Hypo: You Are Cut Off In Traffic At High Speed...

[God the Father]

...by a young man on your way to church. You haven't eaten and are late (plus you haven't been to church in SIX DAYS) so this makes you a little more angry than normal. You offer the man an obnoxious, elongated beep, to which he replies with an extended middle finger out the window.

 

You are pretty riled up by this but you don't respond in kind. To your surprise, you spend the next five minutes following him all the way to church.

 

Determined to stifle your negative emotions before Mass of all events, you park a great distance form this person and walk straight in without looking sideways. Later on, your priest introduces a new member of The Cloth who will be celebrating the Mass from time to time at this parish, and when he takes the pulpit you recognize him as the man who cut you off earlier.

 

Describe your reaction.

[Lefebvre]

I'd see if I could have a very quiet word with Father in the narthex after Mass and try to clear things up.

[Credo in Deum]

I would look at it as if Jesus gave me the bird. Then I would laugh at God's great sense of humor.

Touché Jesus, touché.

[Lilllabettt]

well The Cloth is a secret demon hunting order, so if your guy is a member  I'd assume he's probably got a lot on his mind.

[dUSt]

I'd feel like a big jerk for honking at a priest.

[Clare Brigid]

Describe your reaction.

 

1.  Disappointment and sadness for him, mixed with annoyance and a temptation to see him as a hypocrite.

 

2.  Understanding that priests are sinners.  Remembering all the times that I have acted inconsistently with my own vocation.

 

3.  Acceptance.

 

4.  A resolve to pray for him and allow him to become a good priest, resolving not to accuse him to others or to try to hold him in his sin -- which is what the demons do.

Edited August 16, 2014 by Clare Brigid

[Lil Red]

I would look at it as if Jesus gave me the bird. Then I would laugh at God's great sense of humor.

Touché Jesus, touché.

 

pretty much this. :hehe: 
 

[Catherine Therese]

I wish I could put my hand on my heart and say I'd be able to look at it like Credo does.

Its the way I'd like to be. Its the way I'd like others to think I am. 

 

I know myself though.

Intellectually I know I need to let things go, but I'm still learning to really do that.
There's a MASSIVE disjunction between my head and my heart, I'm afraid.

 

I'd probably fuss and fume and stew about it internally for a little longer, and I'd cycle through a series of negative emotions and it would make me suspicious of the priest, perhaps put me on my guard during his masses. All of which is irrational and disproportionate, of course. It would probably take me 4-6 weeks to be able to take the guy seriously as a priest.

 

WHICH, btw, is super hypocritical because if I'm running late to be somewhere, I tend to be somewhat aggressive on the road, too.

Edited August 17, 2014 by Catherine Therese

[cmaD2006]

Actually ... heh; I would say something in private. Like "woah, I guess Jesus just gave me the bird and almost crashed into me right before Mass". Then walk out, and then probably if it's possible go to another parish.

And honestly? It's not a good sign coming from a priest. I've dealt with hot tempered priests in the past and it's usually a no win situation.

A priest is human, sure, but if I should restrain myself so should he.

[Norseman82]

I'd feel like a big jerk for honking at a priest.

 

I wouldn't.

 

Priests are not above the law.  And if he's driving aggressively he could be a danger to others on the road and give the Church a black eye (we're already in a bad enough position due to the actions of some priests acting like they shouldn't).  Plus, if he caused an accident, if the (arch)diocese self-insures the priests, they could be financially re$pon$ible.

 

 

Actually ... heh; I would say something in private. Like "woah, I guess Jesus just gave me the bird and almost crashed into me right before Mass". Then walk out, and then probably if it's possible go to another parish.

And honestly? It's not a good sign coming from a priest. I've dealt with hot tempered priests in the past and it's usually a no win situation.

A priest is human, sure, but if I should restrain myself so should he.

 

I agree, although technically I'd hesitate to say "Jesus gave me the bird" (since a priest is not God). 

 

I understand he may be worried about being late. But there is no excuse for him giving the middle finger. The way I was raised, that is a form of cussing ergo a mortal sin. 

 

So, I might invite him to an "open spar" night at a gym and "explain" it to him.  (I'd treat, obviously, and ask him to leave early enough so he does not drive like a maniac on the way there).

Edited August 17, 2014 by Norseman82

[Ash Wednesday]

My reaction would probably be disbelief. I'd also try to offer up my emotional struggles about it for souls, including his. If it really still bothered me, I would probably say something to him (of course, acknowledging my own behavior leading up to it). 

 

Something similar happened to a friend and I driving in Seattle. Some guy leaning out the window of his car yelled and gave someone the finger. Not unusual, except he had a very visible DC Talk bumper sticker on the back of his car -- a very well known Christian music group. At the time my friend and I laughed about it, but years later and after encountering so many people hostile to religion and Christianity because of the behavior and hypocrisy of its adherents, I suppose I don't find it as funny anymore. How you behave as a visible member of the Church matters.

 

I often have to mention of my own traffic related offenses in the confessional. It either got worse in England (with the tight roads, roundabouts and drivers who should know better) or I just became more aware of my habits. 

[porziuncola]

Later on, your priest introduces a new member of The Cloth who will be celebrating the Mass from time to time at this parish, and when he takes the pulpit you recognize him as the man who cut you off earlier.

"Member of The Cloth"?

[Cherie]

The way I was raised, that is a form of cussing ergo a mortal sin.

Cussing is not a mortal sin.

[MIKolbe]

I would inquire about a diocesan safe driving program, and ask if the good Fr would be interested in attending.

[Winchester]

 

Confront the man himself. Ask him if he knew he cut you off. Get his side of the story. Tell him shenanigans won't be appreciated.

 

I would have parked near him. A nice smile is more unnerving than a loud confrontation. There's a good chance he wasn't aware of what was going on. He reacted to a horn. Most people are crummy, unaware drivers.