty of the church to encourage it’s members to act in conscience against such fatal antics.

But today it is more than fair to mobilize the same citizens of two kingdoms (heaven and earth), you and me, members of the Church to speak out against the ungodly and quite frankly catastrophically incomprehensible presence of predator priests who, due to their own twisted personalities and malformed consciences using the faith of the church as its symbols to commit unspeakable sexual crimes against children of both sexes. And to do so in a conspiracy ring of crime where they shared victims with one another for years. There is a special place in hell for those dastardly men, and most especially for their superiors, and the bishops who were a part of the conspiracy and its cover up.

The finding of the Pennsylvania dioceses report released yesterday is beyond appalling, and quite frankly sickening. 

And so it is time to militate prayerfully against such practices – and to demand that justice be served on behalf of the victims – who are suffering irreparable consequences to such sinful and illegal behavior.

There needs to be special prayer groups formed throughout this country in all parishes to pray for the victims that they find peace and comfort in their lives finally, because we are praying with and for them, and also for the predators and their conspirators many of whom are still at large and functioning in the church. These needs to be sought out and dealt with in civil litigations – and also in courts of canon law.

We must not forgive any of those in the conspiracy – ever. Period.

The first reading then today can also be applied to this case: the church has been a rebellious house, whose administrators have eyes but they choose not to see, they have ears, but they choose not to hear.

It is time for the total administration of the church to see and hear the reality of life around them, to repent and clean up its act, and then to quickly begin to change the course of the Church because it is too late – and the clock is certainly ticking down.

 Mary is weeping, the saints are restless, and the Father is tapping hit foot – Come Lord Jesus come, with salvation for your faithful people – and fire and wrath for the unfaithful! all as you have warned and promised! Amen.