St. Francis Borgia and his Warning on Human Respect!

I love reading about the saints. Most days I spend part of my morning prayer time reading from Butler's Lives of the Saints. How many friends we have in heaven! And I always read the names of all the saints of day and ask for their intercession. Don't we all need as many prayer warriors as we can get?

My Butler's is about fifty years old so I don't have any of the updates, but with four thick volumes I have plenty of friends to consult even if more modern saints like Mother Teresa and Padre Pio are missing. Since I read my Benedictus prayer book every day, I catch them on their feast days.

Last Saturday was St. Francis Borgia's feast day and Butler's had a long entry about him: nobleman, husband, father, and Jesuit priest sometimes considered the second founder after St. Ignatius. I came across a quote from him on Ann Barnhardt's site that impressed me:

“We must make our way towards eternity, never regarding what men think of us,
or of our actions, studying only to please God.” —St. Francis Borgia

What a warning against human respect which Ann describes as "such an effeminate vice, [and] one of the principal characteristics of our dying world." And, if truth be told, there is a dearth of courage these days, especially among men in Roman collars. "I bend my knee to the rich and powerful" could be the motto for many." Who among our bishops is filled with the zeal of martyrs ready to die for the faith and give us an example of how to do it? St. Jean Vianney said it well:

"If the parish priest is a Saint, his people will be holy;
If the priest is holy, but not yet a Saint, his people will be good;
If he is good, his people will be lukewarm,
and if he is lukewarm, his parishioners will be bad.
And if the priest himself is bad, his people will go to Hell." 

~ St. John of Vianney

Yikes! No wonder people are fleeing some of the synodal parishes. I remember several bad priests from our parish in Alexandria. I spent a lot of time fighting with them. I wonder how much damage they did to our children. It's such a relief not to have to fight with the priests at our SSPX chapel.  

How many clergy, instead of worshiping Almighty God, bow to Caesar with hands out for his silver. How many bishops excoriate and cancel those priests with the courage to speak out boldly against the abuses and corruption fouling Holy Mother Church? And how many give their greatest respect to those embracing intrinsic moral evils? They litter the Vatican these days receiving scandalous welcomes as they serve on committees and dicasteries. Heretics, pro-death champions, out and proud sodomites? All are welcome.

It's only fair, in discussing human respect, to admit my own failing. We all like to be accepted and save ourselves embarrassment. I particularly remember letting human respect affect my actions on an occasion that I still repent of years later. My husband was the second in command, ranking civilian, at the Marine Corps Systems Command in Quantico at the time. I don't remember what the event was, but an officer I knew from the balls and other social events gave a talk. He sprinkled it using Christ's name in vain. After the first episode I had the distinct interior movement that I should make the sign of the cross if he did it again. I was in his direct line of sight and I suspect he would have stopped if I had done so. I didn't -- too embarrassed. 

I have spent years apologizing to the Lord and determining that if I ever overhear someone doing that again I will make the sign of the cross in reparation. I've only had a few opportunities to do it, but it's not hard any more. I'm reminded that there are sins of omission. My Jesus have mercy on me, a sinner.

Human respect is a temptation for all of us. I think when things arise we shouldn't act in haste. I once spent a few months deciding whether to approach a man who came to daily Mass who had a bumper sticker for an avid pro-abortion politician on his car. I was praying at the end of Mass one day and asking once again about saying something and got the interior message, "There's no time like the present." And so I followed him out of church, smiled, introduced myself, and brought the subject up. He didn't want to hear it, but it came back to me later that he talked to a mutual friend about our conversation. I don't remember whether he took the bumper sticker off his car, but I was glad I spoke to him. I still pray for Harry since he went to meet his maker at least a decade ago. I hope you'll pray for him too. We all have blind spots that need a spotlight. May we never hide the light of truth under a bushel basket out of fear or embarrassment. Let us only fear God and act for love of our neighbor. Admonish the sinner is a spiritual work of mercy. And the first person we should admonish is ourself.

May the Holy Spirit give us the wisdom to recognize when we are acting out of human respect or refusing to act out of human respect. I have several situations I'm praying about at present. Should I say something or do I need to develop the relationship more? People only listen to those they know care about them. We are called to admonish the sinner, but timing, manner, and love come first. 

O Jesus, meek and humble of heart, make my heart like unto Thine. Fill me with charity, compassion, and love.