Community in Mission

The gospel today, is really quite remarkable. For, despite the fact that the apostles seeing Jesus risen from the dead several times now, we see in them a kind of retreat into the past. They’re going backwards, and Jesus must summon them, if you pardon the expression, “Back to the Future.”

Plainly stated, they were going back to fishing, but the Lord had called them away from fishing, and pointed them to the future, a future that included going to all the nations and summoning them to saving faith.

Thus, this is a critical gospel that shows us that Jesus summoning them back to their crucial call, a call that has its focus not in the past but in the future. Indeed, fellow believer, if this gospel had not gone right, your faith and mine might well have been in jeopardy. To make it plain, you and I are the future the Jesus sought to preserve in this crucial gospel. Our own coming to the faith depends on whether Jesus is able to summon Peter and the other apostles back to the future.

Lets look at this gospel in four stages.

I. Regrettable Reversal–the text says, At that time, Jesus revealed himself again to his disciples at the Sea of Tiberias. He revealed himself in this way. Together were Simon Peter, Thomas called Didymus, Nathanael from Cana in Galilee, Zebedee’s sons, and two others of his disciples. Simon Peter said to them, “I am going fishing.” They said to him, “We also will come with you.” So they went out and got into the boat, but that night they caught nothing.

Now let us be clear, Peter had no business going back to fishing. The Lord had called him away from fishing. For example, Back in Matthew’s Gospel, we read, And he said to them, follow me and I will make you fishers of men. Immediately, they left their nets and followed him. (Mat 4:19)

But here, we see Peter going back to commercial fishing. And lets be clear, this is not some sort of recreational fishing, their commercial nets are out! It is astonishing to think that after having seen Jesus risen from the dead on at least two occasions, possibly more, that they’re going back to fishing!

We often think that if we were to see miracles, our faith would be strong. But, there is very little evidence for this. Many who see signs and wonders, wonder if what they have seen can be topped. Their fascination is engaged, but not their faith. Ultimately, faith produces miracles, it is not the result of it.

Peter’s return to fishing, is not only regrettable, it is scandalous. For in so doing, others say to him, “We will also go with you.” Too often, when we backslide, we bring others with us. More positively, if we grow in holiness, we will also bring others with us. Sadly, Peter is backslidden, and others follow him. As we shall see, the Lord will not abandon his church.

And while we may wonder at St. Peter. The fact is, we too easily backslide. We praise Jesus with our mouth, and yet from the same mouth come curses and gossip. We claim that we belong to Christ, are one body with him, are a Temple of the Holy Spirit, and yet, too often, from the same body comes forth fornication and other sexual impurity. We say that God is love, and yet from us to easily come anger and hatred and a lack of love for the poor and the troubled.

The things we have been called away from, we too easily run back to. The Lord points forward, but we run backward.

So often, as with the disciples in this gospel, the Lord must stand on the shore of our baptismal waters, and call us out of the past, and back into the future, a future of holiness and perfection. Too easily we run from this. But the Lord is faithful, and as we shall see, stands on the shore and calls us back. Would that we could say, in the words of an old Gospel song:  Goodbye world, I stay no longer with you, goodbye pleasures of sin, I stayed along with you! I’ve made up my mind to go God’s way the rest of my life! Another old gospel song from the 1940s says, No more, no more! I’ll never turn back no more! I’m going to keep on crossing till I reach the other shore. Rains may come, floods may roar, storms may race, and winds may blow, but I’ll never turn back, no more!

Would that this were the case,. But as it is, and as we shall see, the Lord keeps calling calling from the shore,  out onto the waves of our discontent.

II. Redeeming reminder – the text says, When it was already dawn, Jesus was standing on the shore; but the disciples did not realize that it was Jesus. Jesus said to them, “Children, have you caught anything to eat?” They answered him, “No.” So he said to them, “Cast the net over the right side of the boat and you will find something.” So they cast it, and were not able to pull it in because of the number of fish. So the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, “It is the Lord.” When Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he tucked in his garment, for he was lightly clad, and jumped into the sea. The other disciples came in the boat, for they were not far from shore, only about a hundred yards, dragging the net with the fish.

