I never lose hope in the Catholic Church because the gates of Hell will NOT prevail. But, today, the Blessed Mother gave me more reason to hope. Hope not only for the Church, but even the individuals who committed heinous crimes against innocents.
I was trying to get refocused (had run some errands) in front of our Lord in the Most Blessed Sacrament before starting the Stations. I was bringing to Him those upper most in my mind, our priests, bishops, friends, relatives, etc. As I was finishing up, the Blessed Mother whispered “meditate on Simon of Cyrene now, and again when you arrive at the Station”. I was not surprised because this is one of the two Stations at which I seem to spend the most time. I so want to understand how He wants me to be a Simon or Veronica, how I am to serve Him by serving others. I thought maybe today He might actually give me a clue. But that is not what He had in mind.
I do not usually use standard meditations for the Stations. Almost all of them say something like “I will not refuse my cross as Simon did”. That always bothered me. I felt Simon was being unfairly judged. He knew nothing of Jesus at the time and was just passing by. He did not refuse Jesus or the cross, he just protested at first because the whole affair had nothing to do with him (or so he thought). But, he did do what he was told to do.
As those thoughts crossed my mind again, I started thinking about the priests (some were future bishops and above) who committed the abuses and/or supported the abusers (by supported, I do not mean those who “covered” for them. I will share my meditations on them in a different post). I truly do believe many of them were the “plants” we have read about for so many years (and heard about in testimony before Congress). It does not excuse what they did, but I started to think about the fact that they did not enter the priesthood for the reasons they should have. They didn’t necessarily reject Jesus, they just followed orders and became priests. They had no sense of what they were committing to as they did not really know Jesus. They just carried out their “duties” as instructed. My prayer at that moment was that they truly learn to know and trust Jesus and be transformed.
I did not think about them again until I reached the 5th Station – Simon of Cyrene. These men quickly returned to my thoughts. As I meditated more on Simon, that is when the hope set in. Simon carried out his “assignment” as he was told to do, but he had no real thoughts about the Man with whom he was walking. At first he was just doing his job, but then he began to have compassion for Jesus. Then, he began to recognize Who Jesus was and what He was going through. Then, he began to defend and protect Jesus. Then, he was transformed. Not only was he transformed, but his sons who witnessed it all became disciples of Christ.
Our Mother then told me to pray for the abusers and their supporters that they would walk with Jesus, helping to carry His Cross and the cross of their victims. Pray that their eyes will be opened to the truth. Pray that they see that even though they may not have entered the Priesthood for the right reasons, God can still use them, forgive them, transform them. Pray that, like Simon, they will see the pain and agony of Jesus and their hearts will be moved to compassion. Continue to pray that they will truly repent and that, although they can never serve as they may now hope they could after repentance, they will live the rest of their lives serving God in whatever capacity He chooses from this point on.
So, I have renewed hope for them. I will pray as asked. I will also ask Simon to intercede for them – that, as he was, they will be moved to compassion for the suffering of Jesus… Jesus in each of their victims, Jesus who suffered and died for them that they may have that chance of redemption.
blessedadorer 
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