The Narrow Gate: The Juxtaposition of Good and Evil
Matthew J Bellisario O.P. 2017, 2020
And
Elias coming to all the people, said: How long do you halt between two sides?
if the Lord be God, follow him: but if Baal, then follow him. And the people
did not answer him a word. (III Kings 18:21)
 |
| Elias Slaughters the Priests of Baal |
Good and Evil and Divine Judgement in Today’s Catholic Church
How satisfying would a movie about a superhero be without a villain to oppose him? Can one recognize good without understanding evil? We have a crisis of faith in the Church today partially due to a politically correct, one-sided approach of the preaching of the Gospel. Although there is no concrete date for what may be termed the dawn of the “modern crisis”, I will use Pope John XXIII’s opening address to the Second Vatican Council as an indicator of the crisis that was to come. Up until this address, the Church had remained largely steeped in scholastic theology, which had fruitfully developed over the centuries since the middle ages despite periods of laxity in its presentation. Pope John XXIII's opening address was a definite paradigm shift in relation to his predecessors.
He famously said in reference to his predecessors, "In the daily exercise of our pastoral office, we sometimes have to listen, much to our regret, to voices of persons who, though burning with zeal, are not endowed with too much sense of discretion or measure. In these modern times they can see nothing but prevarication and ruin. They say that our era, in comparison with past eras, is getting worse, and they behave as though they had learned nothing from history, which is, none the less, the teacher of life. They behave as though at the time of former Councils everything was a full triumph for the Christian idea and life and for proper religious liberty. We feel we must disagree with those prophets of gloom, who are always forecasting disaster, as though the end of the world were at hand."
There is little doubt this was in response to statements such as that of Pope Pius X who wrote in his encyclical 'E Supremi' in 1903 the following, "We were terrified beyond all else by the disastrous state of human society today. For who can fail to see that society is at the present time, more than in any past age, suffering from a terrible and deep-rooted malady which, developing every day and eating into its inmost being, is dragging it to destruction? You understand, Venerable Brethren, what this disease is -- apostasy from God..." Unfortunately, we are still bearing the weight of John XXIII's paradigm shift and I would argue the Church has all but been razed to the ground because of this dismissive attitude towards the multiplying evils of modern culture.
 |
| Pope Leo XIII |
Thomism
Thomistic theology witnessed a strong
resurgence during the previous 100 years or so before the Second Vatican
Council, largely beginning with Pope Leo XIII. Some theologians would refer to
this resurgence as the neo-scholastic period, which had its strengths and its
weaknesses. The main strength of the neo-scholastics was a systematic
presentation of Saint Thomas’ moral theology. This Thomistic theological tradition
is often referred to as the manualist tradition. Although very academic in its
presentation, it is useful in refuting the error of modernism,
offering a systematized presentation of fundamental dogmatic and moral
theology. Its deficiency if we can call it such, was that this style of presentation
often excluded previous Thomistic theological traditions which put more of a
spiritual dimension at the center of its presentation. Nonetheless, the Leonine
Thomistic resurgence is a valuable element to Thomistic theology when used in
conjunction with other forms of Thomistic traditions. Therefore we see many
great Thomistic theologians today taking the manualist tradition and fusing it
with the tradition of resourcement, going back to the texts of Thomas himself
as well as his early commentators.
