The Limits Of Forgiveness-2 & Mark Shea

In his most recent "National Catholic Register" column ("Remember The Real Enemy"; August 17-23, 2008) Mr. Mark Shea preached to us as to "forgiveness".

It appears that Mr. Shea requires of us a greater gift for forgiveness than does the Church which requires: A desire for the Sacrament; Acknowledgment and declaration that what we have done is wrong and sinful; The request for forgiveness; And, some temporal punishment (Now generally reduced to a few prayers). Has the Church erred in this setting of standards? I think not!

The Muslim who takes pride in following the teachings of Mohammed to use murder, rape, genocide, robbery, etc. to advance Islam (And his own desires for sex and power) is far from meeting the noted preconditions for forgiveness. The atheist academic who takes a infantile and anal-retentive pride in desecrating the Eucharist has likewise excluded himself from the possibility of forgiveness baring some future conversion and redemption.

If the Christ whipped the money changers out of the Temple grounds to defend the honor of his Father, as Mr. Shea claims, then why should we restrain ourselves from inflicting temporal punishment on those who would, as Muslims, destroy the Church and subject Christians to slavery OR, as the noted professor, attack the honor of the Son? [If Mr. Shea wishes to follow St. Paul, then let me and others follow St. Bernard of Clairvaux who pointed out the need to sometimes use "the edge of the sword" to defend Christ and His Church. (1.).]

Mr. Shea's prideful preaching does, as Mr.Shea notes, remind me that Satan is the real enemy; But also that pride was his major offense.


(1.) De Laude Novae Militae