When we quarrel about the church…

Sun23A 10.9.23

[Matthew 18:15-20]

The Catholic church today is deeply divided. To sketch the division rather crudely, we can say that many Catholics see the church as an unchanging, monolithic institution governed by a hierarchy of ordained men, who alone have the power to put us in touch with God through the Eucharist and other sacraments. This view strongly emphasises Catholic identity as expressed in traditions and rules, such as the strict obligation to attend Mass on Sundays, to abstain from meat on Fridays, and for priests to celebrate every Mass in identical words and actions.

These “traditionalists” rightly treasure Catholic culture in music and art, but it is to be hoped that they have abandoned the old belief that no one – even babies – can “get to heaven” unless they are baptised; and the tradition – in some places – that forbade Catholics from reading the bible, for only clerics could interpret it safely.

The other group, a majority of Catholics in “the West”, see that many beliefs and practices have evolved through the centuries, and are not essential. Although many of these people no longer attend church services, they also love God and follow Christ. While the other group might disparagingly call them “cafeteria Catholics”, their position is based on a sound interpretation of history and of scripture. They embrace the conclusions of the Second Vatican Council, which restored the liturgy to the languages spoken by worshippers because it was not originally in Latin. This group accepts that all people are called to be holy no less than clerics or vowed religious; that every person’s conscience must be respected, particularly as they seek and worship God. No more Inquisition!

The first-mentioned group sees the church as more exclusive. Their rigid emphasis on ritual and rules gives it the appearance of a cult. The second group sees the church as more inclusive. They see the Incarnation as showing God come among us as Jesus, who has passed through death and is present in all people and all creation. Because Jesus showed that God is infinitely loving and merciful, they can accept Pope Francis’ description of the church as a field-hospital for the wounded, rather than an assembly of the holy. Because Jesus identified with people who are poor, needy or in prison (Matthew 25:35 etc) these Catholics see that following him includes working to make society more just and to preserve our endangered environment, local and planet-wide.

This is merely a sketchy description of two common views of the church, but it represents the main disagreements among contemporary Catholics. Are these differences insoluble? In today’s reading from Matthew’s gospel, Jesus shows us how to resolve divisions in the Christian assembly.

When someone “does something wrong” against us, Jesus advised that we approach them gently, without anger. If they do not listen, we may bring in other witnesses. If this fails, it becomes a matter for the whole assembly. This suggests that our divided church needs to proceed by the ancient synodal approach that Pope Francis is re-introducing. We must listen to everyone, and respect everyone’s dignity. We must avoid any bullying; there is no place for Inquisition!

When it seems impossible to reach agreement, and the other side offends us by continuing to claim that they alone are right, Jesus advises us to treat them “like a pagan or tax collector”. This does not mean that we shun or reject those persons. Jesus always befriended pagans and tax-collectors, sharing meals with them, including Matthew, who recorded Jesus’ advice for us.

The future of our church solution depends on our recalling Jesus’ promise that “Where two or three meet in my name, I shall be there with them.” Perhaps Rumi, the Persian poet and mystic, was expressing this in another way:

“An ant hurries along a threshing floor

with its wheat grain, moving between huge stacks

of wheat, not knowing the abundance

all around. It thinks its one grain

is all there is to love”. – (Rumi, 1207 – 1273)

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