Loving the Church, Hating the church

Why should I donate to my church when (insert thing you don't like here)? Why should I volunteer when no one else does? Why should I be publicly Catholic and associate myself with child molesters and liars?

The more transcendental is your patriotism, the more practical are your politics. - G. K. Chesterton

We are called to be true patriots and lovers of Christianity.

We are called to be like God. God is a loving father, and a loving father is not afraid to provide correction. He is not afraid to hate something about his children, even while he loves his children.

We are called to love the Church with all our hearts, which must sometimes include hating some things about the church.

If you merely like being in the Church - if you like the label - then you won't love Her enough to improve anything. A passive love, a puppy love with the Church, inspires you to nothing but lip service. "But I go to church every week!" Yes, and I go to the doctor every year. When he says I should lose some weight, I nod and smile and know I have 365 days not to hear that now.

Would you have the love for the church to tear it apart when its filled with gamblers and salespeople, as Christ did?

It comes down to the question of whether you are in love with the idea of the Church or in love with the Church.