Today's blog starts off with, oddly enough, Church fashion, specifically, the
pallium. I recently have been reading excerpts from Pope Benedict's writings, one in particular on the pallium. Though it may be something odd to talk about, I feel the Pope has a great approach to the traditions of the Church and how they can spiritually inspire us.
I guess have to start off this blog by briefly sharing with our readers what a "pallium" is if they do not already know. The pallium is a white strip of wool that is worn over any archbishop's shoulders when he celebrates the Mass (see photo above). It first dates back to the bishops of Rome in the fourth century. Many people, if they even notice, have no idea what a pallium is or why it is worn, but like most things in the Church, it is filled with biblical, traditional, and spiritual meaning.
By now I am wondering, with so many very important things going on in the world, why am I focusing on a piece of wool? Because it does a great job of explaining the Catholic Church and it's role in the world. Read on and see for yourself. Below is an excerpt from Pope Benedict's first Mass as Pope in which he brought up the pallium:
...What the Pallium indicates first and foremost is that we are all carried by Christ. But at the same time it invites us to carry one another. Hence the Pallium becomes a symbol of the shepherd’s mission, of which the Second Reading and the Gospel speak. The pastor must be inspired by Christ’s holy zeal: for him it is not a matter of indifference that so many people are living in the desert. And there are so many kinds of desert. There is the desert of poverty, the desert of hunger and thirst, the desert of abandonment, of loneliness, of destroyed love. There is the desert of God’s darkness, the emptiness of souls no longer aware of their dignity or the goal of human life. The external deserts in the world are growing, because the internal deserts have become so vast. Therefore the earth’s treasures no longer serve to build God’s garden for all to live in, but they have been made to serve the powers of exploitation and destruction. The Church as a whole and all her Pastors, like Christ, must set out to lead people out of the desert, towards the place of life, towards friendship with the Son of God, towards the One who gives us life, and life in abundance. ...
His Holiness Benedict XVI--Homily at the Mass of Inauguration of His Pontificate (April 24, 2005)
Do not let all of the smells and bells, clothing and mortar of the Catholic Church fool you. We do not place our trust in them. They are only tools at our disposal to remind us where we should place our trust. The Church does not primarily come from within the stones of a Cathedral, the finest liturgy, the most successful social ministry, or even the greatest homily. The Church comes from Jesus Christ and no other. As the Pope stated, "we are all carried by Christ."
I often wonder how often we as individuals in the Church forget that we, before being anything else, are carried in Christ's loving, gracious, and merciful arms. So often that which should unite us, become methods of tearing us apart. "I can't believe that the choir sang (insert any church song here) during mass. It's so terrible!" or "Why doesn't the Church spend more time with the poor? Why do they only care about fancy clothes and candlesticks?" or "The Church would be a lot better off if they actually taught 'real theology' in their schools." or "Father 'X' is such a hypocrite. He drives around in a brand new Passat while half his parish struggle to get their kids through college."
I am sure you have heard any or all of these types of complaints from fellow Christians and Catholics. Maybe you have said one of them. To be fair, they ring a certain amount of truth. I feel that we as a community of believers should hear and acknowledge the concerns, anger, and questions that our fellow brothers and sisters raise. They are not something to be either feared or mocked. More often than not they come from a deep rooted love for our Mother, the Church, and a desire for her to grow and prosper. The concerns of others should be taken to heart, even if we do not agree with them, otherwise our hearts will grow cold, judgemental, and bitter.
May I humbly suggest, before our concerns (both big and small) regarding the Church take over our lives, that we remember that the world, Church, and God are much bigger than ourselves. May we be men and women of faith rather than pride, because "at the same time it [the pallium] invites us to carry one another." I am my brother's keeper and he is mine. As a Church we can
only walk together. Otherwise one by one we strand ourselves in the "desert of abandonment, loneliness, of destroyed love."
Ultimately God is at the wheel. He has command, and always has. And if God is the driver, we as the Church are His navigator. Are we going to bicker amongst ourselves as to which way Christ should turn the car, or are we going to enjoy the view which his Father created and trust Christ will get us where we need to go? Road trips spent bickering are like being locked in a prison cell for X number of hours with no escape. A trip spent in reconciliation, open minds and hearts, and consoling words turn that prison into a blessing. We not only find a friend in our fellow Christian, we find a friend in Christ. We come to trust Him more and desire to continue along with Him, for with him we find life, and we find it in abundance.
photo credit:
Today's blog starts off with, oddly enough, Church fashion, specifically, the pallium. I recently have been reading excerpts from Pope Benedict's writings, one in particular on the pallium. Though it may be something odd to talk about, I feel the Pope has a great approach to the traditions of the Church and how they can spiritually inspire us.
only walk together. Otherwise one by one we strand ourselves in the "desert of abandonment, loneliness, of destroyed love."
