Scandals in the Catholic Church create almost daily headlines in the news, but they aren’t new at all. The story of Michelangelo is a story of the triumph of grace over sin.
“Midway in our life’s journey, I went astray from the straight road and woke to find myself alone in a dark wood.
How shall I say what wood that was? I never saw so drear, so rank, so arduous a wilderness! Its very memory gives a shape to fear.
Death could scarce be more bitter than that place! But since it came to good, I will recount all that I found revealed there by God’s grace.
How I came to it, I cannot rightly say, so drugged and loose with sleep had I become when I first wandered there from the True Way.” (Canto I: “The Dark Wood of Error,” Dante’s Inferno)
Dante’s description of “The Dark Wood of Error” captures well the Catholic scandals that are fodder for the media today. Having lived in the shadow of accusation and scandal for so many years, I can only agree with Dante Alighieri (1265 – 1321): “I never saw so drear, so rank, so arduous a wilderness!”
But the Church isn’t seeing any of this wilderness of scandal for the first time. I invite you to revisit “Michelangelo and the Hand of God: Scandal at the Vatican” for an injection of hope that, like Dante’s Dark Wood will all come to good if surrendered to sanctifying grace.
Subscribe to Fr. Gordon MacRae’s Posts
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Thank you for this dear Father: your posts are always so thought provoking, informative for us all and have we have much to learn from you wise and informative words. I have printed out some of your previous posts ; they are such that I want to be able to read them over again. Prayers always for you Father Gordon, also dear Pornchai, and Skooter, and Donald.
Catherine
I enjoyed revisiting the post re Michelangelo. It brought home to me what a blessing it was to have had John Paul 2-such an open heart and mind.
The world is suffering a darkening and we must hold on tight!
Good food for thought in this one, Father. St Paul said as much to the Romans: All things work unto good for those who love God…
Continued prayers for you and all those there.
God bless.