It is not unusual for children, as those of you who have raised any can attest, to criticize their parents.  This is particularly evident in the adolescent years when children know everything (just ask them and they’ll tell you so), and parents know nothing (a proposition expounded with equal vehemence by the youngsters).  When confronted with the occasion in which the babes, in all but body, level their juvenile rhetoric toward those who gave birth to them, nurture, and love them, it saddens the parents, and for the most part, mom.  More specifically, the evil of this situation is exacerbated when the disparagement is leveled at the mother.  I believe all would admit this is a despicable situation.  However, it is this state of affairs with which we are confronted seemingly every day when one goes to some notable sites that tend to deal with matters regarding the process toward a family reconciliation between a mother (the Church) and her estranged sons and daughters (groups of Anglicans).

Scripture is quite explicit on the subject of parent/child relationships, “Honour thy father and mother, that thou mayest be longlived upon the land…(Ex. 20:12; Deut. 5:16),” “…He that shall curse father or mother, let him die the death (Matt. 15:4; cf. Lev. 20:9),” “Honour thy father and thy mother, which is the first commandment with a promise (Eph. 6:2).”

The Catechism of the Catholic Church expounding on what is encompassed in the definition of parents within the context of the commandment states, “We are obliged to honor and respect all those whom, for our good, God has vested with His authority (2197).”  This expansion of the definition is also the teaching of the Book of Common Prayer where in we read, “To love, honour, and succour my father and mother: To honor and obey civil authority: To submit myself to all governors, teachers, spiritual pastors and masters: To order myself lowly and reverently to all my betters (p. 580).”

This little Sunday school lesson should speak to us regarding the tone in which we should engage in our present discourse.  Unfortunately, several who will climb into pulpits on any given Sunday and expound fervently the glories of humility and obedience to authority, will subsequently climb in front of their computer keyboards on Monday morning and post the most odious exhibitions of contrary behavior, then display them for all the world to see, and then bask in the mutual admiration of others of their ilk.  This is the state of affairs in which we, those who seek a loving reconciliation with Mom, find ourselves.

By way of analogy, our current circumstance seems to be as if a child left the home, and then maintained a sort of love/hate relationship with Mom.  During the separation several children were born of the estranged one.  As time progressed at least a couple of the grandchildren decide to reconcile with Grandmother, and desire to move back.  However, as these children talk with their Grandmother, the other grandchildren (who don’t even desire to come back home) throw rocks at, and curse Grandmother.  Those who cast these invectives at Mom would do well to refer back to the above quoted teachings of the Church.

Do not think I hold the position that constructive criticism is unwarranted in any given situation.  There are many issues that need to be thought out in this matter of reunion, but I am not seeing questions being asked, or points being identified for clarification.  I see almost exclusively uninformed, conjectural, subjective statements being made.  I also see an amazing amount of stone throwing from within glass rectories.  Today for instance a comment was posted on one of the “bratty grandchildren’s” blogsites that criticized the Catholic Church for the presence of, “liberal…bishops, and nuns who aspire to be priests.”  Now the last time I looked, I don’t think I saw the Catholic Church having the market cornered on liberal bishops.  As a matter of fact, I don’t ever remember seeing a Catholic bishop purportedly “ordaining” any women.  As for the nuns who aspire to be priests, they will never be able to do so in the Catholic Church, but they could leave and do so in many Anglican jurisdictions, yes, even among some who profess to be, or are in communion with the “continuing” (whatever that means on any given day) bodies.

In closing, let’s not be too critical of Mom.  If she needs to be told she’s too fat, tell her in love, but don’t be 80 pounds overweight when you tell her.

“Doc”+