It was August of
1879 when Pope Leo XIII launched his encyclical Aeternis Patris, which was directly aimed at combating modernism in
the Church. The document sought to ensure that all clergy be firmly rooted in
the mind of St. Thomas. "Let, then, teachers carefully chosen by you do
their best to instill the doctrine of Thomas Aquinas into the minds of their
hearers; and let them clearly point out its solidity and excellence above all
other teaching.”[i][1]
This tradition was carried on by every pope from that time until Pope John
XXIII, who instead opened the doors to the ‘New Theology.’ While scholastic
theology presented a well-balanced vision of good and evil, condemning error
yet boldly proclaiming the truth, Pope John XXIII began, intentionally or not,
an era that presented only one side of the coin. All of the original schemas
written for the Second Vatican Council would be discarded in favor of new
drafts heavily influenced by the Nouvelle
Theologie. During his 1962 opening speech to the Council Pope John XXIII
espouses, “often errors vanish as quickly as they arise, like fog before the
sun. The Church has always opposed these errors. Frequently she has condemned
them with the greatest severity. Nowadays, however, the Spouse of Christ
prefers to make use of the medicine of mercy rather than that of severity. She
considers that she meets the needs of the present day by demonstrating the
validity of her teaching rather than by condemnations.”[2]
Unlike Pope John
XXIII’s predecessors, he turns the Council away from their well-balanced vision
and seems to refer to them as prophets of gloom and doom during his speech, “We
feel we must disagree with those prophets of gloom, who are always forecasting
disaster, as though the end of the world were at hand." Quite to the
contrary, Pope Pius X wrote in his encyclical E Supremi in 1903 the following, "We were terrified beyond all
else by the disastrous state of human society today. For who can fail to see
that society is at the present time, more than in any past age, suffering from
a terrible and deep-rooted malady which, developing every day and eating into
its inmost being, is dragging it to destruction? You understand, Venerable
Brethren, what this disease is -- apostasy from God..." I think that there
is no doubt that had Pope Pius X saw what was going on in the world and the
Church at the beginning of the Second Vatican Council, he would not have been
in the same frame of mind as Pope John XXIII. Despite the clear teaching of
over 100 years of his papal predecessors warning that the abandonment of
Thomistic theology and philosophy would lead to disaster in the Church, Pope
John XXIII seemed to have disregarded their warning. Time always reveals the
truth of who the true prophets are. Standing from our point in time we can see
that the optimism of Pope John XXIII was not to be a reality in the wake of the
Council; instead, Pope Pius X’s fears were realized.
What was lost in
the wake of this new mentality was the balance of the theological imagery of oppositio. We have lost the art of
juxtaposing vice and virtue, good and evil, beauty and crudeness, truth and
lies. We have substituted in its place the theological fantasy of the land of
milk and honey. We hear all about the mercy of God but never about God’s
justice, which is what makes mercy possible.
The Church no longer condemns error. It is as if the superheroes have
retired because there is no one who needs to be saved! We have forgotten Our
Lord’s words as they were spoken to the great mystic, Saint Catherine of Siena
concerning her spiritual father Saint Dominic, “…he took the light of learning
in order to stamp out the errors that were rising up at that time…dispelling
the darkness and giving light.”[3]
Because of this new mentality, we have witnessed a severe lack of missionary
zeal in the Church. A lack of comprehension for what is true and what is false
prevails in the Church today. This is visibly apparent in our modern Church art
as well as our modern theology books and journals. When one walks into most
modern Catholic churches today there are scarcely found any Biblical or sacred
art. Most likely you find barren walls or lifeless abstract art that leave the
intellect little to meditate on. This was not always the case.
 |
| The Scravegni Chapel, Padua, Italy |
Good and Evil in the Medieval Church
The reality of
heaven and hell, good and evil, virtue and vice were an accepted presupposition
in the Catholic mediaeval mind. When you walk into most medieval churches or
those built with the same mentality you see a variety of sacred imagery,
iconography, and Biblical art. The juxtaposing of Biblical artistic scenes was
often used to help the faithful discern between good and evil. The Scravegni
Chapel in Padua, Italy is one of the best examples to illustrate the imagery of
oppositio in the medieval mind. Giotto
frescoed its walls over 700 years ago between the years of 1303 and 1305. Upon
close examination of Giotto’s artwork, you will observe a strong depiction of
rhetorical antithesis. Antithesis is the placing of contraries next to or
opposing one another to achieve a perceived “oppositio”, which allows one to perceive the two realities in a
more profound manner.
