There’s a story about a 19^th century professor of philosophy and ethics caught up in an academic and personal scandal, trying to defend himself before a group of his students: “My task as an educator is to point to the truth.  I have done that doggedly.  Is it so terrible that I fail to live up to my message myself?  After all, a road sign doesn’t have to take you to the destination to do its work, does it?”  To which one of his students responded: “It does, Sir, if the sign is a person.”

I had a retreat director in addressing us priests liken the Christian life, and its ups and downs, to the pledge we make in marriage.  “We say we marry ‘for better or worse’ … though likely what we mean is we are counting on the and are expecting to avoid the worst.  But a married couple (and we in our Christian lives) need them both … and should expect them both: ‘for better’—to teach us love’s joy … and ‘for worse’—to make our love more pure.”

This is a purifying time for us all in the Catholic community in this area.  We need to encourage each other.  Pray for the Parish of St. Patrick … and for Fr. Pat Umberger … and for all whose trust in authority figures everywhere has been a little bit more poisoned this week.  And look to yourself too.