Fourth Sunday of Lent – 10/03/2013
We’re now well into the second week as a Popeless Church: of course Popeless doesn’t mean hopeless, but it does raise in peoples’ minds not only the notion of and the significance of “leadership”, but the need for it as well. All the commentaries over the past week or so have all sought a peg onto which they could hang their critique (good or bad) of the papacy of Benedict XVI. Waxing eloquent, as best some could, we’ve been treated to any amount of comment on the Church as an Autocracy as opposed to a Democracy. We’ve had opinions on faith as opposed to facts, or theory as opposed to practice, or idealism as opposed to realism, or sanctity as opposed to sanity or humanity! Leadership, within any system or organization, is one heavy burden for anyone on whose shoulders it is thrust – whether they seek it or are landed with it. It is impossible to exercise it in a way that keeps all of the people happy all of the time! Ask any parent who in trying to ensure the experience of wellbeing for the family, how challenging even that can be to keep everybody happy all of the time!!
In the light of all the comment that the Pope’s resignation has engendered, the ‘learned’ calls for the Autocratic approach of the Catholic Church to be replaced forthwith (if not sooner!) with those “cherished” aspects of a Democratic system as “the way forward” for the Church in the 21st Century! seem somewhat naïve. Whether it be Autocratic, Democratic, systematic or whatever you’re having yourself, as long as there are people involved there are going to be cock-ups and hic-cups, disillusionment and disappointments, power struggles and personality clashes – you name it! We share a flawed nature no matter how we try to dress it up or label it.
If there’s any society in the world that’s so evidently living with the consequences of that at the moment – we have to rank amongst the best of them here in Ireland. The recent manner in which changes to the support of the mobility allowance by a democratically elected government! hasn’t gone down too well. It is perceived by many as a further and unfair disadvantage, as well as a broken promise, to an already disadvantaged number of people. Or how about the promise, prior to being elected, to the people of Roscommon not to close their hospital, or the pledge so publicly signed not to introduce 3rd level educational fees, or indeed the promise not to legislate for Abortion if elected ….etc etc. I mean, where does Democracy dazzlingly outshine Autocracy or whatever in instances like these!
At least, whether one agrees or disagrees with the convictions of former Pope Benedict – (and there are many of both sides ) when he gave his word, he stuck to it. What other measure can we take from another human being, as the pledge of their integrity – other than the promise of his word. And what a complete travesty of integrity when they break it. Within our Christian tradition we celebrate that He who gave His Word in His Son is forever faithful to it. Forgiveness is the aspect of that faithful Word on which we focus this weekend.