The Lord stands on the shore and rehearses for them what he had done for them some three years earlier, when he called them from fishing to evangelizing. He does not excoriate them, call them fools or some other epitaph. He calls out to them, “Children…have you caught anything?!” And rather than rebuke them, he asked them to assess the data, whether the course of action they have chosen has yielded anything at all. They admit that they’ve caught nothing.

And yet, strangely, this whole incident seems familiar! For the Lord tells him to cast the net elsewhere and that they would find something. And suddenly the nets are full! Oh how this spoke to their hearts! It was just when it happened three years ago! Scripture says,

And when he had ceased speaking, he said to Simon, “Put out into the deep and let down your nets for a catch.” And Simon answered, “Master, we toiled all night and took nothing! But at your word I will let down the nets.” And when they had done this, they enclosed a great shoal of fish; and as their nets were breaking, they beckoned to their partners in the other boat to come and help them. And they came and filled both the boats, so that they began to sink. But when Simon Peter saw it, he fell down at Jesus’ knees, saying, “Depart from me, for I am a sinful man, O Lord.” For he was astonished, and all that were with him, at the catch of fish which they had taken; and so also were James and John, sons of Zebedee, who were partners with Simon. And Jesus said to Simon, “Do not be afraid; henceforth you will be catching men.” And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him. (Luke 5:4ff)

St. John draws the obvious conclusion, “It is the Lord!”  The Lord has given them a redeeming reminder. He does not rebuke them, he has only reminded them. In effect, he says “Come out of the past! Remember the future to which I have summoned you, a future of going forth to the nations in announcing the Gospel for all to hear. Your life is not about fish, is about humanity!”

What reminders has the Lord put you in your life? How has he stood on the shore and called to you with some reminder? Perhaps it was a tattered old Bible, or perhaps an old hymn that you heard. Perhaps it was grandmother’s old rosary beads stored away in a dresser drawer. Perhaps you are summoned to a funeral or wedding.

Somehow, in moments like these, the Lord stands on the shore of  life and calls to you. He reminds you of your call, and wonders whether your present course is done anything for you whatsoever. Usually, it has not. Perhaps there is fleeting wealth or momentary popularity, but otherwise little else to show for it.

And thus, the Lord calls. He calls us back to the future, a future and a present oriented toward heaven. Since you have been raised to new life with Christ, seek the things that are above, rather than the earth below (Colossians 3:1).

Yes, Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling, calling for you and for me. See on  the portals he’s waiting and watching, watching for you and for me; Come home, come home! Ye who are weary come home! Earnestly, tenderly, Jesus is calling, calling oh sinner come home!  

Here then, is a redeeming reminder Jesus calling, softly and tenderly: come out of the past, come away from commercial fishing, look to future, the future of saving souls!

III. Reorienting Repast– the text says, When they climbed out on shore, they saw a charcoal fire with fish on it and bread. Jesus said to them, “Bring some of the fish you just caught.” So Simon Peter went over and dragged the net ashore full of one hundred fifty-three large fish. Even though there were so many, the net was not torn. Jesus said to them, “Come, have breakfast.” And none of the disciples dared to ask him, “Who are you?” because they realized it was the Lord. Jesus came over and took the bread and gave it to them, and in like manner the fish. This was now the third time Jesus was revealed to his disciples after being raised from the dead. When they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, “Simon, son of John, do you love me more than these?” Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my lambs.” He then said to Simon Peter a second time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Simon Peter answered him, “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Tend my sheep.” Jesus said to him the third time, “Simon, son of John, do you love me?” Peter was distressed that Jesus had said to him a third time, “Do you love me?” and he said to him, “Lord, you know everything; you know that I love you.” Jesus said to him, “Feed my sheep.

Now in this somewhat lengthy passage, notice three basic elements whereby the Lord uses a meal, or a repast, to reorient them. To “reorient,” literally, means to turn someone back to the East, back toward the rising of the sun (Son), back toward the light and away from the dark. Re (again) +  oriens (East) = back to the East, back to the light.

