St. Philip Neri provides another example. He had a great devotion to no less a firebrand than Savonarola. Yet as much as he shared that reformer’s zeal, he adopted much different—and ultimately much more effective—means. (So, let's get this straight - you can want reform, genuine reform, of the liturgy, but you don't need to go schismatic. You don't need to go schismatic to either end of the spectrum - Spiritus Christi or SSPX.) Songs, jokes, picnics, even pranks were his weapons (Sort of like the occaisional JibJab video or witty retort). Today we know St. Philip as the Apostle of Rome and the Apostle of joy. St. Thomas More, who opposed Henry VIII’s usurpation of Church authority so staunchly, displayed a similar joy (note, his brother martyr St. John Fisher is our patron). Indeed, he was known for his sense of humor right to the end, joking with his executioner at the scaffold. We find no bitterness or rancor in these warriors. Now even if we cannot imitate their humor, we ought at least to strive for their joy. (What greater joy is there than seeing a cut-out head of Bishop Clark doing liturgical dance to Halle, Halle, Halle?)
The only reason I bring this up is because some people, a couple priests, and some friends have suggested that we're too "bitter," "wounded," "stale," "angry," "vindictive," etc . . . ad infinitem. I think all we're doing is finding an outlet in rhetoric and humor rather than seething hatred and penetrating insensitivity.
I know this was random, but you can just file this under the heading, "For Future Reference" or "It Needed to Be Said."
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