Paradoxes of Catholicism : Complete

We have seen how the Church of the Prince of Peace must continually be the centre of war.

Let usgo on to consider how, as a Human Society dwelling in this world, she must continually have hereyes fixed upon the next, and how, as a Divine Society, she must be open to the charge ofworldliness.I. (i) The charge is a very common one: "Look at the extraordinary wealth and splendour that thisChurch of the Poor Man of Nazareth constantly gathers around her and ask yourself how she candare to claim to represent Him!

Go through Holy Rome and see how the richest and most elaboratebuildings bear over their gateways the heraldic emblems of Christ's Vicar!

Go through any countrywhich has not risen in disgust and cast off the sham that calls herself 'Christ's Church' and you willfind that no worldly official is so splendid as these heavenly delegates of Jesus Christ, no palacesmore glorious than those in which they dwell who pretend to preach Him who had not where to lay Hishead!"Above all, turn from that simple poverty-stricken figure that the Gospels present to us, to the manwho claims to be His Vicegerent on earth.

See him go, crowned three times over, on a throne borneon men's shoulders, with the silver trumpets shrilling before him and the ostrich fans coming onbehind, and you will understand why the world cannot take the Church seriously.

Look at the courtthat is about him, all purple and scarlet, and set by that the little band of weather-beaten fishermen!"No; if this Church were truly of Christ, she would imitate Him better.

It was His supreme missionto point to things that are above; to lift men's thoughts above dross and gold and jewels and worldlyinfluence and high places and power; to point to a Heavenly Jerusalem, not made with hands; to comfortthe sorrowful with a vision of future peace, not to dabble with temporal matters; to speak of graceand heaven and things to come, and to let the dead bury their dead!

The best we can do for her, then, isto disembarrass her of her riches; to turn her temporal possessions to frankly temporal ends; torelease her from the slavery of her own ambition into the liberty of the poor and the children of God!"