Note first, the FISH are in is are plentiful numbers. But the number, 153, has significance more for humanity, then for fish. While much ink has been spilled on the significance of this number, the most likely explanation seems to be that this was the number of known nations at the time. And hence, that 153 fish are caught exactly, seems to be the Lord’s way of saying, “Not fish, but humanity, all the nations!” Hence we see that God can even use our sins, our backsliding, and turn it to  something he is called us away from, yes he can use our sins to be a teachable moment.

Notice next, the FIRE. As Peter comes onshore, we note that he sees a fire. And though the text is silent, it must’ve unnerved him! For here was a charcoal fire, the same sort of fire in the courtyard of Caiaphas the high priest wherein Peter had denied the Lord (Jn 18:18). Hurt, and unnerved by what he had done, or rather, failed to do,  Peter felt unworthy, and was still deeply troubled by the sin he committed in denying the Lord. Yes, this fire reminded him.

And yet, even his repentance is somewhat egocentric. It would seem, he wonders, “How could I have done this, I who promise the Lord to be with him even if all should rage against him!” And yet, in moment of cowardice, Peter denied the Lord. Oh yes, this fire, this charcoal fire, is bothersome indeed! The Lord stands next to it it looks to Peter much as he had done in the courtyard of Caiaphas when, after Peter denied him for the third time, the text says that Jesus turned and looked at Peter (Lk 22:61). How this fire bothered him!

And the FRANKNESS – But now ensues a tender, poignant, and powerful conversation. To us to read only English, the conversation focuses on the fact that three times, the Lord asked Peter, “Do you love me?” But in Greek, there are subtleties that we easily miss.

For the Lord does not ask Peter simply, “Do you love me?” And Peter answers, “Yes Lord, I love you.” No, the Greek text is more subtle and more specific. In Greek, the Lord asked Peter, Σίμων Ἰωάννου, ἀγαπᾷς με πλέον τούτων (Simon Joannou agapas me pleon touton? – Simon Son of John, do you Love (agapas) me more than these? ). Note therefore the request for agape love. But Peter replies, in the Greek text, κύριε, σὺ οἶδας ὅτι φιλῶ σε. (Kyrie, su oidas oti philo se – Lord, you know that I have brotherly (philo) love for you.

And thus we see, that the Lord asked for a agape love, a love that is the highest love, wherein we love God above all things, and above all people, including ourselves. But Peter does not answer, with agape love, but rather says, that he loves the Lord in a brotherly (phileo) sort of a way. And this is far short of what the Lord asked. (I realize there are debates about the Greek here, but am convinced that the two different verb forms are significant. More on the debate here: Agape vs Philo in John 21).

But despite this, the Lord has still has something important for St. Peter to do so. He says to him, despite his imperfect love, “Feed my lambs!”

A second time, the same dialogue sets up wherein the Lord asked Peter, Σίμων Ἰωάννου, ἀγαπᾷς με (Simon son of John, do you love (agapas) me?   Peter  responds, κύριε, σὺ οἶδας ὅτι φιλῶ σε (Lord you know that I have affectionate (philo = bortherly) love for you.”  But here too, the Lord had asked for unconditional, an ultimate love, but Peter can only return a lesser love, a brotherly love, a sort of affection. Yet again, the Lord does not reject Peter. He accepts what Peter has, and says to him still “Tend my sheep.”

Yet in the third  occasion, Jesus, accepting what Peter is able to offer ask him the third time, Σίμων Ἰωάννου, φιλεῖς με; (Simon, son of John, do you have affection (phileis) for me?  The third question,  which strikes Peter to the heart, causes him to exclaim that he  (only) has brotherly love. Yet again the Lord does not reject him, but rather assigns him, saying once again, feed my lambs.”

