However, as I noted in last week's reflections, the words John invents about eating Jesus' flesh and drinking his blood could not possibly have been spoken by the Jewish Jesus to a Jewish audience. After all, drinking any kind of blood -- not to mention human blood -- was expressly forbidden by the Mosaic Law.
Nonetheless, by the time John wrote his Gospel (anywhere between about 90 C.E. and 110) the evangelist's audience (predominantly non-Jews) was highly influenced by Gnostic beliefs. Gnostics -- and John's audience -- were all quite familiar with "dying and rising Gods" and with the ritual practice of metaphorically eating the Gods' flesh and drinking the Gods' blood by sharing bread and wine. So, to them, Jesus could be explained in precisely those terms, even if it meant putting into the mouth of Jesus words that he could never have spoken.
Yet, the "real presence" that even John was concerned about had nothing to do with the containment of an infinite God within a wafer or sip of wine. John's audience was worried about connecting with the long-dead Master from Galilee. How might they do this? That was their question. John's response was "Do what Jesus did: share food and drink." But he wasn't talking about "the Mass." Sharing of bread with the hungry is what makes Jesus present. In fact, "bread" and Jesus' "flesh," "wine" and Jesus' "blood" are all interchangeable terms. It's the breaking of the bread and the sharing of the cup with the poor that makes Jesus present.
Catholic fundamentalism and literalist reading of scripture denied such understandings as heresy. And that enabled priests to masquerade as magicians and eventually gave them the power to determine the eternal destinies of their charges. It gave them immunity in their own eyes and even in the eyes of their victims.
After the pedophilia revelations, who can believe any of that?
However, we shouldn't be discouraged. I mean, realizing our deception frees us up, doesn't it? Just as in the field of politics, it can help liberate us from the childish beliefs that ignorant, hypocritical liars have foisted upon us. I mean, what can we believe that either our politicians or our clergy have told us about ANYTHING?
What I'm suggesting is that it's all up for grabs now. We have to think for ourselves, not only about our presidents, but even about God.
And that's true freedom.
So, what should Catholics who still care do about the latest expositions of duplicity? For starters, here are some suggestions:
" Admit that the Catholic Church has been generally corrupted by the pedophilic scandal; like the U.S. government, it is a crime syndicate
" More specifically, recognize that the priesthood along with bishops, cardinals, and the papacy itself have been perverted
" In that light, boycott the church until it calls a General Council to institute reforms from the top-down
" Realizing that the pedophilic scandal would not have occurred under the aegis of women, demand not only their ordination, but their empowerment to replace men in roles of church leadership including at the highest level
" Similarly, demand the abolition of required clerical celibacy for Catholic priests
Yes: It is undeniable that the lies of Mr. Trump and the sins of our clergy have initiated a new era in our country and in the world. That shouldn't depress us. Rather, it should inspire us to completely throw off the old and embrace new possibilities both politically and in the realm of faith.
(Article changed on August 20, 2018 at 21:39)
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