THE BEACON ON THE BOULEVARD

       How can we be Church in a polarized society? From conversations that keep coming up, it seems many of us are wondering this. I carry this constantly. The more divided our world gets, the more it falls on us Christians to work to keep it together. I went to a priest convocation recently. The speaker Fr. Aaron Wessman gave a talk on a book he had written “The Church’s
Mission in a Polarized World.” I wish this message was only for outside the Church. Sadly the “weeds and thorns” of worldly anxieties and divisions are a wound among Catholics too. We
know this. Even priests can get consumed, distracted and divided in this politicized society we live in. I have heard brother priests say things that left me disheartened. Part of Fr. Wessman’s
point is we don’t know how emotionally polarized we are. It is sown all around us. However we are One Church. In the Catholic Church more than anywhere else in the world, we are united in our diversity. That being said it can still feel like we are continually divided among us: what side we lean towards; which news station we watch; and where we plant our feet on issues. However we are still within the same Body of the Church. That is why it is our mission to foster
unity in Christ as Church, where the enemy fans every division.
       Truth-telling and peace-making aren’t opposed to one another. At both ends and in the middle is Christ. For us, on both sides and in the middle are human beings, not enemies. Here are some
truths about polarization that I think ring true and need to be heard. Polarization in politics and religion not only hurt our nation, but can break up marriages, families and parish families. One of the great evils of polarization is dehumanization. Due to sides and stances, one side no longer sees the other side as persons, but a “side” lost, corrupt and beyond redemption. THIS too is so TRUE: that those that identify only on one side will only listen to voices on their side. There is an emotional conviction that any words from the other side are only bad. Emotions can dominate minds even more powerfully than objectivity at times. However emotions are also being human, so we can meet one another there through willing conversation. Talking is better than not. In cases when we cannot sway from biblical truths and faith doctrine, in mercy we can allow one another have honest feelings and be heard as persons who are good. There is so much more to this. As we begin this Advent journey of Faith, Hope, Joy and Love, may we strive to console our infant savior as we approach His nativity on Christmas as a more united people who
love and adore Him.