Here, is perhaps one of the most poignant, beautiful, and honest moments in Scripture. The Lord looking with love to a disciple, asking them for the highest love, and that disciple honestly answering, “I have only imperfect love to offer you.” For the first time in his life, perhaps, Peter is being absolutely honest. No more posing here, no more bragging. Only an honest answer, born in sober appreciation of his human lapses. There is nothing more beautiful than honest prayer. For honesty is a prelude to healing. Jesus accepts what Peter can offer, and as we shall see, promises him his heart will expand so that, one day, Peter will love the Lord totally, unconditionally, above all things, and above all people.

How about you? Are you hones with the Lord? Have you experienced his love in spite of your sin? Do you know he can use you even in your weakness if you are will to be hones with him?

IV–Required Remedy– the text says  Amen, amen, I say to you, when you were younger, you used to dress yourself and go where you wanted; but when you grow old, you will stretch out your hands, and someone else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go.” He said this signifying by what kind of death he would glorify God. And when he had said this, he said to him, “Follow me.”

In this whole conversation, the Lord’s purpose is not to stalk Peter, or to badger him. Rather it is to lead him toward a necessary remedy, and point him back toward the future, a future filled with evangelical fervor, and sacrificial love. He  is week now, but the Lord will give him strength and, within ten days after his Ascension, the Holy Spirit will come and Peter will be quickened, strengthened in the faith.

But even here, the work the Lord needs to do is not finished, for the Lord speaks of the day, when Peter will finally have the grace to accept martyrdom. It will be a day, when someone will tie him fast and lead him off to where he would rather not go. But he will go! And he will die for Christ.

Finally Peter will be able to say, without any simulation or exaggeration, I love you Lord totally, with agape love, I love you above all things, above all people, and above my own very life.

For now, he is not ready, but the Lord will lead him by stages, and get him ready. Peter will one day be able to say I love you with agape, with total, with unconditional love, above all things, above all people, above my very self!

How will Peter get there? How will we get there?  The Lord says simply, “Follow me.”

So, fellow disciple, the Lord leads you to deeper love, to unconditional love, to love above all other loves! Only the Lord can do this. He did it for Peter, a hard case actually, and he can do it for you!

For now, He is standing on the shore and calling us to a richer future:

I couldn’t say it better. Here is the Catholic Standard Editorial regarding attempts of certain homosexual activists at George Washington University to either remove or highly restrict the presence of Catholic Ministry on Campus:

Here’s the PDF: Editorial: Homosexual Activists at GWU Threaten Religious Freedom

Is the Church a thermometer or a thermostat? In other words are we called merely to reflect the temperature (thermometer), or are we called to affect the temperature (thermostat)? Many are deeply confused as to the role of the Church in the modern world and think we ought simply to reflect the mores of current times, rather than to prophetically announce the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Yes, there are many who insist that the Church needs to “get with the times……Update her teachings….be more modern in her thinking, teachings and structures.” She needs to “Listen more to young people and speak their language and share their vision.”

Put more in a hostile way, the Church “needs to abandon her medieval ways, cease being hostile, judgmental, intolerant, bigoted, sexist, homophobic, hateful etc” (and the usual list of modern accusations that reflect more the accuser’s personal issues than the Church).

During the recent Papal Conclave the media had a field day interviewing various degrees and types of disaffected Catholics who all presented their wish list (or list of demands) of how the Church should change to be tenable and relevant to modernity and regain their “loyalty.” Most of the demands of course had to do with sex and power: that the Church should approve contraception and promote it, homosexual activity and same sex unions should get the thumbs up, divorce and remarriage should be approved, women and active gays ordained, priest should be bale to get married, abortion approved, euthanasia applauded, etc.

And somehow if the Church does all this, our parishes will be filled again and all will be right with the world.

Never mind that the Liberal (mainline) Protestants have tried all this for decades, approving whatever the people and the polls demanded, and with that approach their numbers have plummeted, far lower that any Catholic Parish. Never mind too that the only Protestant denominations that are growing at all are the more biblically conservative Evangelical Protestants who reject a good bit of the list of demands above.

But at the end of the day, the lists of demands above all show a fundamental misunderstanding of the nature and purpose of the Church. The Church does not exist to be a mere expression or manifestation of current popular or cultural views. The Catholic Church does not and cannot draw her inspiration from these, but rather must draw from the Word of God as it has been faithfully passed on for twenty centuries.

