Our culture of complain... a good culture?

And you overlook people's sins that they may repent, we just heard (first reading) My dear brothers and sisters in the Lord, the United States is a wonderful country, no doubt. It is a country that is full of good things and that has been blessed by God in a spectacular way; however this country has a defect that overshadows almost everything else. Yes, we have a large defect that shadowy light. This country has developed a deep "culture of complaint". We complain about everything and everyone, and the constant complaint leads us to focus off of what is essential and important. The constant complaint creates in us a bitter heart, and then we begin to see things with the same bitterness that lives within us. This is especially sad when we focus our criticism and our complaint attitude toward our mother the Church and her ministers. St. Francis de Sales used to say that most of the time toward others we have the heart of a judge, a harsh and unforgiving heart, and for ourselves a mother's heart: soft, understanding, kind, and should actually be the reverse: to others we should have a mother's heart, and for ourselves, the heart of judge, to demand more and more in the spiritual life, in community life, in family life. Etc. Apply to the Catholic Church the criteria used to measure the success of a civil company is silly, and certainly a profound lack of respect. The Catholic Church is not a company, it is not a corporate, it is not a religious service agency where everyone pays a fee and then demands a service according to agreed price. If that is our conception of the Catholic Church, then we understood absolutely nothing, even if we receive the Body and Blood of the Lord every day! Conventional wisdom says that "The lion thinks everyone is like him", therefore, before criticizing the Church, before writing a letter of complaint, before raising our voice ... let's do some examination of conscience: What I will to say does it make sense, or is one of my whims? Will I'm complaining about something essential or accidental? Do I have to others the same mercy that God has me? Am I applying to my mother the Catholic Church the same criteria that apply to a department store or a car wash? Let us ask the Holy Spirit its light and grace to discover and rediscover in the Church the Bride of Christ. For her our Lord gave his life. She gave birth and breastfed us every day, does not deserve more respect she and her ministers?  ■ Fr. Agustin