St. Benedict on Lent, Part 5

"If we devote ourselves to prayer with tears."
RB 49: 4b

Today I offer more of a meditation than a commentary.

The gift of tears is not one we hear about a lot today. It is mentioned in handbooks of the spiritual path as an oddity given to St. Ignatius of Loyola and others. It has been admirably studied in the excellent book Penthos by Fr. Irenee Hausherr. But how many of us hope to cry when we pray or feel that we should?

It is five years since the Boston Globe broke the devastating story about the widespread abuse of boys by priests. Since then, media types and advocacy groups have called loudly for the institution of program to root this sin out, compensation for the victims and penalties for the predators. The bishops have responded with various plans. I have to report to the Archdiocese once a month because of this.

These efforts are indispensable for us as a Church to have made. One can reasonably argue with the specifics of any program, but inaction would be a far graver matter at this point.

On the other hand, can any human action finally make up for the brokenness of the child who has suffered at the hands of one who is sent by God as a healer? Can any program adequately address the lacerations caused to the body of Christ by this sin? Is there any response other than to throw ourselves at the foot of the Cross and ask God's mercy in tears? Perhaps we do not weep in prayer today because we lack a sense of solidarity in the Church: some other expert somewhere is thinking up a priest monitoring system that will end this crime once and for all. How much more effective if we 'wept with those who weep'.

I have been with persons who have broken down in prayer. It is almost always the sign the Holy Spirit is healing the person, and that the one being healed is finally willing to trust God's mercy and power. Letting go of the sense that we are in control, that we can solve the problem of sin which we did not invent, exposes us as weak creatures. These weak creatures are most beloved of God and tears are the natural expression of one who knows our weakness, our brokenness and the power of God in Jesus Christ, all praise to Him.