When facing the altar wall, the images depicted may at first strike one as odd, being that the altar wall is the liturgical center of the chapel. One sees a depiction of the Annunciation of Mary up top with the angel Gabriel on the left side of the arch and The Blessed Virgin Mary on the other. Just below the archangel Gabriel on the left, we see a depiction of the Visitation of Mary, and below Mary on the right, we see a depiction of The Pact of Judas. These two images directly oppose one another on opposing sides of the archway. The two images create an oppositio effect which offers the viewer the choice between a pact with evil, or communion with God. If you look closely at ‘The Pact of Judas’ you can see a demon behind Judas as he accepts the money from the Pharisees, while on the other side we see the haloed Virgin meeting with the haloed Elizabeth, both celebrating in great joy at the coming of the Savior. This immediately brings the chapel visitor face to face with the ultimate reality of the choice between good and evil, dark and light. This certainly has a profound effect on anyone kneeling to receive Holy Communion in the chapel, and this was certainly the intent of the artist.[4]
 |
| The Pact of Judas |
In fact, the Judas/Mary oppositio
sets the general schema of the chapel. If you continue to examine the artwork the viewer will notice how heaven and hell are opposite to one another juxtaposing the two choices before the communicant. How often do we this type of
presentation today, whether it be in art, literature, or even theology? This
contrast between good and evil is very prominent in medieval theology and
literature. Dante’s theological-poetic work Inferno
is a good example. Where did these artists, poets, and theologians get the idea
of oppositio? Let us look to the New
Testament for the answer.
Christ in the New Testament
Looking first to
Christ’s own words there are many instances where he contrasts good acts from
evil acts. More importantly, he presents himself as the “way” opposed to another
“way”. He frequently shows us how acts of sin are contrary to the ways of God.
It is important to note that although Christ presents good vs evil and vice vs
virtue in many of his discourses, these are more than just two moral choices
pitted against one another. They are underpinned by the acceptance of the
person of Christ who is presented as the only avenue by which one can live out
these good choices to their proper end, which is eternal life. This is critical
to understanding the presentation of oppositio.
The choice between good and evil is more deeply aligned with a choice between
wills: one’s own will fueled by one’s fallen nature or following the will of
Christ, fueled by supernatural grace.
In the Gospel of
Matthew, we see from the very beginning St. John the Baptist presented to us
the divine person of Jesus Christ who has come to mankind through the
incarnation to save man from sin.[5]
Everything in the New Testament rests upon the reality of sin. If there is no sin,
there is no need for a savior. Hence the conversion of the sinner is most often
begun by one’s realization of sin, and this is effectively communicated by
juxtaposing sin and good works, good fruit, and bad fruit, or serving one of
two masters. Jesus speaks clearly as to the fruits of the two choices put
before His audience,
“Ye brood of vipers, who
hath shewed you to flee from the wrath to come?
Bring forth therefore fruit worthy of penance. And think not to say within yourselves, We
have Abraham for our father. For I tell you that God is able of these stones to
raise up children to Abraham. For now
the axe is laid to the root of the trees. Every tree therefore that doth not
yield good fruit, shall be cut down, and cast into the fire.” (Matthew 3:7-10)
Jesus here gives
us the consequences of bearing bad fruit, which is eternal fire. In Matthew 5:13 we see Jesus use salt as a comparison
between the two opposing ways, “You are the salt of the earth. But if the salt
lose its savour, wherewith shall it be salted? It is good for nothing any more
but to be cast out, and to be trodden on by men.” (Matthew 5:13) Thus, these
two images present two paths which lead to two different outcomes. Jesus uses
the art of oppositio to drive his
point home in these two passages.
 |
| Christ Preaches |
During the Sermon
on the Mount, we are given a discourse by Jesus on the character or
dispositions of those who want to be His followers. After giving his litany
Jesus uses only one comparison, which was well understood by those listening.
He contrasts the beatitudes to the attitudes of the scribes and Pharisees. “For
I tell you, that unless your justice abound more than that of the scribes and
Pharisees, you shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.” (Matthew 5:20) One
wonders why the Pharisees were so outraged! Later we see Jesus speak of serving
two masters and making it clear as to the choices one is presented with.
“For where thy treasure is,
there is thy heart also. The light of thy body is thy eye. If thy eye be
single, thy whole body shall be lightsome.
But if thy eye be evil thy whole body shall be darksome. If then the
light that is in thee, be darkness: the darkness itself how great shall it be!
No man can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one and love the
other: or he will sustain the one and despise the other.” (Matthew 6:21-24)
Jesus is
particular in presenting a choice between what one chooses to love, a choice
between choosing light, or choosing darkness. Another good example is the
parable of the Ten Virgins in Matthew 25. The icon of this Biblical passage is
popular in the Eastern Catholic Churches and depicts the five joyful virgins who
are ready with their lamps burning and the five who are unprepared grieving at
the return of the master. This piece of art again juxtaposes those who are
ready to accept God and those who are not.
