During the early 90’s, the Catholic Church had come under a high profile storm of anger and backlash from financial indiscretions and the horrendous discovery that the church was protecting priests that had been sexually assaulting children.
I was raised Catholic and while my personal experience of my church and its representatives was wonderful, I wrote this piece in 1994 as an act of young rebellion; I was 19. It was originally titled “I Am Here”.
Dear Church,
I am here! I have never left. I am here!
Where have YOU been? When did I ever celebrate wealth? You heathen! If you are to be divinity, why do you clothe in fine clothing?
Why do you sip from the golden chalice? I am nowhere in the emptiness of greed. Why do you ask for more riches if only you build more dividers?
You are the wolf that lies to the sheep. You are no Shepherd! You slither behind my commandments while gathering riches. You speak of my Second Coming as though I had left. I am the light! I am absolute permanence! You are as impermanent as the riches you collect.
You sing the songs of the Lord so loudly that your silent evils will not be heard. You do not follow me for you do not follow what I have taught.
The sheep will soon be wise to the wolf. The wolf will perish. And my sheep will come back to me - for I have never left. I am here!
~ Jesus
Steve Maraboli
