The Desert, the Church, and the Silver Lining
Complaining about 'the desert' is practically 'sacred tradition'
There’s a lot of noise out there in Catholic circles. You’ve heard it: “The liturgy is bland!” “Vatican II ruined the Church!” “We need to do this or that to fix everything!” I get it. I really do. The Church is run by human beings, and human beings—bless our hearts—can do some monumentally dumb things. Mistakes are made, parishes go through rough patches, and yes, some Masses need more polish. Maybe they’re too plain or poorly executed (even if still valid and licit). We do need a restoration of Catholic culture—and that starts at the parish level, supported by strong and courageous bishops.
But here’s the thing I’ve grown tired of: this attitude that the Church belongs to us, as if it’s ours to remake in our own image and likeness. That’s not just wrong—it’s dangerous. It’s exactly how Protestantism started: people deciding they knew better than the Bride of Christ, breaking off to create something “better” based on their personal preferences.
The Catholic faith is not a customizable product. It’s a gift. A living, breathing mystery that God entrusted to His Church—not to be reshaped at our whim, but to shape us.
The Desert Season
I often describe our current moment in the Church as a desert crossing. Things are not how we’d like them. Maybe the music at Mass leaves you cold. Maybe your parish seems spiritually asleep. Maybe Church politics (ugh!) makes you grind your teeth. But this is our desert, and deserts are never comfortable.
Remember the Israelites in Exodus? They grumbled about how life was better “back in Egypt,” conveniently forgetting that they were slaves there. We fall into the same trap when we pine for the “good old days,” or worse, when we try to pitch comfy little tents in this desert, pretending we can make it feel like home. Deserts aren’t meant to be home. They’re a place of preparation—a testing ground where God strips away our illusions and teaches us to trust Him, not our nostalgia.
What’s Ahead
I believe God is pushing His Church forward to something we can’t fully see yet. The path is bumpy, yes. But look around—there are glimmers of hope if you have eyes to see. We have a new pope whose leadership is inspiring confidence and excitement. He’s as pastoral as Pope Francis, as theologically deep as St. John Paul II, as precise and thoughtful as Benedict XVI, and as approachable and “home-towny” as Fulton Sheen. That’s not just a breath of fresh air; it’s a sign that God isn’t finished writing this chapter of the Church’s story.
So, keep your chin up. Look for the silver linings. Focus on what God is doing, not just on what’s broken. And for heaven’s sake, don’t just stand in the desert complaining about how the manna doesn’t taste as good as the meat pots of Egypt. We’re going somewhere! God is leading His Church, as He always has.
This is an exciting time to be Catholic. The storms are real, but so is the sunlight breaking through the clouds. Let’s keep our eyes forward, our hearts hopeful, and our trust firmly in Christ.
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God be with you.
Related Podcast
Tradition, and the Desert
We are on a journey through the desert. Why is that important, and why might "tradition" limit the benefits of that sojourn? Also at the top of this episode is a new edition of "the pulse" (Catholic news briefs)
Good article. And I agree. Since I've been back in the church I've on a mission of learning all I can. When I read some articles (plus some articles are all complains with nothing positive) I check out comments for tid bits of info but most of the time I find a lot of complaints and it drives me nuts. Yes, the more one learns the more one sees and it's frustrating but I've learned to ignore most of the noise. I want knowledge not complaints 😌 and I trust in God's providence
Another FANTASTIC piece! The Church itself already seemed to be in a revival, but for Christianity as a whole— all I can say is, I don’t think I have ever seen anything like this in MY lifetime.
Now more than ever it is important that we instill and uphold the traditions that the Church teaches and guides us with. Even more than that— as a Dad of two young ones— it is time that Dads act like honorable, noble, God fearing Men. We must not get complicit in the repentance for our sins, and we should be showing our kids that. They should be sitting outside the confessionals where we should be before mass.
Absolutely love your commentary on this. As a millennial, I was pretty disappointed that my generation wasn’t the one burning with that fire, but man am I ready to help Gen Z— and whatever our kids are— on this journey.
Very proud of having a young parish, but we need more vocations, so even if that is what comes out of this revival, it is massive. In the end, we win brother.