The Church does not exist to merely reflect and parrot the views of her parishioners, gleaned from polls and focus groups. She exists to reflect the views of her founder and head, Jesus Christ. And the Jesus referred to here is not some fake Jesus reinvented by moderns who use dubious and tortured methodologies to radically reinterpret Scripture so that it no longer “means” what it clearly says. Rather, we owe allegiance to the real Jesus, the Biblical Jesus. It is to Him that we look for Him that we speak. (More on that in another post).

But as for the Church, the cry goes up frequently in our culture today that the Church, and her clergy catechist other leaders should refrain From any sort of teaching or preaching that plainly characterizes immoral actions for the sins they are. Many, even among the clergy, insist on a “do no harm” mentality And any utterance which might even in the remotest possible way offend somebody, is strongly eschewed and denounced. Even directly quoting from the Scriptures, or the Catholic catechism, Is shamelessly denounced as hate speech. This is an egregious violation for those who only want the Church to be a thermometer.

And thus, the traditional “thermostatic” practice of the Church is to speak clearly about sin, but also to influence people to seek God’s offer of grace and mercy is largely scorned as “unloving,” even “hateful.”

The claim is made that since “God is love,” and Jesus loves everyone, therefore everything is somehow fine and any critique is somehow “unloving” and “un-Christ-like.”

In the biblical texts below, I hope to show forth that the consistent pastoral advice given in the Scriptures confirms the Church’s traditional approach. What follows is a kind of pastoral manual gleaned from the Scriptures.

I do not claim it to be complete, but have assembled these particular texts to affirm that God the Holy Spirit certainly expects the Church, and her clergy, as well as parents and other leaders to clearly and unambiguously address moral issues of the day. They also affirm that the goal of the Church is not simply to fit in, and, like a thermometer, reflect the values and wishes of the day. Rather, she is to thermostatically announce and seek to influence the world by speaking the ancient and tested wisdom that the Lord God himself has handed down through Biblical Tradition as well as Sacred Tradition. As such, this is an act of love, for it is good pastoral practice recommended by God the Holy Spirit Himself. The comments in Red are mine, and I admit some remarks are dripping with sarcastic irony as I play the role, in some of the remarks of an bemused or “outraged” interlocutor.

I. Some Old Testament admonitions to priests and prophets:

• Malachi 2: 7For the lips of a priest ought to preserve knowledge, because he is the messenger of the Lord Almighty and people seek instruction from his mouth. 8But you have turned from the way and by your teaching have caused many to stumble. In other words, the priest has as a primary task to preserve and pass on ancient wisdom rather than to merely rehash modern jargon and views. They are to be a messenger for the Lord, not for the latest cause or rage. I failing to do this he causes the downfall of many.
• Isaiah 56: 10Israel’s watchmen are blind, they all lack knowledge; they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; they lie around and dream, they love to sleep….They are shepherds who lack understanding; they all turn to their own way. In other words, the priest, prophet, parent and leaders of the Church are not supposed to be dumb dogs. Dogs are supposed to bark to warn of trouble and also to scare off interlopers. Too many priests and Church leaders are silent, they are dumb dogs, they cannot bark. But they should! Those of the “do no harm” mentality fail follow the instruction to be a guard dog. Further they turn a blind eye to error and evil
• Ezekiel 3: 17 “Son of man, I have made you a watchman for the people of Israel; so hear the word I speak and give them warning from me. 18When I say to a wicked person, ‘You will surely die,’ and you do not warn them or speak out to dissuade them from their evil ways in order to save their life, that wicked person will die for their sin, and I will hold you accountable for their blood. 19But if you do warn the wicked person and they do not turn from their wickedness or from their evil ways, they will die for their sin; but you will have saved yourself. Here too the pastor, the shepherd, the leader is expect to warn sinners, not merely and gleefully affirm, tell jokes and avoid all offense.

II. That Jesus insisted that the Church take stands against sin and evil and not tolerate the presence of evil and error within her. Further that the Church must be willing to suffer on account of proclaiming the truth.