Jesus presents
this “oppositio” most strongly with His depiction of ‘The Narrow Gate’.
“Enter ye in at the narrow
gate: for wide is the gate, and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction,
and many there are those who go in thereat. How narrow is the gate, and strait
is the way that leadeth to life: and few there are that find it! Beware of
false prophets, who come to you in the clothing of sheep, but inwardly they are
ravening wolves. By their fruits you shall know them.” (Matthew 7:13-16)
Concerning this
presentation of oppositio, Christ
contrasts these two ways in a bold fashion. There is no mistaking the severity
of choosing poorly. We see the result of the bad fruits of the many who follow
the wrong path, as well as those who teach false doctrine. Reading this passage
at face value has always had a profound effect on the conversion of sinners. It
is only with the novel interpretations of the New Theologians such as Karl
Rahner[6]
that we see this passage presented as a mere threat discourse. Likewise, the
scathing arrogance of Hans Urs von Balthasar constantly sneering at the middle
ages and its greatest theologians and poets have had a profound effect on the
loss of oppositio today. Hans Urs von
Balthasar once wildly claimed that Dante and his attitudes while considered
Christian in the middle ages cannot be accepted as so Christian today.[7]
We cannot take lightly the effect that this mentality has had on the Church
over the past sixty years. As we look beyond the Gospel of Matthew to the
letters of the New Testament, we see very clearly that Christ’s words cannot be
taken as a mere threat discourse, nor were the thoughts of Dante in his
masterpiece Inferno un-Christian,
they were Biblical. There is indeed a hell to which unrepentant sinners will
spend eternity, and the use of oppositio
can effectively communicate the two ways set before man, heaven, or hell.
 |
| Parable of the Ten Virgins Icon |
The Apostles in the New Testament
The apostles
taught with the same authority as Jesus and we see similarities in their
teaching concerning “oppositio”. For example, in Acts 3:19 we see St.
Peter preaching what Jesus preached in Matthew 4:17 “Be penitent, therefore,
and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out.” (Acts 3:19) To convert,
one must know what it is they must turn from and turn towards. One of the most
striking examples of oppositio is
found in the book of Acts, the story of Ananias and Sapphira. They are
contrasted with others in the community who were inspired by the Holy Spirit to
sell their possessions for the sake of their brothers and sisters. Barnabas
first sold his field and brought all his money and laid it at the apostle’s
feet. Following this episode, we see Ananias sell his property, but he secretly
holds some of the money back for himself. St. Peter tells Ananias that he,
inspired by Satan instead of the Holy Spirit, has lied to God not man and
Ananias is struck down dead immediately after he is condemned. (Acts 4:33-5:6) When
I read this, I sometimes think that this may seem a little harsh. I mean come
on, give the guy a break, he was just keeping a little something for himself, a
little security, right? But the event strongly contrasts the outcomes of those
who listen to the Holy Spirit and those that do not. This story demands the
attention of anyone who reads it.
In the letter to
the Galatians St. Paul likewise contrasts the work of the Holy Spirit to the
works of the flesh. “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and do not gratify the
desires of the flesh.” (Gal 5:16) Saint Paul goes on in detail to describe
these works of the flesh and the works of the spirit. He clearly states that
those who commit certain sinful acts would not inherit the kingdom of God, such
as impurity, idolatry, sorcery, envy, dissension, etc. He then states the
fruits of the Holy Spirit which are opposed to sinful acts, such as charity,
patience, kindness, faithfulness, self-control, etc. Again, we see not only a
choice between acting one way or the other, but a choice between living by the
Holy Spirit or one’s fallen nature.
