Pearls before swine.
More reflections on blogging.
Continuing to reflect on the art of web logs, it seems to me that some writers may indeed be newbie’s to the Church, hence their enthusiasm and absolutism when it comes to morality, worship, liturgy, spirituality, and so on. Spiritual writers often refer to these as beginners, or those in their first fervor. It is a lovely time in the spiritual life, and our souls are fired with zeal.
We can’t forget those who have been around a long time either – the faithful brothers to these prodigals. As in the parable of the Prodigal Son, these can become a bit indignant with their “revert” brothers and sisters lack of experience or knowledge in the spiritual life.
For myself, I’m learning the need to be discreet in my writing, reigning in any tendency to rash judgments or sweeping generalizations about people, places, and things. I hope I am becoming more discerning in the process, and avoiding the critical spirit that can be so offensive. (I believed I have always tried to do this, yet I recognize I have failed in the past, while I suspect I will again.)
Deception.
It seems to me, after writing several blogs for well over a year now, I have, and I’m assuming everyone has, encountered a few people who may or may not be the people they represent themselves to be. (They are practiced at the art of deception – as the Stone’s lyrics say.) Call me naïve, but I doubt any are actively out to deceive; it may simply be attributed to a lack of experience and first or second fervor that they come off as genuine, even authoritative regarding “Church Stuff” as I’ll refer to it hereon in.
I often tell the tale of an acquaintance who was a recent convert, turned Trad, extremely knowledgeable about dogma, discipline, etc., who eventually returned to Wicca. Anyone listening to her in her uber-orthodox stage would be convinced the woman was on her way to sainthood, and as wise – well she would have said, wiser than the Pope. I’m certain everyone has received edifying comments from this or that blogger, convinced they are very good Catholic, spiritual people. And hopefully they are. Sometimes they are not.
Even saints can be duped.
This brings my post to the story I wanted to tell in the first place. (Yeah Ray, I go on and on and on. LOL!)
In the life of St. Therese, actually, shortly before she died, she, along with her community were taken in by a hoax. A man by the name of Leo Taxil perpetrated a hoax concerning the conversion of a woman from Satanism to the Catholic Church. The woman’s name was Diana Vaughan. Her conversion was said to have taken place while praying before a statue of St. Joan of Arc. (I believe the beatification or canonization of St. Joan took place around this time, hence the added sensationalism of the story.)
The nuns and especially Therese were so impressed with the story, Therese was inspired to write a play celebrating Diana Vaughan, whom Therese hailed as the new Joan of Arc. To make a long story short, Leo Taxil declared the entire story a hoax, seeking to make fools of those who believed in faith. Strangely enough, the Carmel of Lisieux, and Therese especially became a mockery of sorts because Taxil made his revelations before the now famous photograph of Therese dressed as Joan of Arc. Needless to say, the community was rather embarrassed about the entire matter. Therese died shortly thereafter.
Discernment and prudence.
The story illustrates my point better than all my stammering regarding web logs. It seems to me we need to be careful, not only with our own presentations, but as regards those we read on other web logs as well as opinions and judgments expressed in our comment boxes. Sometimes people are out to discredit the Church, or the faith of others, deliberately or inadvertently – we have to be careful.
Today’s Gospel says it best: “Do not give what is holy to dogs, or throw your pearls before swine, lest they trample them underfoot, and turn and tear you to pieces.” – Matthew 7
I’ve seen it happen on the Internet.
That’s all.
June 26th, 2007 at 3:50 pm
Hey! I resemble that commment!
But I’m completely amazed you haven’t inquired what designer I was wearing at the time.
Oh, right, I forgot..I’m white trash. No designer! I go for the faux!
Ok, back to being serious (you’re rubbing off on me..humor first, then on to the real matter. You’re a bad influence!)
Great post, and I’ve seen it, too, especially recently. Any of us can represent ourselves to be what we are not. Just look at the Spirit of Vatican II blog - how many peopel thought it was real? But those in the parody were really just spouting what other “Catholics” have done or are doing now. The reality is a misrepresentation of the Church. In like form, we all have to be careful what we put out there, if we have serious Catholic blogs. Are we really represnting the Church we love and claim to support? Or are we working from our own agenda? Who is commenting…and are they who they say they are?
I think that’s why many blogs don’t allow anonymous comments. I do, because I think the majority of people posting as “Anon” both add a name, or just want to make a comment that is not inflammatory or disruptive.