• Matt 18:17 If they (the sinner) still refuse to listen (to fraternal correction), tell it to the church; and if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector. Hence the Church ought to discipline some, in more serious matters with punitive measures, and even with excommunication. And this is not un-Christ-like for he himself said it.
• Matt 5: 13“You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt loses its saltiness, how can it be made salty again? It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out and trampled underfoot. 14“You are the light of the world. A town built on a hill cannot be hidden. 15Neither do people light a lamp and put it under a bowl. Instead they put it on its stand, and it gives light to everyone in the house. 16In the same way, let your light shine before others, that they may see your good deeds and glorify your Father in heaven. But salt and light affect the word around them, not merely reflect the world around them.
• John 15:18 If the world hates you, keep in mind that it hated me first. 19If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you. 20Remember what I told you: ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted me, they will persecute you also. If they obeyed my teaching, they will obey yours also. 21They will treat you this way because of my name, for they do not know the one who sent me. 22If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not be guilty of sin; but now they have no excuse for their sin. 23Whoever hates me hates my Father as well. Well if our job is to fit in, offend no one, do no harm and say nothing controversial, if our job is to merely reflect the culture and thoughts of the world, to be modern and up to date, then who is going to hate us? The text indicates that hatred from the world is NOT a sign we have necessarily done something wrong, but that we are in good company with Jesus and the martyrs. The thermometer Church cannot possibly fulfill this text.
• Rev 2:4 (to Ephesus) 6But you have this in your favor: You hate the practices of the Nicolaitans, which I also hate. Oops, did Jesus say “hate” here? Didn’t he get the memo that we’re not suppose to hate anyone’s practices, but that we are supposed to affirm everyone, and not just every one, but every thing they do, since they identify themselves by what they do? Didn’t Jesus get the memo not to “judge”?
• Rev 2:14 (to Pergamum) Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. 15Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth. Wait a minute, is Jesus telling the Church that it is wrong to affirm sin? I thought we were not only to accept sinners, but also to affirm their practices. Here too, it seems that Jesus didn’t get the modernist memo. He even, kinda seems mad that the Church is tolerating evil!
• Rev 2:20 (to Thyatira) 20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. 21I have given her time to repent of her immorality, but she is unwilling. 22So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. Uh oh! did Jesus just rebuke the Church for “tolerating” something? Doesn’t he know that the we’re supposed to tolerate everything and that we are just being hateful if we don’t. Man, Jesus is certainly unreformed.

