Sundays matter, but there is so much more.

Good works, Christian hearts, true justice, charity these are what God looks for. A religion of Sunday Mass but unjust weekdays does not please the Lord. A religion of much praying but with hypocrisy in the heart is not Christian. A Church that seeks to assure her own welfare with money and comfort but fails to protest against injustice would not be the true Church of our Divine Redeemer. That is why the Church must suffer and be persecuted. Even priests can be an obstacle to the authentic kingdom of the Lord. Dear Christians, this is the word that the Church repeats once again as Christmas draws near. 

-St Oscar Romero: A Prophetic Bishop Speaks to his People.   

I read this quote in the latest Tablet, a weekly, religious periodical from the UK.  For me, these were powerful words, only reinforced by the fact that they came from Oscar Romero, a bishop of El Salvador, martyred 45 years ago, for standing up for the poor.  So powerful that I very much wanted to share them verbatim at mass on Sunday, but I couldn't.  Why not?  

One reason, or maybe my excuse, was that they come from such a foreign context, that they would be lost on the audience here.  Good point, while surely the message still remains valid for the whole church, and we are part of that church.   So why not share it anyway?  Too controversial?  Too radical? 

Remember, by its nature, that the gospel is both controversial and radical, for it is a transformational and living document.  It ever challenges us.  If church becomes our comfort bubble, the gospel is there to unsettle us, even threaten us.  Could it be then that these words of Romero offer a  

-challenge that would be too much and so the message would be denied?

-fear that would be overwhelming and so the message would be lost in pursuing turmoil? 

-threat that would be too immediate and so the message would be buried? 

Our new saint, St Pier Giorgio, nailed it, when he highlighted that we are not solely Sunday Catholics but everyday Catholics.  What we do on Sunday leads to and is part of the rest of the week, when we live out what we proclaim.  We are also Monday Catholics.  If there is no rest of the week to our faith, does it not become meaningless and mass becomes a good time to be had?   So why couldn't I share Romero's reflection for Advent?  Do not avoid the issue.  

Was it not fear that I would have to face a barrage of resistance?  For this, I am guilty of avoiding uncomfortable challenges.  There lies the radical challenge of the gospel.  Thus, did I diminish my authenticity or did I act wisely to proclaim the gospel in a more diplomatic way?  I may be judged by what I do, not what I say.  I will not protest my innocence.  Rather I offer an open verdict and leave it up to you.  .