Father Evan's Homily on John 6, and the Scandal in the Church

Dear faithful, over the past three weeks we have been reading and journeying, we have been meditating and contemplating our way through the 6 ^th chapter of the Gospel according to John.  This chapter of John’s gospel is a true masterpiece.  And we still have one more week, next weekend, to conclude the 6 ^th chapter of the Gospel according to John.  It is a spiritual masterpiece that helps us to peer into the depths of the meaning of the Mass and the Eucharist and how Jesus feeds us. 

As a bit of pastoral advice, take time over the next two weeks to open your Bible and read the entire 6 ^th chapter; from beginning to end.

And this Sunday’s reading, verses 51-58, is quite possibly the climax of the whole chapter.  This highpoint of the chapter is the section that reveals to us both the scandal and the sacrifice of the Eucharist as well as the incredible gift of what it means to be united to one who feeds us this meal.  This section of chapter 6 helps us to realize what it means to be united to the Lord and Savior who tells us: “For my flesh is food indeed, and my blood is drink indeed.  He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him.  As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so he who eats me will live because of me.”

What I now need to share with you is very difficult to say and it is very sad realize the tragedy of what has happened to children, youth, and adult victims of sexual abuse in the Church.  This continually developing tragedy within our own Catholic Church is a scandal of the moral corruption of pastors and priests through the sacrifice of the innocence of children’s lives. 

This scandal shows the depth of moral depravity of men that we trusted and believed to be serving as stewards of the divine mysteries, but instead have revealed themselves to be slaves of the devil.  The scandal of their abuse is that by focusing on the desires of their own flesh these priests and bishops were more willing to sacrifice the innocence of children then they were ever willing to sacrifice for their priesthood.  They were more willing to sacrifice the lives of others in the name of religion than willfully offer themselves as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God.  For the sake of the justice of God and the continuing ministry of Christ’s one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church these priests and bishops need to be dealt with swiftly and to the fullest extent of the punishment of the State and Church’s legal systems. 

As difficult as it is to discuss this topic, I believe that today’s Gospel reading actually helps us to understand and appreciate the true meaning of the gift of Christ and the true meaning of the ministry of the Church.  As we can clearly tell, the scandal of the moral depravity of these priests and bishops is that they have abused their power for the sake of corrupting the innocence of their victims.  Their scandal is the selfish protection of their own power, and the gratifying of their desires.  Whereas the scandal of Jesus’ message to the crowds, to the Jews, and to us is that he is willing to declare that the power of God is given to us for our health and wholeness.  The scandal of God is that he is willing to selflessly share his power with us so that our desires may begin to be patterned after the will of the Father.  The difference between these two situations cannot be more clear.  For Jesus the sacrifice he is willing to make is a self-gift of his flesh for the life of the world.  The sacrifice of these priests and bishops was the willing sacrifice of the lives of these children.

So, how can we make sense of all of this?  Does this mean that the Catholic Church is coming to an end and that the Church has lost it’s claim to holiness?  No!  The reality that this scandal reveals, is that the Church cannot depend merely on the direction of fallen and corrupt men.  The true holiness of Church is an indefectible holiness that is given to us by the life of the Holy Spirit and by sharing in the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.  The Church’s authority over all matter spiritual and moral is not lost in this present scandal, but it does force us to focus our eyes ever more clearly on the one who truly is our salvation.

The difference between these fallen and corrupt men and the true power of God is that these abusers can only effect a sinful change that ultimately only reveals the selfishness of their own actions, but God is different.  God effects in his word and through his sacrifice the very change of our lives.  This truth brings us to the very core of our belief as Catholics.  Jesus is unlike these sinful priests because he is precisely not like any other man.  He is God.  And, therefore, the holiness of Jesus provides for us the true meaning of the scandal of God’s love.  The scandal of God’s love is not that he desires to horde power, and prestige, and riches to himself.  The scandal of the love and power of God is that he is willing to sacrifice his own flesh and blood for the life of the world.  This is the very heart of John chapter 6, the more deeply that we become united to Christ by sharing in his body and blood the more that we become united to the heart of the Father.  Come and eat of the banquet of God, because God does not desire the corruption of our your flesh or the loss of your innocence, but instead he willingly gives his flesh and blood to you so that you might share in his life, in his power, and in his divinity.