I consider my rose bush lounging fragrantly in the warm sunshine.
I have a rose plant that has moved from one house to another with me. I take care to keep the roots healthy and strong. For through them, all life enters her leaves and lovely flowers.
I moved to a mild, sunny climate and here she grew her best with lovely arching branches; each crowned with a multiple of rosy, fragrant blossoms. Exposed to the world for all to see, she became prey to some ugly parasites. The chewed and ate at her day and night. At first I did not notice. And then as her branches began to droop I realized that the leaves were so full of holes they could no longer receive nutrients from the roots.
But my lovely rose was far from dead. She looked miserable, tattered and torn. But her source of strength was protected within the earth. I cut vast amounts of branches from her trunk until there were none left. But she was still alive. She was still strong.
The following spring she grew back. Vibrant. Healthy. Free from decay.
This is the story of the Church. Christ who is mystical and perfect sustains her. Through Christ her roots are preserved from sin. Through him, all grace flows. There is no possible way the Church can die because Christ is eternal. Christ is good. And goodness will always flow through the Church.
There may be spiritual pestilence and its branches may need to be shorn, but they will grow back. The same hierarchical structure will exist and she will once again produce the fragrance of holiness.
As our Church wilts on every branch we must cling to Christ. We must become one with Him in the Eucharist. We must pray and sacrifice for those who are being eaten by sin. We must seek counsel from our earthly source of guidance, the Pope, whose instruction Christ has promised to preserve from error. And finally, to those who laugh in glee, we must smile. Because it is we, after all, who will have the last laugh.
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