Don't worry, I'm in control

       Human intervention in God's ways, His intentions, and plans never goes very well whether it is the hierarchy of a church or as individuals. Today we recall the holy man, Gregorio Labayan Aglipay. Gregorio was a Roman Catholic Priest who like Luther knew first hand of the errors of the hierarchy's ways. Like Luther, a new sect of Christianity arose from it. A new schism if you will. The beliefs may be the similar or even the same but separated wildly and deeply by the ministrations of men trying to foist their own will and control over the faithful.

       In the Canon Law course I attended in Seminary, we were given many strict admonitions. One was to avoid anything that would cause scandal. The example given was a Priest seen entering a strip club/bar. Oh, if only that were true, that would really be the least of the Catholic churches worries. Let's set aside that Jesus himself would likely find friends in such an establishment. Avoiding such scandals in honesty and innocence should be the depth of the scandals but sadly, it is not nearly so. What we were never brought in on was the enormous and heinous scandals of covering up other enormous and heinous acts of the Church itself.

       I think it is safe to say the church really bollixed themselves up into a corner on this one. No way out. Horrible evil perpetrated on innocent youth and handled in a most deceitful and power holding way.  No, again, controlling God's plans don't work well for us humans.  Trying to force celibacy on human men with normal natural inclinations has only served to induce pedophiles into the Priesthood and caused more scandal and tarnished the good name of our Lord and Savior in the process.

         But let's move on if we can. Not forget, no, never forget. But let's move on to ourselves. Are we any better at controlling the will of God in our lives? Do we try to plan and coordinate the way we want things for ourselves and others? Perhaps not on the same gigantic scale as the hierarchy of the Roman Church but we are guilty of other sins. Is it a sin to not listen to God? Is it a sin to speak for God like we are the all knowing? We certainly have shown we are not the all loving. The church certainly is not all loving.

          There are some scandals that are worth it though. Jesus showed us and they all involve love. Loving the lepers. Reaching out to the Samaritan woman at the well. Curing a Roman Centurions male lover. Allowing work and curing on the sabbath. The list of Jesus' scandals are legion. Those are what we should be emulating. We have a great deal of arrogance in the way we control, decide who is worthy and who is not. The world is going haywire it seems and it is all our own doing.

         As Bonnie Raitt would sing "Let's give them something to talk about" but let it be in loving ways, the ways Jesus would love and does every one of us. No controls.

Acts 12:18-25

 When morning came, there was no small commotion among the soldiers over what had become of Peter. When Herod had searched for him and could not find him, he examined the guards and ordered them to be put to death. Then he went down from Judea to Caesarea and stayed there.

 Now Herod was angry with the people of Tyre and Sidon. So they came to him in a body; and after winning over Blastus, the king’s chamberlain, they asked for a reconciliation, because their country depended on the king’s country for food. On an appointed day Herod put on his royal robes, took his seat on the platform, and delivered a public address to them. The people kept shouting, ‘The voice of a god, and not of a mortal!’And immediately, because he had not given the glory to God, an angel of the Lord struck him down, and he was eaten by worms and died.

 But the word of God continued to advance and gain adherents. Then after completing their mission Barnabas and Saul returned to Jerusalem and brought with them John, whose other name was Mark.