Benedict’s renunciation and the wolves within the church
This great and yet exceptionally humble and gentle man’s fatigue has come about from much more than aging.
Reading other commentators and looking to our own LifeSiteNews experiences have revealed a ferocious battle going on within the Catholic Church and a notably rising tide of hatred towards authentic Christianity from outside.
Moreover, a comment from Benedict yesterday, adds to the impression that resignation was decided for strategic reasons. A new pope had to be quickly chosen because of the pace of alarming events both within and outside the Church.
Yesterday, during his Ash Wednesday homily, Benedict stated:
“I am thinking in particular of the sins against the unity of the Church, of the divisions in the body of the Church.”
And then we should remember these words from his first mass as Pope:
“Pray for me, that I may not flee for fear of the wolves.”
Is he fleeing from the wolves, especially those within the Church, who he knew would inevitably, incessantly attack him during his pontificate? Very doubtful.
Benedict’s resignation should instead, in my opinion, be seen as a deeply humbling self-sacrifice to pave the way for an urgently needed stronger pope and stronger Church.
For nothing more than professionally reporting solid facts about controversial Church developments related to moral issues, LifeSiteNews has experienced unrelenting, ferocious assault from particular Church personalities and organizations over the past few years.
We have been enduring a visceral hatred from some quarters as noted by LSN-friendly inside-the-church observers. It has been nearly beyond belief, shockingly unreasonable and entirely unchristian.
The more layers we have peeled away from hidden and long-standing situations needing exposure and correction, the more we have we been subjected to these unjust and hateful assaults on our integrity and credibility and to damaging whispers and other malicious actions.
The secular pro-abortion and homosexual activist forces have been easier to manage in comparison to these enraged forces within the Church.
Now think how much more Benedict has had to endure for his heroic attempts to steer the entire, badly damaged, diminished, wayward Church back on course away from the errors and influence of the “progressives” and other dissidents.
He has spoiled their plans for a morally and theologically liberal church remade in their own image, rather than Christ’s.
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