St. Peter’s second
letter in the New Testament presents one of the starkest contrasts between good
and evil, and the reality of heaven and hell. Here Peter presents those who
“bringing upon themselves swift destruction” will see the same fate as those of
the fallen angels, “…their perdition slumbereth not. For if God spared not the
angels that sinned, but delivered them, drawn down by infernal ropes to the
lower hell, unto torments, to be reserved unto judgment: And spared not the
original world…” (2nd Peter 2:1-5) Likewise, he proclaims, “that all
should return to penance.” (2 Peter 3:9) Peter then gives the remedy completing
an effective presentation of oppositio,
“You therefore, brethren, knowing these things before, take heed, lest being
led aside by the error of the unwise, you fall from your own steadfastness. But
grow in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. To
him be glory both now and unto the day of eternity. Amen.” (2nd
Peter 3:17-18) We can see then in St. Peter’s oration clear teaching of the
necessity of conversion and deification.
 |
| Saint Peter Preaches in Jerusalem |
One of the
greatest Saints of the Middle Ages is St. Catherine of Siena. Her conversion
record of sinners from all classes was astounding due to her no-nonsense style
of communicating the Gospel and her effective use of oppositio. In one of her letters, Catherine refers to Romans
7:18-24 pulling directly from the battle between light and darkness, and the
rebelling of the fallen nature of the flesh Paul describes. She implores the
reader of her letter that one cannot understand the light of grace until they
discover the darkness. She gives us a classic illustration of oppositio using Sacred Scripture.
“Sin robs us of life and
gives us death. It robs us of light and gives us darkness, because it dims the
mind’s eye and keeps it from seeing either the sun or the dark. I mean here the
dark of self-knowledge, in which we discover and see the dark sensuality that
is always rebelling and fighting against our Creator. And if we do not see our
own darkness we cannot know the love and light of divine goodness.”[8]
St. Catherine here
juxtaposes the darkness of sin from the light of God. But she also refers to
the necessity of self-knowledge. Self-knowledge is the realization not only of
one’s sinfulness but his or her relationship to God. God the Father famously
revealed to Catherine, “I am who Am, you are who are not.”
The Angelic Doctor St. Thomas Aquinas noticed a juxtaposition in Matthew 5:20 between the scribes and Pharisees and those who will inherit the kingdom of heaven. He references the justice of the law followed by the Pharisees, and the excellence of the New Testament given by Christ. Thomas expounds, “More than the scribes and Pharisees, for they were superior in the justice of the law because they added on certain observances; therefore in order to indicate the excellence of the New Testament, he shows that it transcends even their justice.”[9] Thomas illustrates the importance of this contrasting image painted by Matthew in this passage, which communicates a strong contrast between what the Pharisees were doing and what the followers of Christ were to do. One followed the law without love, and the other with love. The law then became bound in the person of Christ, while the old law was bound in the will of man. One gives life, the other takes it. One is bound up with love for God and his neighbor and the other with a self-absorbed love of oneself. It is either one or the other. There are many Saints who used the art of oppositio to gain converts to the Church whom I could quote. I will close with just one final quote. The CurĂ© of Ars who converted thousands by his fiery preaching once said, “What a sad life does he lead who wants both to please the world and to serve God!”[10]
Oppositio and Evangelization in the Church today
St. Pius X wrote
in his July 3, 1907 document Lamentibili
Sane “In many narrations the Evangelists recorded, not so much things that
are true, as things which, even though false, they judged to be more profitable
for their readers.”[11]
The great Saint saw the coming assault on the Church and his pontificate
effectively used the approach of oppositio
as a method in which he composed his documents. Although this presentation
style is now unfortunately rare in today’s Church documents, there are some
current bishops who are presenting both sides of the Gospel.
Cardinal Burke’s infamous
letter concerning civic responsibility and the common good confronts modern
error head-on and clearly presents the Church’s teaching in opposition to
error.
