What is this? The Oscar-nominated movie “Spotlight” tells how the Boston Globe newspaper broke the story leading to the infamous January 6, 2002 headline, “Church Allowed Abuse by Priest for Years”. In what is a great detective story and a superb newsroom drama, we walk side-by-side the investigative reporters of “Spotlight” in their search for the truth about clergy abuse in Boston. All the reporters are locals and have some connection to the Catholic Church. As they seek to uncover the facts, interview the victims of clergy abuse, and put some light on this scandal, they come up against layers of corruption and cover-up. At one point, an advocate for the Presiding Archbishop counsels editor “Robby” Robinson (played to perfection by Michael Keaton), “You don’t want to do this. These are good people that do good things.” The story gets at the systemic nature and infection of evil that not only perpetuates the abuse of children, but also maintains a code of silence in order to protect the treasured institutions and their beloved leaders. The movie starts slowly but picks up steam accelerating to the climax. This is personified by Mark Ruffalo’s character, reporter Michael Rezendez, who moves from being the dogged investigator to a rumpled maniac to chasing down cabs and yelling at his boss. Finally, the truth is made public. While the story was not really a revelation to Bostonians (most looked the other way) the extent of the evil was a significant shock. In a particularly emotionally-packed scene, the first edition hits the streets and different Boston citizens are absorbing the traumatic news as the scene moves from coffee shop to pub to back porch. In the background a children’s choir softly and tenderly sings “Silent Night”. It is gut-wrenching. Within the year of the scandal breaking, the Archbishop of Boston, Cardinal Bernard Law stepped down in disgrace. In a statement he confessed, “To all those who have been suffered from my shortcomings and mistakes, I both apologize and ask for your forgiveness”. Pope John Paul II gave him a post at the Vatican where he remains.
What does this mean? Evil hides among the good. Scott Peck in his excellent book, “People of the Lie” writes, “One good place to look for evil is in the church, not because the church is inherently evil, it’s just that the church is where evil tries to hide itself among the good”. Today is Ash Wednesday, what I find to be a sobering and refreshing day as the Season of Lent begins. Psalm 51 sums up the mood for the service, “I know my transgressions, for my sins are always before me”. Tradition says that King David penned Psalm 51 in the aftermath of his affair with Bathsheba. David’s sin of adultery would lead to the murder of Uriah, Bathsheba’s husband, and a royal cover-up. Not unlike the Archbishop’s efforts to protect the Catholic Church in the clergy abuse scandal, the King operates as if he is above the law, protecting the royal institution the Lord has established, and perhaps David believes he’s beyond God’s reach. Then the Prophet Nathan comes to door, shining the spotlight on the King’s sin, evil, and corrupt spirit, declaring, “You are the man!” That is pretty much the point of Ash Wednesday, “You are the man! You are the woman! You are the people!” We are confronted with our sin. We are also confronted with mortality. Kneeling at the communion rail, you receive the sign of the cross on your forehead with ashes, and are reminded, “You are dust and to dust you shall return”. There won’t be a full house for Ash Wednesday service tonight. Just about everyone considers it too dark, confessing sins, acknowledging mortality, and dwelling on death. Personally, I find this day necessarily humbling, refreshingly honest (I know my transgression, too), and strangely hopeful. There is something about not having to masquerade as morally superior anymore. I don’t have to pretend I have it all together, hide my sins, or operate as if I am death-proof. I’m not, neither are you. The reason we dare be candid about our sinful condition and open about our fleeting mortality is because of who God is. That is the only reason we can kneel before God, confess our secret sins, get ashes on our forehead, and approach the cross. Because of who God is!
What is the takeaway? I love how David prays to God, honest, humble, and, right to the merciful point. Listen to his opening line in Psalm 51, “Have mercy on me, O God, according to your unfailing love; according to your great compassion blot out all my transgressions”. In other words, “don’t judge me based on my many sins and chronic sin condition! No deal with me based on who you are; merciful and compassionate, and who I am in relationship with you; your child”. If and only if, we approach God with that kind of blatant honesty and no-holds-barred vulnerability, will we know the depths of God’s mercy. The cross isn’t there to comfort us, it is there to discomfort us, to remind us that for us to be forgiven requires a severe mercy. We begin by taking sin seriously. With great integrity, “Spotlight” shows the pain, cost, and trauma brought on by the sinful abuse, not just to the victims, but also to horrified Catholics who grieve their community sins. When we are honest about sins, let alone our mortality, it’s pretty painful and not very pretty to behold. Psalm 51 is the most commonly used psalm because David gives words to the guilt, sin, and unworthiness that infects us and plagues us all. The mighty king is on his mortal knees, “I have been sinful from my birth”, “cleanse me and I will be clean”, “wash me and I will be as white as snow”. David speaks for all us mortal sinners. I know when I am in trouble with the Almighty, I turn to David’s confession because it is so full of hope. In total, there are four words for our sin and transgression in Psalm 51. At the same time, there are nineteen verbs for what God will provide a repentant heart; like “create a new heart in me, O Lord, and renew a right spirit within me”, “restore to me the joy of your salvation”, “Let me hear joy and gladness, let the bones you have crushed rejoice”, and “O Lord, open my lips and my mouth will declare your praise”. Whether it is the institutional church or Israel’s kingdom, ordained clergy or the chosen king, Roman Catholics or ELCA Lutherans, young people or feisty seniors, Ash Wednesday is an invitation to new life in the crucified and risen Christ. Everyday is Ash Wednesday!
Pastor Chuck's Takeaway 