Don't Jump!

One of the things I’ve struggled with throughout my life is “jumping to conclusions”. It’s a terrible habit because, ultimately, it doesn’t see the person or situation in front of you, at that moment…merely one of the same as many others. The person or situation may, in fact, be just the same as many others but it’s when we don’t stop to consider the uniqueness that we are at risk of losing the point of the experience. I find, more and more, that the Holy Spirit has intent behind most things. I’m working to leave enough space to let Him work.

Several years ago, I began to follow a blog, written by a priest in California. I think, originally, I was drawn to his writing because I wanted to know…how is it that you can survive as a priest in one of the most liberal places on earth.?  I was amazed at the stories of faith he would extend to his readers. It is a constant fight against the dark forces that surround you but there is deep faith…and many instances of deep need to be addressed.

Covid seems to have made a lot of people take a detour and he was no exception. In wishing to profess “faith over fear” he started creeping more and more towards the far right side of the aisle. I’m not here to debate Covid or the policies that were made. It was a difficult time and it was a fearful time. Missing in-person Mass and the Eucharist was a deep wound that should have affected everyone involved. I can’t imagine being a priest and not being able to bring the Eucharist to the people. Whatever the reason, I found his writing at that time mainly served to heighten my anxiety so I stopped reading.

Today, his latest post dropped in my mailbox. I admit, when I saw the topic was the Latin Mass, I very much wanted to hit delete. I decided, however, to suspend my “jump” for the moment and see what he had to say. It is one of the most beautiful, pastoral things I have ever read.

He speaks to the “rumors” in Rome that the Vatican may suspend the Latin Mass completely. I expected a diatribe about Pope Francis and the demise of the Catholic Church. Instead, I was met with an amazing paragraph about the martyrs and Saints who kept their faith through the most dire of times. In closing, he said, “Some, who are more attached to the form of worship than the object of worship, may lose their faith if the traditional Mass is abolished. They may stop going to Mass, or they may lose their faith in Christ’s Church. May that never happen to anyone in my parish! “

I am grateful that I read this blog today. It has given me cause to stop the next time I make an assumption about someone I know or something I am about to read. Perhaps it’s actually the Holy Spirit reaching out to extend some hope. If you have a tendency to jump, try pausing and praying for insight instead; you never know what the Holy Spirit is trying to tell you.