“Another moral concern
touching upon marriage and the family, which is of particular urgency in our
time, is the movement to recognize legally as a marriage a relationship between
two persons of the same sex. Such legal recognition of a same-sex relationship
undermines the truth about marriage revealed in the natural law and the Holy
Scriptures, namely that it is an exclusive and lifelong union of one man and
one woman, which of its very nature cooperates with God in the creation of new
human life. Likewise, the legal recognition of a homosexual relationship as
marriage redounds to the grave harm of the individuals involved, for it
sanctions and even encourages gravely immoral acts.”[12]
Cardinal Burke
then goes on to quote the teachings of the Church to affect a certain response
from the reader, encouraging them to act according to Christ’s teaching. This
harkens back to the proper way to evangelize using the art of oppositio. He also has displayed this
mentality with his participation in drafting what is known as the Dubia concerning the Church’s doctrine
on marriage and Holy Communion.[13]
In closing this essay, the book of Acts gives us a formula of oppositio for the conversion of sinners. Starting in chapter three we see St. Peter acts first through a miracle of the healing of the crippled man. He then contrasts this man’s faith to the Jews who gave up Christ to the cross and denied his divinity. What is most interesting is that in chapter four we see the fruits following this event and the preaching that accompanied it; there were 5000 converts. “But many of them who had heard the word, believed; and the number of the men was made five thousand.” (Acts 4:4) Thus we see that this approach of oppositio cannot simply be dismissed as an outdated medieval invention, it is Biblical. Christ, His apostles and His Saints all testify to the fact that it is most effective to present both sides of the Gospel. Yes, we must hear the “Good News” but we must also know what it is that the “Good News” liberates us from; sin. There is no hero without a villain, no savior without sin. In the past, those who occupied the chair of Saint Peter understood this well. Pope Pius IX’s opening of his document Quanta Cura sums up what must be the mind of our popes going forward if we are to effectively communicate the Gospel and effectively evangelize.
“With how great care and pastoral vigilance the Roman Pontiffs, our predecessors, fulfilling the duty and office committed to them by the Lord Christ Himself in the person of most Blessed Peter, Prince of the Apostles, of feeding the lambs and the sheep, have never ceased sedulously to nourish the Lord’s whole flock with words of faith and with salutary doctrine, and to guard it from poisoned pastures, is thoroughly known to all, and especially to you, Venerable Brethren. And truly the same, Our Predecessors, asserters of justice, being especially anxious for the salvation of souls…”[14]
 |
| Which Way Are You Going, Right, or Left? |
[1] Pope Leo XIII Aeterni Patris, August 4, 1879
http://www.papalencyclicals.net/leo13/l13cph.htm
[2] Pope John XXIII Gaudet Mater Ecclesia October
11, 1962
https://jakomonchak.files.wordpress.com/2012/10/john-xxiii-opening-speech.pdf
[3] Suzanne Noffke O.P., Catherine of Siena, The
Dialogue (Classics of Western Spirituality Paulist Press April 1980), 337
[4] Mark
Sandona, The Usurer's Heart: Giotto, Enrico Scrovegni, and the Arena Chapel in
Padua, (Penn State University Press; 1 edition September 19, 2008), 14-17
[5] “For
he shall save his people from their sins.” (Matthew 1:21)
[6] Declan
Marmion, The Cambridge Companion to Karl Rahner, (Cambridge University Press
July 11, 2005),186
[7] Hans
Urs von Balthasar, Razing the Bastions: On the Church in This Age (Ignatius
Press; First American edition April 1, 1993), 68-69
[8] Suzanne
Noffke O.P., The Letters of Catherine of Siena Hardcover 4 Vol (ACMRS
Publications January 1, 2008), Letter T184
[9] Thomas
Aquinas, Commentary on the Gospels of Matthew and John 4 Volume Set (The
Aquinas Institute; 1 edition September 12, 2013), Vol I, 159
[10] St.
Jean-Baptiste Vianney, Sermons of the Curé of Ars (Tan Books & Publishers
Inc. 2010), 16
[11] Pope
Pius X Lamentibili Sane July 3, 1907
http://www.papalencyclicals.net/pius10/p10lamen.htm
[12] Cardinal
Raymond Leo Burke On Our Civic Responsibility for the Common Good October 1,
2004 https://www.ewtn.com/library/bishops/burkecom.htm
[13] Full
Text and Explanatory Notes of Cardinals’ Questions on ‘Amoris Laetitia’
Nov14,2016
http://www.ncregister.com/blog/edward-pentin/full-text-and-explanatory-notes-of-cardinals-questions-on-amoris-laetitia
[14] Pope
Pius IX Quanta Cura, Condemning Current Errors December 8, 1864
http://www.papalencyclicals.net/pius09/p9quanta.htm
Comments
Post a Comment