3rd Sunday Lent C - Homily 5

Homily 5 - 2019

I feel awkward talking once more about the sexual abuse debacle in the Church. Yet I am also very conscious that today’s Gospel reading almost forces me to do so. I know some Catholics, particularly the ones like you who keep coming to Mass regularly, are often tempted to think, “Ah, that is past now. Let’s move on”. But for me to move on from the whole disaster without having learnt from it, and without having grown stronger because of it, would be tragic.

I hear very clearly Jesus’ message in today’s Gospel. “Unless you repent you will all perish as they did”. And he said it twice to make his point clear. And then there was the story at the end about the non-productive fig tree, and the observation, “Leave it one more year and give me time to dig round it and manure it: it may bear fruit next year; if not, then you can cut it down”. Let us not be deceived by the word “Repent”. It is a dreadfully inadequate translation. What Jesus meant in this context was, to grow up and mature, to become adult friends, He an d I, with a head and a heart of my own. And he also recognised the importance of the passage of time for a genuine personal relationship to grow. All maturing takes time; and it does not happen inevitably.

I gather there was a good insert in last Sunday’s bulletin, an article written by Francis Sullivan, who until recently was CEO of the Church’s “Truth Justice and Healing Council”. He addressed precisely the issue of maturity. He wrote, "Since the conviction of Cardinal Pell I have been asked why I remain a Catholic. It is an obvious question. The extent of criminal behavior and active cover-up by bishops and religious leaders has been breath-taking. Ordinary Catholics have been played as mugs by the Church leadership. Why stay?”

But then he went on. “My answer is – why not?” So is mine. Without wanting to sound unkind, Cardinal Pell has had, and has now, no effect, no relevance to, my relationship with Jesus, my commitment to you, or my sense of responsibility to the world. And in developing his response, Francis Sullivan made some very thoughtful comments: “The clerical sex abuse scandal … may well cause some to rethink their beliefs and practices, but for me it has been a call to deepen my spiritual practice. To commit to daily meditation and reflection. To draw on the sacramental life of the Church and the richness of scriptural practices like lectio divina. It has been a time to become mature in my faith development, less dependent and literally more adult in my engagement with the institutional Church.”

He went on later to say, “The abuse scandal has clouded the atmosphere for Catholics but not the imperative to seek the Beyond and join with others in pursuing truth, goodness and beauty. I believe the wisdom of the Gospel tradition has much to offer post-modern society… For to be Catholic is to be attentive to how our society becomes more human, more compassionate and creative in prizing the dignity and inherent value of everyone … For me that makes my faith real, practical and important. It compels me to be less self centred and precious. It implores me to move from my comfort zone to places that open my spirit and hopefully my heart. It shows me that God is forever creating and I can participate in that. So, why leave?”

We would all do well to take Jesus’ invitation seriously – to grow up, to become friends, Jesus and I - adult friends, to see life differently, and to change [even those of us who are eighty years old or more]. But how? Perhaps we could follow the example of Francis Sullivan, “... to deepen my spiritual practice. To commit to daily meditation and reflection. To draw on the sacramental life of the Church and the richness of scriptural practices like lectio divina. It has been a time to become mature in my faith development, less dependent and literally more adult in my engagement with the institutional Church.”

And if you don’t know how to respond that way, ask someone, and perhaps even have a go together. That is what Church is, what it is for. And you don’t need a bishop – or even a priest – though all three of us priests here are ready to help if asked.