To my fellow Catholics - I get it.
You are frustrated by too few good leaders. 
You want real renewal that should have happened long ago. 
You want piety and reverence, because it seems we have lost these virtues.
You long for the days when courageous clergy would boldly lead from out front.
You want the family, life, prayer, holiness, and truth to be something more than buzzwords.
The Church is suffering. I get it….But, do we all really get all of what is happening?

Do we see the priests who serve us day in and day out, even if imperfect, yet giving of themselves to us in sacrificial service?
Do we recognize the Bishops who are fighting for these things, even if quietly and in a way which may not be in the public eye?
Do we support the apostolates that are making real change, not just those that have monetized Catholic anger and frustration?
Do we pray every single day in a personal and deep way?
Do we believe that God is in charge and doing big things, even if we don't always see them?
Are we open to personal conversion, which happens when we humble ourselves and say "yes" to whatever God wants of us?

Sometimes life is rough and living out the faith is hard. I get it. Still…
God doesn't want the result of your anger and frustration to mean you reject the real authority that HE gave to the hierarchy. So instead of giving your ear (and mind) to those who make a living by publicly maligning our leaders (which helps nobody), double your prayer for them. Double your commitment to virtue. Turn off the noise. Don't give into the attacks on your peace.

Still, God doesn't want us to wait for clergy to lead, where he has given rightful authority of the laity to lead. 
Lead your family. 
Lead your friends. 
Lead in the public sphere where Catholic clergy don't live. 
Lead at work. 
Lead in your neighborhood. 

How can you lead? 
By evangelizing, praying, being a saint. No need to wait for others to lead in this way. Hang on to what is true, good, and beautiful. Reject division, anger,  lies, immorality, frustration, angst, and the attacks of the enemy who comes to separate us from God and each other. 
Love. 
Serve others. 
Fight for what is true and good. 
Do not settle for being ok. 
Be saints. 
Be courageous.
Invest in others.
Pray.
Evangelize and make disciples.

Our job is to be holy, glorify God, go to heaven, and get as many others as we can to join us there. We won't do these things through anger and frustration. Herein lies my next point.

DENY THE DEALERS OF DISCORD
Some of the commentators, writers, YouTubers, and authors of the modern Catholic Church want you to be upset about just about everything. Why? Because people who are upset will support their cause, back their side, and lift them up. But too many of them are really just dealers of discord, and don't have your best interests in mind. They want you to give up your peace.

Why let someone else determine whether we are at peace or not? Are we not in control of ourselves or have the gossip columnists and Jerry Springers of the world discovered a new facet of our human nature that we can’t resist giving into?

Please, do not trust Catholic commentators who:

• Grow Catholic angst
• Peddle conspiracies
• Push disobedience to our spiritual leaders
• Cause division
• ...and then ask you to subscribe or donate to them.

This is merely the monetization of Catholic frustration and it is scandalous. Even if you believe your favorite Catholic provocateur par excellence is “speaking the truth”, saying things nobody else has the guts to say, and is doing all the right things, it doesn’t matter if all they do is divide and tear down. They are part of the problem.

Ask yourself these questions:

1. Have I allowed others to control whether I am at peace?
2. Have I given into the angst of church politics?
3. Am I listening to those that have created a magisterium of their own design rather than the authentic Catholic magisterium?
4. Do I distrust those with God-given spiritual authority over me more than commentators of my own choosing?
5. If so, have I created a new more “real” authority than the one God desires for me?

This is NOT TO SAY that there aren’t concerns about ambiguity, bad teaching of doctrine coming from certain leaders, scandalous behaviors of some, etc. There need not be a whitewashing or covering up going on. Rather, can we not agree that the plan of the enemy includes dividing the church, demoralizing good people, and having us stay in our echo chambers, where all we do is get confirmation that “WE ARE RIGHT AND THEY ARE WRONG”!!!

BREAK OUT OF THE ECHO CHAMBERS
Even without social media, we tend to live in echo chambers. We are attracted to people that are like us. They think, act, and live similarly. This is not wrong, per se. But, be aware that the dealers of discord and purveyors of angst are always at the doorstep, and they always have been, even in the Bible.

In Scripture, you can see them trying to evoke conflict by setting up traps for Jesus. They have ulterior motives and bad designs. The Herodians and Pharisees attempted to “trap” Jesus in his words (Mark 12:13), when they asked him about paying taxes to Caesar. Notice that the issue wasn’t the point. The trap was. The conflict and all that surrounded it was the point. They had a larger goal.

Jesus didn’t enter into the conflict, because he recognized the larger issue. He gave back the coin, redirected the conversation, and left. 

Notice too that Jesus didn’t remain in his own echo chamber. He talked to all kinds of people. But, when the purveyors of angst came around, he didn’t join their conversations. But, if someone with good will asked a difficult question, wanted to actually have a healthy conversation, or even if they disagreed (but did so with genuine desire for the truth) - he would have a conversation with them.

We should do the same.
Reject the angst.
Break the echo chambers.
Have healthy conversations and even conflict, when necessary.

Speaking of echo chambers, you should know that the social media and internet algorithms set you up to stay in them. Meaning, if you click on a few links, videos, posts, or articles that have a particular theme or bend to them, you will be offered more of the same by the algorithm. If you watch 2 videos of the newest Catholic dealer of discord, you will see more the next time you log on. We are setting ourselves up for extremism. Left and right, we head to the poles, not the heart of the Church. 

This plays right into the strategy of the evil one. What does the enemy want? He wants you to distrust others who challenge the way you think. He would have you doubtful. Afraid. Anxious.
Don't let him have this control. Be obedient. Choose peace. Pray.
Also, clear out your browser cookies and reset all your social media. Better yet, put down your phone and have a great talk with someone you don’t agree with, but should still love.

When the next dealer of discord comes to make their next offer...Don't buy it or even listen.
You will be better for it.

"Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which passes all understanding, will keep your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.

Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is gracious, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things. What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me, do; and the God of peace will be with you." -Phil 4:6-9