June 26th, 2007 at 4:27 pm
Thanks Adoro - you ar not white trash though.
June 26th, 2007 at 5:17 pm
Oh, honey, yes I am, I just hide it well.
Call me a Minnesota Redneck. Growing up, though, our house didn’t have wheels, and Mom didn’t keep a spit-cup on the ironin’ board, and although we have a large extended family, I don’t look at family reunions as a chance to “hook up”, and our family tree DOES fork….lots and lots of forks.
But I did once ask for “ammo” on my Christmas or Birthday list, and I think, once, I was too drunk to fish. Although I didn’t have a fishing pole in my hand at the time, I suspect the task would have been beyond my ability. (I was younger, then.)
But I did grow up on welfare, I do still prefer jeans and t shirts to other stuff (I’m slowly converting), I used to sing a lot of Karaoke (guilty pleasure), and was actually GOOD at it. (I didn’t pick the songs out of my register or ability, no matter how much I liked them), and gosh darn it, some of them people who ARE “rednecks” are some of the nicest, most supportive people one could ever meet!
I prefer them to the rich folk any day. Sadly, although I’m certain there are many wealthy people who are also Godly and unpretentious, I have yet to meet them. Most of the wealthy people I’ve met personally or via my professional life have been…well, let’s just call them pompous asses.
I realize some of the people I know and love may be wealthy and because they are awesome I don’t know of their wealth, so there’s my disclaimer for the margin of error in my experience. But most of the “white trash” people I’ve known well have been the salt of the earth, Protestants included.
So I’m really proud to be a White Trash girl.
Hmmm…may need to blog about this… Thanks for the inspiration!
June 26th, 2007 at 5:25 pm
Julie - whaddya think this is Cathy’s blog? - stay on topic - KIDDING!
I grew up on the East Side of St. Paul - poor - moved about every two years, etc. I know your type…at least my parents could afford to be drunk all of the time. Geesh! LOL!
Seriously, I just don’t like people referred to as trash - so you know what I mean.
Now Paris Hilton was never poor, but she’s kind of white — can’t say the word. You see, that’s my idea there.
June 26th, 2007 at 6:12 pm
Yeah…thanks for not grouping me in with Paris Hilton, although a part of me wants to adopt that poor lost soul. She is a poor rich girl, and I’d prefer the real financial poverty I grew up with as opposed to the spiritual poverty of her life any day.
She is so cute without all the makeup. What a waste.
St. Theresa would probably identify with her completely.
June 26th, 2007 at 6:32 pm
I think Paris is kinda air-brushed…orangey-peachy.
June 26th, 2007 at 7:00 pm
Hey, wait a minute, how come when white trash is mentioned my name comes up?
Good post. Anyone can lie from a distance. However, as your example illustrates, people can lie to your face too.
But, it’s probably easier to tell in person then it is from blog distance what the agenda really is.
When someone pulls the wool over my eyes, it will help to remember that a great Saint was fooled once too.
June 26th, 2007 at 9:23 pm
Strangely, I grew up in a family of liars - so I have always been very watchful in this regard. Pathetically, I am also extremely gullible, or naive, and I often take people at face value, and believe what they present to me. In the end, I have often been fooled. I’m a soft touch for street people, and pathological liars.
Sr. Lucia of Fatima once noted Francisco’s greatest fault was his naivete - thankfully he didn’t live long enough for it to lead him into sin as it has me.
As usual - this post speaks to myself more than anyone else. I’m just sharing it with you, after having been burned.
June 27th, 2007 at 7:11 am
Great post, Terry.Yes, the “Diana Vaughn” hoax shook all the Catholics in France at the time, and had all the enemies of the Church laughing. Diana’s biography exposing the evils of freemasonry and the truth of Catholicism at first had all the devout Catholics in ecstasy, including St Therese. She hoped Diana would join the Carmel of Lisieux and sent her a photo of herself as St Joan. When Diana turned out to be a weird little man named Leo Taxil, and he had done it all for a grand joke,the anti-clerical forces hooted. The Catholics were stunned; St Therese was quite traumatized by it, especially since she was already ill.
June 27th, 2007 at 11:17 am
Thanks Elena for that information.
November 29th, 2007 at 11:17 am
The canonization of Saint Joan of Arc took place on May 16, 1920. You can read the official document at MaidofHeaven.com