III. Pastoral advice to Bishops, pastors, teachers, parents and other leaders in the Church:

• 1 Thess 2:2We had previously suffered and been treated outrageously in Philippi, as you know, but with the help of our God we dared to tell you his gospel in the face of strong opposition. 3For the appeal we make does not spring from error or impure motives, nor are we trying to trick you. 4On the contrary, we speak as those approved by God to be entrusted with the gospel. We are not trying to please people but God, who tests our hearts. 5You know we never used flattery, nor did we put on a mask to cover up greed—God is our witness. 6We were not looking for praise from people, not from you or anyone else, even though as apostles of Christ we could have asserted our authority. 7Instead, we were like young children among you. Just as a nursing mother cares for her children, 8so we cared for you. Because we loved you so much, we were delighted to share with you not only the gospel of God but our lives as well. Now wait a minute, what was St. Paul doing in Jail? Did he offend someone? Did he say something controversial or “hateful?” Note too his central point, that our aim is to please God, not man. Would that every preacher entered a pulpit with this motive and this courage. The thermometer Church will be up in arms, but the Lord will be pleased.
• 2 Tim 4: 1In the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his appearing and his kingdom, I give you this charge: 2Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. 3For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. 4They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. 5But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry.
  But what if people are offended? Don’t you care, St. Paul? Didn’t you get the memo that you’re supposed to only preach the gospel when it is popular? What is this “out of season” stuff? Who talks about football in summer? Get with the times! And how dare you suggest that people might not “tolerate” the truth! It is only true Christians that intolerant. It is not possible for the modern open-minded person to be intolerant, only Bible-believing Catholics and certain Christians are intolerant. Get your terms right. Aren’t the people (except for traditional Christians) and the current times always right, and should not the message be adapted?
• Titus 1:10 For there are many rebellious people, full of meaningless talk and deception, especially those of the circumcision group. 11They must be silenced, because they are disrupting whole households by teaching things they ought not to teach—and that for the sake of dishonest gain…..Therefore rebuke them sharply, so that they will be sound in the faith…16They claim to know God, but by their actions they deny him. They are detestable, disobedient and unfit for doing anything good. Wow talk about judgmental! Someone send St. Paul (and the Holy Spirit who wrote this) a memo and tell him that he might offend some one! This sort of talk certainly doesn’t fit the “kinder-gentler” vision of the Church either. Now, granted, in our current times, such plain characterization is less common, and should only be used judiciously.
• 2 Tim 2:24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will.
• 2 Cor 4:2-6By setting forth the truth plainly we commend ourselves to everyone’s conscience in the sight of God. 3And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. 4The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel that displays the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. 5For what we preach is not ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’ sake. Wow, you mean to say that if the modern world doesn’t “get” the message, doesn’t understand it, that the problem is them and not the message?! Once again St. Paul didn’t get the memo that the problem is ALWAYS the Church and NEVER the world. Note too that St. Paul claims to speak for Christ. Here too the world shudders and claims that privilege for itself over and against St. Paul. Note too that St. Paul sets the Word of God forth “Plainly” Whereas too many clergy over the years have preferred to speak in abstractions and generalities, and to be any thing but plain in speaking clearly to moral issues of the day.
  
• 2 Cor 5:12 ff Since, then, we know what it is to fear the Lord, we try to persuade others.…13If we are “out of our mind,” as some say, it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for you…And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. If only St. Paul would parrot the world, and the evening news agenda, he would not be considered “out of his mind.” But since he insists on all the “repentance stuff” and “judges” us to need reconciliation, he is, ipso facto, out of his mind.
• 1 Cor 4:9ff 9For it seems to me that God has put us apostles on display at the end of the procession, like those condemned to die in the arena. We have been made a spectacle to the whole universe, to angels as well as to human beings. 10We are fools for Christ, but you are so wise in Christ! We are weak, but you are strong! You are honored, we are dishonored! Well if only Paul and the Church would toe the line, everything would be just fine. Hmm…. If he’d just become a thermometer instead of a troubling and meddlesome thermostat, he would be honored. Once again, it looks like the early Church and the advice of Scripture does not square with modernist insistence on being populist.
• Acts 20: 26Therefore, I declare to you today that I am innocent of the blood of any of you. 27For I have not hesitated to proclaim to you the whole counsel of God. 28Keep watch over yourselves and all the flock of which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers. Be shepherds of the church of God, which he bought with his own blood.Note here that the Church has the task to proclaim the whole counsel, not just what is popular or safe.

IV. On the challenge to stay in the conversation and patiently exhort:

• 2 Tim 2:24 And the Lord’s servant must not be quarrelsome but must be kind to everyone, able to teach, not resentful. 25Opponents must be gently instructed, in the hope that God will grant them repentance leading them to a knowledge of the truth, 26and that they will come to their senses and escape from the trap of the devil, who has taken them captive to do his will. Hence we do not look for arguments, nor do we seek hate. We soberly admit it may well come our way, but we seek to stay in the conversation hoping at least to plant seeds.
• Gal 6:1Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted.So the operative word is gentle, and the disposition is humility. Clarity with Charity.
  

Allow these to suffice for now. But note clearly that the “do-no harm” and never offend, “any rebuke = hate” school of thought is pretty well set aside in the pastoral manual of Scripture. It looks like the Church actually IS supposed to speak to the sin of our times, summon to repentance and and offer God’s grace and mercy to actual sinners, who acknowledge themselves to be such. And, as the last scriptures also note, this work is to be done with patience and charity. But it IS to be done.

It’s old time religion, but more than that it is true.