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We humans tend to mark the beginning and end of things with special celebrations or ceremonies. Whether it is the birth of a child, graduation from high school, the start of a new year or one’s anniversary, these moments are observed with various rituals to acknowledge their significance. The same is true as we conclude one liturgical church year and prepare to enter another with advent. The final Sunday of the liturgical calendar marks the completion of another year by honoring Christ the King. This feast is relatively new in the life of the Church, founded in 1925 by Pope Pius XI for a very practical reason. At the time, a dictator named Mussolini seized control of Italy and a young man named Adolph Hitler was gathering support for the Nazi Party. Across the world, the economy was beginning to fail and peace was faltering only a few years after the devastating First World War had stolen the futures of millions of people. These were dark times and many were wondering if God was present or if evil had finally conquered the world. The suffering that touched the lives of so many also threatened to destroy their faith and trust in God. So Pius XI founded the feast of Christ the King to remind Christians that Jesus was in charge of the world and history, not evil people and their destructive plans.
But it’s not just massive, globe-changing evils and events that shake the faith of God’s people. No matter who we are, we prefer a certain degree of stability and certainty, a measure of comfort and tradition. Change and loss can cause a personal crisis, especially when it affects areas of our life that give us strength and purpose. One of the most insidious and clever tactics satan wields against humanity is twisting loss, grief, and profound change to suggest that maybe God is not going to win after all. It sounds ridiculous to say, but doubt often circulates in my heart as I look at the world, our culture and even the Church, and wonder, can this be saved? How can this continue? Why does God allow this to happen?! The devil can also trick us into the other extreme, of making an idol out the way we’ve always done things. In this scenario, we avoid change at all costs, to the detriment of spiritual growth or renewal because we prefer comfort and consistency instead of the challenge and messiness that comes with the life of the Holy Spirit.
In response to these timeless questions, our wise Church gives us a surprising gospel. We do not hear about the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday but instead the passage of Jesus hanging on the cross. At first, this gospel doesn’t seem to fit or help! Isn’t the cross a sign of Jesus’ defeat? Doesn’t it show the weakness and humiliation of our Lord and King? Shouldn’t Jesus be full of might and control instead of dying alongside two criminals?
But this is no mistake. The Church gives us this gospel to show the wisdom of God, which is infinitely wiser than human understanding. Divine wisdom which is often shocking and surprising, disruptive and uncomfortable. This gospel shows us true power and real kingship; how God can take the worst of what humanity can do and redeem it. A terrible thief becomes a saint; a broken and disgraced Jesus rises from the dead in glory. Old ways of seeing and believing are transformed and enhanced.
Here in St. Louis, we are undergoing a significant change in our local church that is sure to bring sadness, loss, disruption, and change. Which is not to say that such changes are unjustified or unnecessary. The numbers don’t lie: what we’ve been doing is no longer working. We are losing 5000 people every year—if you divide that across the archdiocese, that’s about 60 people from Incarnate Word each year, or 15-20 families. Gone from the Church. In the past, our approach was to make sure we had as many parishes as possible, if we built a church, people would fill it. But that’s no longer the case. Many people rightly ask, how does closing parishes encourage evangelization. But we could also ask, “how has keeping them open been working out for us? If an unchanging number of parishes is the key to evangelizing, then why are we losing 5000 people per year with them open? We might think of this as a spiritual Dunkirk; a time to retreat, regroup, and then re-engage.
It’s understandable to struggle with the decisions that are coming from this process; many may feel anger, experience doubt, or even the temptation to abandon the faith. The feelings themselves are perfectly normal but how we respond to them determines whether this change brings resurrection and life or fear and separation. Yes, it might mean more people here in Church on a Sunday. Yes, it might mean a more crowded parking lot, Yes, some folks might have to drive further to go to Mass. But if THOSE things are going to prevent us from practicing the faith, perhaps the bigger problem is not with this process but our faith? If we’re willing to plan ahead or endure inconvenience to go to a ballgame or shopping, but not to Mass—that’s something to work on.
I don’t say these things from a place of judgement or indifference. Whatever changes happen will require many sacrifices from the clergy too. I am anxious about what new models for parishes might look like, that I might be asked to leave you, and whether I have the competence and ability to be an effective pastor in a new framework. But I keep reminding God that he called me to be a priest at this time, so he must help me do what must be done. I also remember that I have questioned God’s plan many times before and he always seems to figure things out; if I am willing to let him lead!
Each of us has to make that same choice for ourselves. Will I trust God, knowing that he is Lord and cannot be defeated by any evil, human weakness, or challenge we face? Do I believe, that no matter how bleak things look, in the church or in society, that it is no problem for God? Do I realize, that God is not asking me to fix everything or right every wrong but he is calling me to live my faith fully and love the people around me in the same way he does? Am I willing to let God disrupt the way things have always been to infuse new life into what may have become routine and stagnant?
Ultimately, I am not asking you to love All Things New or pretend you have no questions or concerns. But here are three things I would ask you to hold onto as we move through this process.
- Assume the best in others, especially our leaders. Give the Archbishop and his team the benefit of the doubt. (Story of care-giver in cottleville) The archbishop did not wake up one day and say, “how can I anger 400k Catholics for no good reason.” I believe the Archbishop is being a good shepherd, leading us through something difficult, towards something better that leads to renewal and growth in the long-term.
- Remember that what we choose to look for, we will see. If we look for the flaws and everything wrong with ATN and our spiritual leaders, that is what we will see. If we ask for God’s help to see the good and the opportunities, that is what we will find. It seems a little simplistic but it is true. So resolve to look for God’s hand in this process and do not foster a critical spirit!
- Finally, we must never forget that the only one who can lose our faith is us. No one can steal it away, no matter how disappointed or frustrated we might feel about this process. Our parishes and schools are special; some of life’s most sacred moments happen in them and they become like people to us. But we shouldn’t forget that parishes and schools are a means to an end—not the end itself. When they no longer effectively evangelize and foster discipleship, then we need to give them up, for the sake of the larger mission. Each of us must make sure to take an active role in practicing and growing our faith and sharing it with others. We must avoid the trap of becoming consumer Christians, wanting the church to cater to us and give us what we want with little or no sacrifice. You and I are being invited to take ownership of our faith in a new way that will look different than it has for the last several generations. This is scary but also exciting, challenging but empowering. So long as we continue to believe and embrace what is essential to our faith, namely prayer and the sacraments, God will always provide what we need and there will always be reason to hope.
May we never forget the victory of Christ the King and may God bless his Church in St. Louis as we seek follow where he leads us towards new life and growth in our faith!
