“Is the purpose of the Church simply to draw in as many people as possible, at all costs? …If the Church
changes to suit us, then it cannot change us, because all we will have done is created a Church in our own image and after our likeness. Ever since Christ entered the world, the Church has called all people to repentance, to a change from within. But what can repentance mean if we not only say ‘come as your are’, but then add ‘and stay that way’? How can we raise people up to heaven if we assure them that it is okay to keep their hearts on earth?
And what of the argument, that the Church is irrelevant if it is out of sync with secular society? This is, quite frankly, stupid. Nothing makes the Church less relevant than being just like secular organizations, which are far more effective at achieving secular goals than the Church is. In this way, the Church gives up its purpose and uniqueness, and becomes nothing more than a quaint organization that serves to sanction the views of secular society.
Fr. Vassilios Papavassiliou
At times, the struggle to follow the Church’s teaching is too much. The pressure to conform to the world’s ways too strong. The ease by which we succumb to tensions too tempting.
I’m the kind of person who hates not to get along with others. But I’m also the kind of person who desires strongly to adhere to the short and long term good I’ve come to believe firmly comes from Church doctrine and dogma.
I tire at times of the inward battle and how it inevitably leads to outward friction which in turn leads to thoughts of failure, failure to be what the world believes the faithful ought to be, someone who is the epitome of kindness, niceness and virtuousness. And quaintness, as the good priest here alludes. Someone I’m too often not and likely never will be.
So what does one do with this struggle? How does one handle this clash of cultures?
The question of the age for every faithful believer, the question at this particular moment for which I have no easy answer though seeing quotes like this one from Fr. Papavassiliou helps.
Crossposted at Brutally Honest.
