Who Was That Masked Man??

One of my childhood heroes was the “daring and resourceful masked rider of the plains who led the fight for law and order in the early West” aka The Lone Ranger. Every episode ended with those words spoken by those who he had just helped. The character originated in books, became a radio show, then a couple of old time “cliff hanger” serials were made and finally the television show. To me the Lone Ranger will always be Clayton Moore and Tonto always Jay Silverheels. Clayton Moore took his role very seriously and sought to live his life in a way that was a role model for kids and adults… even after the series ended. He made many public appearances over the years in full costume and spoke to kids and their parents about living a clean, wholesome life.

When the company that had the rights to the character wanted to “take the mask off the old Lone Ranger”, as Jim Croce said, he wore a pair of sunglasses the same shape and size as the mask. I had the honor of meeting him in Oklahoma City in 1979. When their new film suffered the same fate as the recent Johnny Depp led version did the mask was returned to him and he wore it once again until his passing in 1998. Ah, once there were heroes who lived the life!!

What Does This Have to Do with Catholics?

While a lone figure standing for law and order may be a great thing, it was never God’s intention that there be “Lone Ranger” Catholics. He established a Church and entrusted the Sacraments by which we receive grace to that Church. In other words, in order to avail ourselves of the means of grace, it is necessary to come together in the Sanctuary where those graces are dispensed. That is one of the great sins of the Protestant Revolt.

It created the notion that each individual is a “pope” unto him/her self and requires no one else to have a “relationship with God”. One of the popular songs of the early 1970’s was called “Me and Jesus” and it sums up the attitude fostered by the Protestant Revolt perfectly:

Well, me and Jesus
We got our own things going
Me and Jesus
We got it all worked out.
Me and Jesus
We got our own things going
We don't need anybody
To tell us what it's all about.
George Jones,1972

What Does the Bible say About That?

Saint Paul, who many consider to be the author of the epistle, wrote in Hebrews:

“Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. And let us consider how to stir up one another to love and good works, not neglecting to meet together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another, and all the more as you see the Day drawing near.” (Hebrews 10:23-25)

Note that he says there are several reasons for this “meeting together” beyond the receiving of the Eucharist. There is an accountability not only to the Church but to one another. Cain rudely responded to the Lord when He asked the whereabouts of Able, “Am I my brother’s keeper?” The attitude fostered by Sola Scriptura leads to the same answer from many Evangelical Christians and even some Catholics. According to Saint Paul the answer is a resounding “yes”. We are to help one another “hold fast the confession” and prevent “wavering”. We are to encourage one another and stir one another to love (both those in our family and Church as well as those we meet) and to good works (feeding the poor, visiting the shut ins and the prisoners, etc).

Since we as Catholics believe that good works are meritorious to reward in Heaven, why would we not want to be encouraged and helped to do them? Even more importantly, our lives are all that some people may ever know about what being Catholic is all about. Since we have a Great Commission to teach everyone to obey all that Christ has commanded where do we expect to learn what those commands are except from the Church that He established to do exactly that?

Logs on a fire burn brightly together. But pull a log off the fire, set it apart and watch what happens. The log slowly starts to cool, the fire dies and eventually the log grows cold. Now it gives light and warmth to no one. The same is true of the “Lone Ranger” Catholic. Eventually their love of the Sacraments grows cold and they begin to think they don’t really need them… after all “Me and Jesus got our own thing going” … right? “I can confess my sins directly to God. I don’t need a priest to absolve them.” “I don’t need to receive the Eucharist. I carry Jesus in my heart all the time” “It doesn’t matter if I miss Mass once in a while (or even often). It’s not really a sin no matter what Rome says.” I hear Catholics say things like this all the time. They are on their way out the door and headed to either Protestantism or, even worse, unbelief.

“Forsake not the assembling of yourselves…and especially more so as the Day approaches” refers to the “Day of the Lord”. Trials are coming for even those in supposedly “Christian” countries. Perhaps even persecution beyond merely verbal abuse. The Lord warned us in Saint Matthew 24:12-13 “And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” The “Lone Ranger” Catholic, the “log off of the fire” won’t endure until the end. Stay in the Church or, if you are away from the Church, come home. The Lord will welcome you with open arms.