The Song Goes On

This is the first contribution I’ve made to this site for a while, and I apologize for my hiatus, not that it matters. However, there were valid reasons for it.

Anyway, back in the game now.....and lately I’ve been thinking. I’ve been told that whenever I do that it can be dangerous, but I’ll take my chances and do it now.

I recently watched a program lately on EWTN on St. Catherine of Sienna, one of the doctors of the Church. I’ve also studied St. Brigid of Ireland, one that I feel particularly close to, as well as a good number of others.

When Christ established HIS Church, He stated He would always be with it, and that the ‘gates of hell’ would not stand against it. His words, not mine. I’ve always taken them at face value.

Currently, the Church appears to be in grave crisis. Yeah, it does. Really. Of our own making, for sure. But, in thinking about St. Catherine, in particular, it struck me that this is not the first time that we, us, as the mortals who run it, have screwed things up to the point where it appears that its collapse is imminent. Not even close to the first time, and quite possibly not even the worse, although it seems like that now. Everyone is running around with their hair on fire, stating that this is the end, and unless Christ does what we say He needs to do, it’s finished. It’s perfectly normal, I suppose. However, now, as well in the past, it seems we forget who is actually running the show. That change comes through us many times, as Christ quite often works through his people. At other times, it just seems to magically work out.

Which brings me to the point. When St. Catherine of Sienna showed up, the Church was in dire straights. For 80 years Popes had run off from Rome, and had set up shop in Avignon, France. The political pressure to remain in France was strong, and, it seems Popes were literally afraid to move back to the Eternal City, which was actually the seat of the Church. They had become embroiled in French politics, It was hemorrhaging members, watering down doctrine, everything some accuse it of today. However, here comes this simple woman in her twenties, who prayed constantly, served the poor and did Christ’s work on earth in a manner that so many others (including me) fail to do. This simple woman had the gumption to go to the Pope Gregory, personally, and tell him in no uncertain terms to get his butt in gear and get back to Rome. She then went on to advise his successor, and got the Church back on track.

This same scenario has happened time, and time again. St. Patrick in Ireland, St. Brigid in Ireland all injected life into believers by their own faith and will. St. Perpetua, St. Felicity, and so many others martyred themselves and gave the Church new life. This has happened for centuries, and centuries, time and time again, too many times than can be counted. God ALWAYS sends someone, in His name, to get it going again. This can be traced back to the beginning, when a humble Virgin said ‘yes’ to the Archangel Gabriel to get the entire salvation story going.

Sometimes it’s to address a major crisis in faith, running Church wide. Other times it comes an addresses a crisis in faith in a certain area, perhaps a village like Lourdes, France, and the results of the Saint’s response, in this case, St. Bernadette, has earth shaking ramifications.
In still others, it addresses a personal crisis of faith, and never has ‘official’ recognition by the Church. But, it still happens. I’d bet my bottom dollar we can all think of instances where we needed a shot of faith and someone showed to lead the way.

So, now I read on the internet, including some Catholic sites, as well in the ‘main stream media’, how the Church is on it’s last legs. It’s going down. After two centuries, it’s enemies have finally prevailed. And, many instances, we are the enemy. A great Army commander once said “we have met the enemy, and he is us”. So true. The Church has been attempted to be wiped out so many times, it’s not funny, by despots over the centuries, time and time again. Yet, she still stands. If folks think it will be destroyed this time, I’d be willing to take that bet. “The Gates of Hell will not stand against it”, Christ’s words to St. Peter,  it’s still true.

I was listening to a song today, the litany of the Saints....it names many of them... St. Mary, St. Agatha, St. Patrick, St. Brigid, St. Catherine, St. Jude, St. Frances, the list goes on and on and on. All are still here, and used by Christ to give us encouragement, show the way. They tell us....”The Song Goes On”.

After 2018 years, indeed it does. Despite our best efforts to mess it up. And, it will continue.