Frustration

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I just want to scream at the Lord. Actually, not about the Lord, since he made it clear we should pick up our crosses and follow him. Didn’t deny the need to suffer, and despite my failings has pulled me out of the mire and given me far more graces and blessings than I desire. What he didn’t reveal is that the biggest cross we have to bear is His church. What I can’t fathom is how after 2000 years the church still can’t follow His guidelines. Despite sending the Spirit to guide it, the church still is the stumbling block for his people. In ACTs, the first thing we see is a Christian Community. Everyone shared! I don’t think this means just economic resources. I believe it means they shared pains and sorrows as well as joys and laughter. They supported each other and like a circle had no head and no tail. The Apostles said their role was to pray and evangelize. Note, they did not say rule and control. That’s not what I see in the church today. I know I am painting with a broad brush, and as I said elsewhere the priests in Orders seem to be closer to what the Lord intended, but then that’s not what we see in our daily lives. 

The pope passed away, and he is celebrated in the news daily. His funeral was attended by dignitaries from around the world. Thousands mourned for him. In some parishes a novena was started for the pope. There is nothing wrong with this. Yet locally a number of faithful Catholics have also passed away. People who loved, attended, and worked for the church for years and years. Many had no funeral Mass, and were fortunate if they had a deacon do a grave side service. In many cases the deacon didn’t know who they were or what they did. No novena for them. No mention of them in the parish. Not even a blurb in the bulletin acknowledging their existence in the community. Eldest sons and daughters who came back to an empty house. Don’t blame the Lord, he expected better.