26 July, 2008

"Scoring" a consecrated host, Pt. II

The atheist who wanted someone to "score" him a consecrated host claims to have defiled one. He described the act in an entry to his weblog, taking up as well some angry critics' challenge to desecrate a copy of the Muslims' holy book. For good measure, he threw in a page from a textbook on anti-religion, much to the applause of many atheist commenters on his weblog. "Nothing is sacred!" they exclaim, and pat each other on the back while admiring their enlightenment.

Some Catholics are very upset about this. I wish they would take a minute to breathe deeply, calm down, and reflect a moment.

  1. How can you be sure that he "scored" a genuine consecrated host? All you have is his claim. Even if he genuinely believes to have scored a host, how can he know? He can't, of course, unless he walked into an actual Mass and took one himself.* It's not as if consecrated hosts glow with a halo effect, and unconsecrated hosts do not. That's the point of the doctrine he feels compelled to mock.
  2. If he did in fact desecrate a consecrated host, then if Christ himself did not feel compelled to fight back or strike him down, why should you feel compelled to any sort of vengeance? Think of how Christ reacts to his persecutors in the garden. Think of how Christ reacts when you receive him, then go out and sin (sometimes before you return to your very pew). Christ delivers himself into his enemies' hands, either in Jerusalem, or in the martyrs, because that is the only way they let him draw near. If this publicity stunt brought Christ closer to the atheist professor, then obey your Lord and pray for the man's salvation, or at least that grace may touch his soul.

*Even then, the way some priests conduct Mass...