Saturday of the 4th Week of Eastertide
Acts 13:44-52
Jn 14:7-14
“Do you not believe that I am in the Father and the Father is in me?”
As I write this, the Catholic Church is celebrating a successful conclave. We have a new Pope! And the process seems to have worked, despite Hollywood’s depiction of a conclave being full of backroom politics and deal making. Haters are going to hate, what can I say.
Envy and fear are powerful forces, and have been around since the time of Christ. Paul experienced the same, in today’s first reading – “When the Jews saw the crowds, they were filled with jealousy, and with violent abuse, contradicted what Paul said”. Those same forces are well and alive today too. You only have to read the secular press’ reactions, to see how the media has been scratching around, looking for alleged scandals that happened during the time Cardinal Prevost was in Chicago. Some people simply can’t witness another’s faith, love and joy. They have to go tear it down.
As Catholics living in a secular world, it is tempting to join in the cynicism, tempting to show our secular friends how ‘with it’ we are. For the last 4 years, while the rest of the world tried to ‘out-woke’ one another, claiming to be Catholic could get you cancelled. Talking about your faith and Catholic doctrine amongst your secular friends would earn you ridicule and derision. And yes, saying you believed in the Sacraments and that you went for confession, would get you eyerolls, or a lecture on how Catholic doctrine is ‘socially unjust’.
I have to say, after a time, I stopped talking about it. And I most certainly stopped talking about it to my woke friends and family. I didn’t see the point. I wouldn’t say I did anything as noble as ‘shake the dust from my feet in protest against them’. It was more like, I got tired of the derision, and just decided it wasn’t worth it. I guess I copped out. So when I read today, that our Church elected a new pope, without drama or incident, it made me ashamed. Why did I not hold still and trust the process? Trust that God would find a way to right the ship, to steer us through this? Has He not shown us, over and over, His deliverance? Why did I doubt?
Today is a good day. A happy day. In a time when many of the institutions around us are struggling to stay relevant, and trust is no longer something we can take as given, the Catholic faithful gathered to cheer on a part of our faith’s tradition – finding the next steward for the keys of St Peter. It is hopeful, healing, and inspiring for those of us who have lapsed. Maybe this is a sign to trust the process? Maybe it’s time to return to the fold?
(Today’s OXYGEN by Sharon Soo)
Prayer: We pray for all lapsed Catholics, that they might find a way to return to the fold
Thanksgiving: We give thanks for a peaceful and successful conclave. God bless Pope Leo XIV, as he takes on the heavy burden of guiding God’s faithful.
OXYGEN 
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