A Sunday Thought About Looking for the Silver Lining
Not being naturally inclined to do so, sometimes I must push myself to see the silver lining around every cloud. Some friends and acquaintances of mine, on the other hand, do have the natural inclination to see the silver lining in virtually everything. So, for example, in considering the state of our Holy Church these days, my natural tendency might be to focus on the awful music in our local parish, the off-hand manner some priests have in speaking the words of the consecration, handling the sacred species of the Holy Eucharist - which of course results in a lack of understanding on the part of altar servers and other young Catholics of the Real Presence, never mind their commensurate ignorance of our Holy Faith. The silver lining crowd, on the other hand, speak of the New Evangelization, priests who appear to be more reverent in word and demeanor, the enthusiasm of new Catholic converts whose zeal exceeds the lukewarm attitudes of so many cradle Catholics.
So can we establish some common ground here? Can both sides meet somewhere in the middle and eschew both doom and gloom as well as a pollyannaish view of our world? Yes, let's do so. But if it were up to me, I would first insist on recognition of a condition this vale of tears so aptly described in 2 Maccabees, chapter 4, verses 13-17. Here we find the Jews turning from their cultural and social traditions, indeed from the very truths of their religion, to embrace the new ways of the Greeks, whose culture dominated their part of the world in the second century BC. A corrupt high priest, Jason, had just taken the sacred office. His example and influence turned his people away from God towards the allures of the Greek way of life.
While many of us sadly recognize this unfortunate cloudy state of affairs, we also joyfully recognize our glorious Easter Season. Indeed, we would do well to remember that this Holy Season marks a new beginning in our spiritual lives, just as Our Lord's Resurrection marked a new beginning for the entire world. Seeing the Gates of Heaven thrown open to all who believe in Him and follow His Holy Church, how can we all not see that silver lining, despite the clouds?
So with that in mind, on this Second Sunday after Easter, howzabout we check in with the great American popular song writer Jerome Kern and his take on that silver lining? This version comes from the Hollywood movie about the great composer's life, "Till the Clouds Roll By" wherein the equally great Judy Garland sings "Look for the Silver Lining." You don't hear this song very much, but it's both uplifting and quite lovely, a worthy addition to our collection of the Beautiful, I'd say.
So can we establish some common ground here? Can both sides meet somewhere in the middle and eschew both doom and gloom as well as a pollyannaish view of our world? Yes, let's do so. But if it were up to me, I would first insist on recognition of a condition this vale of tears so aptly described in 2 Maccabees, chapter 4, verses 13-17. Here we find the Jews turning from their cultural and social traditions, indeed from the very truths of their religion, to embrace the new ways of the Greeks, whose culture dominated their part of the world in the second century BC. A corrupt high priest, Jason, had just taken the sacred office. His example and influence turned his people away from God towards the allures of the Greek way of life.
There was such an extreme of Hellenization and increase in the adoption of foreign ways because of the surpassing wickedness of Jason, who was ungodly and no high priest, that the priests were no longer intent upon their service at the altar. Despising the sanctuary and neglecting the sacrifices, they hastened to take part in the unlawful proceedings in the wrestling arena after the call to the discuss, disdaining the honors prized by their fathers and putting the highest value upon Greek forms of prestige. For this reason heavy disaster overtook them, and those whose ways of living they admired and wished to imitate completely became their enemies and punished them. For it is no light thing to show irreverence to the divine laws - a fact which later events will make clear.If you read this carefully, you can probably recognize similarities with the state of affairs in our Church today, as too many of us live thoroughly secular lives, having turned our backs on our sacred traditions while displaying a lack of certainty in the absolute truths of our holy religion, resulting in a fuzzy understanding of objective morality. (Next week we'll look at some specific comparisons.)
While many of us sadly recognize this unfortunate cloudy state of affairs, we also joyfully recognize our glorious Easter Season. Indeed, we would do well to remember that this Holy Season marks a new beginning in our spiritual lives, just as Our Lord's Resurrection marked a new beginning for the entire world. Seeing the Gates of Heaven thrown open to all who believe in Him and follow His Holy Church, how can we all not see that silver lining, despite the clouds?
So with that in mind, on this Second Sunday after Easter, howzabout we check in with the great American popular song writer Jerome Kern and his take on that silver lining? This version comes from the Hollywood movie about the great composer's life, "Till the Clouds Roll By" wherein the equally great Judy Garland sings "Look for the Silver Lining." You don't hear this song very much, but it's both uplifting and quite lovely, a worthy addition to our collection of the Beautiful, I'd say.
Happy Easter!
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