The Power of the Laity: A Grassroots Response to the Church Scandal
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Do this because you know the time; it is the hour now for you to awake from sleep. For our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed; the night is advanced, the day is at hand. Let us then throw off the works of darkness and put on the armor of light. - Romans 13: 11-13
It is a troubling time for the Church when Her laity need courage to face the morning news.
While we have hope that our Lord will bring a new spiritual dawn swiftly to dispel this darkness, it is still night. Do not despair or become despondent, for the Lord will protect His people!
However, it is also becoming apparent that evil has risen to the highest offices of the Church, with some accusing even the Supreme Office of the Pontiff of being involved in the scandal. In many ways, we the laity have seen this scandal as "their" sin, and have been passive as we wait for "them" to drive evil out of "their" ranks. We have forgotten that "they" and "we" are both members of the same Body of Christ. (1 Corinthians 12:12-26)
Like the apostles in the Garden of Gethsemane, we have fallen asleep as the Lord suffers for His Church.
So you could not keep watch with me for one hour? - Matthew 26:40
It is time for us to wake up! A Grassroots movement is needed in the Church! We must take action now!
For He says: In an acceptable time I heard you, and on the day of salvation I helped you.” Behold, now is a very acceptable time; behold, now is the day of salvation. - 2 Corinthians 6:2
But what does a Grassroots response from the laity look like? How can we take action without rebelling against Christ, and by extension His representatives here on earth? How do we drive reform in the church while also remaining obedient and respecting Christ's established chain of command?
Below are some specific actions which we the faithful can do now to start this grassroots movement while staying within the bounds of the Church and her teachings:
1. Go to Mass and receive the Sacraments. Padre Pio once said that the it would be easier for the earth to exist without the sun than without the Sacrifice of the Holy Mass. However, Mass attendance is down throughout the world, especially where scandal has come out. Go to Mass. Invite others who aren't going to Mass to go with you. Take communion to the sick. Avail yourself of Confession often. In short, come encounter God through His sacraments. The single most important thing that we the laity can do for the Church is to offer up our prayers in unison with the prayers of the priest during the Consecration.
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2. Go to Eucharistic Adoration. Jesus asked Peter at the Hour of His Passion "Could you not spend one hour with Me?" Is there anything that is more important to us than our relationship with Christ? Venerable Fulton Sheen used to require that every priest that reported to him make a daily Holy Hour, and asked the laity to do it as their responsibilities permit (more info here). Let us resolve to make an Hour of Adoration a priority in our lives, perhaps weekly or even daily if we can. If there is no Exposition of the Blessed Sacrament near you, then make your Holy Hour in front of the Tabernacle. Christ is still there, waiting for you. He has been for 2,000 years.
3. Pray the Divine Mercy Chaplet and Venerate the Divine Mercy Image. We as a Church are in dire need of Christ's mercy, especially in these trying times. Jesus Himself has given us this devotion to His Divine Mercy, and has attached many graces directly to praying the Chaplet and Venerating the Image. For more information, check out the website found here.
4. Learn the Precepts of the Church, and be faithful to them. There are seven precepts of the Church, and we the faithful have in many cases forgotten them or fallen lapse in our practice of them. Although in some cases the USCCB has allowed the faithful some leniency on how they follow the precepts, they are still part of Canon Law because they bring us closer to God. They include:
- Attending Mass on Sundays and Holy Days of Obligation
- Going to Confession Once a Year (or more!)
- Receiving the Eucharist during the Easter Season
- Fast and abstain on the days prescribed by the Church (Remember the no meat on Fridays rule?)
- Contribute to the needs of the Church
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5. Pray the Long Form Prayer of St. Michael, found here, especially after Mass. This prayer was written by Leo XIII in response to a vision that he had of the evil that the Church would face. It is particularly relevant to our own time. A shorter version (the form many of us are familiar with) used to be said at the end of every Low Mass.
6. Take on Extra Fasting. In addition to what is prescribed by the Church, we can always find other opportunities to fast. The precepts of the Church are a minimum, not a maximum. And fasting is also not exclusive to food; it can be Social Media, TV/Radio, News, Music, etc. The point is offering our will to God by exercising restraint of our earthly desires. Fasting is extremely efficacious when fighting evil; stay tuned for a blog post on fasting itself soon!
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7. Pray a Daily Rosary. Our Lady has given us this powerful weapon against the Devil, and in many parishes it is still said before Mass. Whether you get to Mass earlier, or just make an effort to say it during the day, know that it is efficacious. For instructions, click here.
8. Complete or renew your Consecration to Jesus through Mary. St. Louis de Montfort prescribed consecrating ourselves to the Blessed Mother in order that she might lead us to her Son. This includes devoting our will, property, merits, and graces solely to the disposal of Mary, whose will is perfectly united with God's. If you need a formula for the 33 days of preparation, click here. More information on the Consecration can be found here.
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9. Complete Spiritual and Corporal Works of Mercy. James tells us in Scripture that fait without works is dead (James 2:17) Therefore, we must pair our own prayer lives with works for others. As a refresher, above are the 7 Spiritual and 7 Corporal Works of Mercy. It is not enough that we just fund these activities, we must take a step farther and actually do these activities. Offer up all of your Works of Mercy to Jesus for the reparation of sins.
10. Seek out the Truth when watching news, and encourage others to do the same. There is a lot of spin going on in the news as different political groups and special interest groups try to use the current crisis to drive their own agenda. Beware of spin! It is our duty to always pursue the truth of what has happened, and to encourage others to do the same.
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11. Support our Priests and Bishops that are committed to Christ. Our clergy need our support both prayerfully and practically. Pray for them. Encourage them. Protect them from attack. Feed them. Whatever your special gift or talent is, offer it to your priest or bishop so that they can focus on offering the Mass, administering Sacraments, and fighting the evil in the hierarchy
12. Make yourself available to both believers and non-believers. Many people are rightfully upset, and we as Catholics must be available to those with questions. We must defend our FAITH and continue to spread the good news of Christ, even in light of the terrible scandals. Where sin abounds, grace abounds all the more. Remember that Christ said "Whoever denies me before others, I will deny before my Heavenly Father." (Matthew 10:33)
Finally, do not lose hope. The Lord is our shepherd, the Lord alone! Remember the words of St. Peter:
Humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time. Cast all your worries upon him because he cares for you. Be sober and vigilant. Your opponent the devil is prowling around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, steadfast in faith, knowing that your fellow believers throughout the world undergo the same sufferings. The God of all grace who called you to his eternal glory through Christ Jesus will himself restore, confirm, strengthen, and establish you after you have suffered a little. To him be dominion forever. Amen. - 1 Peter 5: 6-11
If you think of anything to add, please feel free to add them to the comments below.
P.S. Also, PortareChristus.com will be posting daily blog posts, scripture quotes, prayers, and news as it comes in order to support the clergy and the laity. For more, please follow us on Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook, linked below.