So often these days there is conflict in Christian communities between "orthodox" and "non-orthodox" Catholics. The tone of these debates is often concerning, because the love of Christ is missing-- whether in its compassion or its truth. Particularly on the orthodox side, there is a deep vein of pride which runs through their arguments-- they feel that they are Christ's body guards, and nothing may be allowed to be thought or done which harms Him.
Let us remember, however, the Gospel:
Matthew 16: 21-23
From that time on, Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer greatly from the elders, the chief priests, and the scribes, and be killed and on the third day be raised. Then Peter took him aside and began to rebuke him, "God forbid, Lord! No such thing shall ever happen to you." He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are an obstacle to me. You are thinking not as God does, but as human beings do." Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross, and follow me. For whoever wishes to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
I believe that if Christ were to witness these prideful men and women "protecting" Him, he would declare "Get behind me, Satan!" For they are denying the power of His crucifixion and resurrection; they are denying the necessary truth that it is through suffering and death that God had redeemed us and brought our hearts to Him. Should they not serve and love their Lord? yes, but as He desires them to-- by denying themselves, taking up their cross, and following Him. By standing at Calvalry at the foot of His cross as Mary and John did, in witness to His love and power. In witness to the truth that He is the Son of God. He does not wish us to use the sword to win His kingdom-- He chooses His suffering, for could He not call upon His Father and be provided with 12 legions of angels?? What need has He of us?
Matthew 26:21-24
And behold, one of those who accompanied Jesus put his hand to his sword, drew it, and struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back into its sheath, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot call upon my Father and he will not provide me at this moment with more than twelve legions of angels? But then how would the scriptures be fulfilled which say that it must come to pass in this way?"
Truly we must never back down and leave our Lord to be crucified alone-- but He has also made clear that He must be crucified. He is not taking His kingdom by sword, but by sacrificial love. Until we are willing to serve Him-- to deny ourselves, take up our cross and follow Him in love-- we are an obstacle to Him. We must leave our pride behind.
There are also those who refuse to acknowledge that Christ was crucified. They prefer to worship an empty cross. They choose to believe in a counterfeit love that is not sacrificial, that does not acknowledge that suffering is a part of Christ's path. They enjoy a warm and fuzzy love, embracing all people and all behaviors, professing that Jesus would not care how they worship or what they teach so long as it is with so-called "love". However you cannot worship the cross without His divine body torn and bleeding. You cannot worship Him without acknowledging His teachings or moral issues no matter how unpopular they may be to those who do not understand them. To these, who preach that Jesus not only loves all, but tolerates all, forget the Jesus who threw out the money changers in the temple and the Jesus who told us that a man who looks with lust at a woman is guilty of adultery. They deny that Christ has redeemed and purposed suffering for a higher order and a greater purpose. They run from the foot of the cross, refusing to see Him crucified by the evil that they pretend does not exist. To them too, Christ would say "Get behind me Satan... you are not thinking as God does, but as humans do."
