So, I figured the maintenance workers wouldn’t add anymore scaffolding ‘floors’ to the sanctuary of the Cathedral. And, I was right.

What I hadn’t counted on was that they added to it by framing inside the alcoves (side altars?) on either side where the Tabernacle and Blessed Mother reside. Mama Mary is now boxed in with plywood, and they moved the Tabernacle into the sanctuary in a safe area.

As I knelt in my pew (because all ‘good’ Catholics have their own), I was overcome with melancholy thoughts. My mind started to reflect on the additional piping and wood planks. I paralleled them with with the current ugliness of what some of us are experiencing in the Church – from the clergy scandal to heresies of relativism. My heart started to really hurt. The beauty of our faith has been marred with such ugliness and I saw this symbolized in the dirty scaffolding which hides the beauty of the sanctuary.

Then, like a switch, the Holy Spirit intervened and my perspective changed.

The scaffolding now represented my personal sin which spoils and rots my soul, the temple of the Holy Spirit.

At first glance, my sin is contained in one area. But as I take a hard, long look at myself, sin hides in areas that I hadn’t expected. Just as the scaffolding spread out to the side alcoves, my sin has seeped out and is uncontained. Because we are one – the body of Christ – my sin affects more than just myself. My transgressions ooze and affect my family and friends. They also affects those who are unknown to me and innocent.

The vision that I saw today seriously humbled me; my own actions hurt the Church. Clergy abuse and heresy aside, I helped erect the piping and wood planks.

Praise God for the Sacrament of Reconciliation which will help deconstruct the scaffolding pipe by pipe – sin by sin – to reveal true beauty and allow the temple of the Holy Spirit to shine majestically once again.

Get ready for Advent. Go to Confession and be healed; in turn, heal those around you.

Pray for me as I pray for you.