When the world gets ugly,... .

... get beautiful.

Let's face it, there's plenty of bad news in the news right now. And, in this day of instant everything, the flood of information is torrential and caustic, a toxic tsunami that can easily overwhelm even the most stalwart citizen of the Church.

To respond with bland indifference, or some Pollyanna-esque slogan, or even white hot anger at the abominable misdeeds of prelates, doctrinal monkey business or the slithery sophistry of Catholic politicians whose mastery of doublespeak is enough to induce seasickness in the most seasoned of sea-dogs, is to drift away from the company of Jesus by allowing oneself to flop into the comfy chair of doubt and despair. Let us not forget: God is in charge! Our job is to remind our brothers and sisters, Catholics and non-Catholics, that actions have eternal consequences.

There's Beauty in the Cross

If ever there was a contradiction in terms, its the idea that the crucified body of Jesus—battered, torn, crushed and bloodied, hanging on the Cross—is a thing of beauty. He, of course, allowed Himself to be consumed by the sins of man in order to destroy sin and death. That Jesus would allow Himself to be sacrificed for us should bring us to our knees in humble thanksgiving for offering us such a beautiful gift, the gift of eternal salvation. The world, of course, which is shorthand for that realm which has no need for the Sacrifice of Calvary (because the world is enamoured of sin), will scoff at us for taking consolation (not delight nor sentimentalism!) in the wounds of Christ.

I live to be consumed.

When one is tempted to anger, or is frustrated with others or with oneself, consider this: Jesus makes Himself present to us in the humblest of forms, the consecrated bread and wine that are His Precious Body and Blood. He makes Himself present at the hands of the priest so that He may be consumed by us. He lives to be consumed. What if we, each one of us, allow ourselves to be consumed by our family and friends, coworkers and strangers? What if we allow ourselves to be consumed in service to others as Jesus allows Himself to be consumed every Mass? If we walk with Christ, we can expect to be treated like Him.

Why this talk of consumption, i.e., of being consumed by love for others in whom we see Jesus? How is this present world any different from the world into which Jesus entered as an infant? Our brothers and sisters cannot wait for us to manage our thoughts of despair and anger and indifference. Why should we be unsettled by things which we know are the logical consequence of the Fall of our first parents?

There is no consolation—and it is wasted effort to get angry about things we ourselves cannot change—in the act of abandoning our parishes because clergymen have committed abominable sins. Does it really make us feel any better, and does it right a wrong, if we quit the Church because someone acted very badly? To protest evil is one thing; to bear a grudge and to cement it in one's soul by running away rather than confronting that evil is to effect another wrong: to leave our Mother the Church when she needs us the most.

If one feels the need to change the Church, it is best to start with oneself, even while making it very clear to one's pastor and bishop that members of the Church Militant, i.e., all of us who are this side of heaven, must keep the commandments of Christ. It would also be entirely appropriate to assert that a reminder is long overdue. What is that reminder? It is the reminder that each one of us will stand before God and be judged. No friend of God should be terrified of God, but one should be terrified of choosing a lesser god, remaining unrepentant and thus terrified of ending up in hell. Lacking a healthy and serious sense that one's actions can put one in hell, it is easy to see why such a person, lacking a sense of consequence, would allow himself to commit atrocious acts against others. Those indifferent to the Sacrament of Penance are more likely to act with impunity because they have made themselves the arbiters or promoters of their holiness instead of submitting to the judgement of God in the confessional.

Hell is forever. Keep that in mind the next time a temptation presents itself, and then run immediately to God for strength and mercy. That counsel may sound like yesterday's advice to liberated (sarcasm) modern ears. A simple reflection on the Four Last Things—death, judgement, heaven or hell—is never wasted effort.

So, let's get beautiful. Beautiful, as in get real. Reality in Christ is always beautiful. The Holy Spirit enables us to find the true, the good and the beautiful, to find Jesus in every person. Tossing obstacles in the way of the Holy Spirit—unholy anger, pride, despair, indifference—prevents us from receiving the grace to correct problems in the Church. Conversely, when we expose our concerns, open our hearts to truth and goodness, defend the weak and innocent, call for repentance and practice penance, we dispose ourselves to God's agenda. Finding a window for His grace, God will work in us and through us according to His will the things necessary to change hearts and minds, to beautify His Church.

'My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” I will all the more gladly boast of my weaknesses, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities; for when I am weak, then I am strong.—2 Corinthians 12:9-11

The next time one prays the Mystery of Faith in the Mass (Divine Worship: The Missal), it is beneficial to our perception and acknowledgement of the sovereignty of God to keep in mind that Christ is strongest in us in our weakest moments:

O Saviour of the world, who by thy Cross and precious Blood hast redeemed us: save us and help us, we humbly beseech thee, O Lord.