Ragged Old Flag, Ragged Old Church

I have always been a big fan of Johnny Cash, and I was listening to some of his music the other day. His song/poem “Ragged Old Flag” grabbed my attention. The lyrics have a lot to say about our country and, by analogy, our Church today.

Lyrics

I walked through a county courthouse square
On a park bench an old man was sitting there
I said, your old courthouse is kind of run down
He said, naw, it’ll do for our little town
I said, your old flagpole has leaned a little bit
And that’s a ragged old flag you got hanging on it

He said, have a seat, and I sat down
Is this the first time you’ve been to our little town?
I said, I think it is
He said, I don’t like to brag
But we’re kinda proud of that ragged old flag

You see, we got a little hole in that flag there when
Washington took it across the Delaware
And it got powder-burned the night Francis Scott Key
Sat watching it writing say can you see
And it got a bad rip in New Orleans
With Packingham and Jackson tuggin’ at its seams

And it almost fell at the Alamo
Beside the Texas flag, but she waved on though
She got cut with a sword at Chancellorsville
And she got cut again at Shiloh Hill
There was Robert E. Lee, Beauregard, and Bragg
And the south wind blew hard on that ragged old flag

On Flanders field in World War one
She got a big hole from a Bertha gun
She turned blood red in World War Two
She hung limp and low a time or two
She was in Korea and Vietnam
She went where she was sent by Uncle Sam

She waved from our ships upon the Briny foam
And now they’ve about quit waving her back here at home
In her own good land here she’s been abused
She’s been burned, dishonored, denied, and refused

And the government for which she stands
Is scandalized throughout the land
And she’s getting threadbare and wearing thin
But she’s in good shape for the shape she’s in
‘Cause she’s been through the fire before
And I believe she can take a whole lot more

So we raise her up every morning
We take her down every night
We don’t let her touch the ground and we fold her up right
On second thought, I do like to brag
‘Cause I’m mighty proud of that ragged old flag”

These lyrics, especially the lines I’ve bolded, got me to reflecting on two things – the status of our nation and of our Church.

Our “ragged old’ Nation

November is a patriotic month. First, we have Veterans Day to honor the millions who have served that “ragged old flag” since its inception. Second, we have Thanksgiving to acknowledge that God’s providence has a bearing on our existence as a country.

But our country is divided over abortion, transgenderism, gay marriage, race, the border, etc.  And we debate these divisions ad nauseam. It seems that those bolded poem’s lyrics reflect where we stand as a nation today. Surveys indicate a lack of patriotism and respect for our nation. In turn, fewer are willing to serve in the military – a major gauge of patriotism.

Yet, as the closing lyrics of the song/poem professes, “we can take a whole lot more.” I have to believe that despite the current dissention that is hyped in the media there is still a strong national will, especially when you get out in the “hinterland” and small towns. Just go to a rodeo, a high school football game, or an American Legion picnic. I trust that in the end, common sense shall prevail, and a majority will still stand and salute that “ragged old flag.”

Our “ragged old” Church

There are also parallels to our Church in the song/poem.

By analogy, the history of the Catholic Church could also be viewed as being “ragged.” There were the initial persecutions by the Roman Empire, the Muslim invasions, the Great Schism with the Eastern Church, the Reformation, and some unholy Popes and bishops. Added to those are the various political and cultural persecutions suffered over 2,000 years.

More recently, we have seen the clergy abuse scandal, divisions within the hierarchy over Church practices and doctrines, and a cultural relativism and progressivism creeping into the Church, especially over sexual morality.  We’ve also seen a dwindling membership.

Media outlets and cultural elites, portray us as that “ragged old Church.” Yet, I believe the Church, like our nation, “can take a whole lot more.” The Church has shown that through the centuries of overcoming a multitude of struggles, she always seems to land on her feet and manages to continue her mission.

A Mighty Force for Good

In spite of the difficulties, the Church has shown herself, throughout history, to be a mighty force for good. History consistently documents (see Thomas Woods How the Catholic Church Built Western Civilization) that the Church has a made more positive impacts on education, science, medicine, economics, art, architecture, law, morality and charity than any other single institution in the world.

More importantly, the Church’s evangelization efforts over the past 2,000 years has brought Jesus’s salvation message of the Gospel throughout the world. You might say the Church has been the vehicle for Jesus Christ to bring his saving grace to redeeming billions of souls.

The key (in my mind) is the Eucharist. That is where we encounter Jesus Christ on a very personal basis. It is the “soul food” that strengthens us against all the negativity around us. Devotion to the Eucharist enables us to keep the faith and practice virtue regardless of what goes on in the world, our culture, the broader Church, or among the hierarchy.

Orthodoxy Will Prevail

All the focus and discussion over the “synodal” process promulgated by the Holy Father has led to a sense of confusion in many. However, I think if we look back at the Church’s history, we can have confidence that, if anything, the Church is resilient. As Jesus says in Matthew 16:18:

“And so I say to you, you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of the netherworld shall not prevail against it.”

We can trust that the Holy Spirit will look out for the Church just as He has for centuries. In that light, we too, have a role to play.  As the author of Hebrews states in 10:23:

“Let us hold unwaveringly to our confession that gives us hope, for he who made the promise is trustworthy.”

The Church may become smaller. There may be ongoing disagreements and dissention among clergy and laity, and the Church may continue to suffer both soft and hard persecution. Yet, I believe that orthodoxy will prevail.

The Church has been and will continue to be a church with saints and sinners. However, despite the negative historical and current problems, the positive accomplishments throughout history of the Catholic Church greatly outweigh all the negatives.  They allow me to declare (as an analogy to Johnny Cash’s old man’s concluding words) “I’m mighty proud of this ragged old Church.”