With the recent announcement of 24 new cardinals at an upcoming consistory, one name in particular is standing out as being particularly “divisive”: Archbishop Raymond Burke, prefect of the Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura. Archbishop Burke is known for being particularly outspoken in defense of Church teaching, and has caused major waves throughout the United States, especially in the Archdiocese of St. Louis, for his willingness to challenge those who would dissent from the traditional teachings of the Church.
Interesting, then, that the Gospel reading for today’s Mass would include Our Lord saying, “Do you think that I have come to establish peace on the earth? No, I tell you, but rather division.” The Church’s teachings are divisive, because the Truth is divisive. It divides those who would follow Christ from those who would follow the ways of the world. The Church’s teachings are Truth, not just “a truth” or “my truth”, but the Truth revealed by Christ, through whom the world was created. By following the Church’s teachings, we are following Christ Himself. If we dissent from Church teachings, we are dissenting from Christ Himself, even if we claim to be following His teachings. Speaking for myself, I would rather follow Christ, even if I commit the worldly sin of being “divisive”.
