Blame Game

07-27-2025Letter from the PastorFr. Don Kline, V.F.

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Perhaps you have come across inciteful quotes or stories that help you to make sense out of trials, setbacks, or struggles you are going through. Recently I came across a little story that was shared by Dr. Regis Martin, a professor of dogmatic and systematic theology at Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio, since 1988. The story was originally authored by G.K. Chesterton and it challenges the temptations we all have to complain about the state of things in our troubled world.

Around the turn of the last century, a prominent London newspaper called “The World” put the following question to its readers, offering a prize for the best possible answer: “What’s wrong with the world?” Not the newspaper, of course, whose good health the owners took for granted. Not the planet, about which there was a good deal of anxious concern. However, they could not have foreseen the following reply— which, while it may not have won the prize, was surely the wittiest on record. If brevity be the soul of wit, then this was the real deal. Dear Sirs: I am. Yours Truly, G.K. Chesterton

What’s wrong with the world? I am. What a remarkable way to get people to think about the blame game. Starting in the Garden of Eden we blame others. Do you remember the dialogue?
God: “Adam, did you eat the fruit?”
Adam: “Eve gave it to me.”
God: “Okay. Eve, did you eat the fruit?”
Eve: “The devil made me do it.”

This exchange between Adam and Eve is sad and heartbreaking. I think the dialogue represents similar conversations that we all may have had during our lifetime. I am thinking about my childhood when I would whine and blame my siblings for anything and everything. I hope, after 30 years of priesthood, I’m better than my 8-year-old version. But I must admit, on my worst days, I’m no better. Instead of embracing the cross, the struggle, the disappointments with joy and humbly admitting that I am what is wrong with the world like G.K. Chesterton, I look for someone to blame just like Adam and Eve. I don’t like who I am in those moments.

Our late Holy Father Pope Francis once said, “Rather than blaming… Jesus says we need to look inside ourselves: it is sin that produces death; our selfishness can tear apart relationships; our wrong and violent choices can unleash evil… The Lord offers the true solution, and that is conversion. He says, ‘unless you repent you will all likewise perish’ (Lk 13:5). It is an urgent call ... So let us ask the Blessed Virgin Mary to fill us with hope and courage, and kindle in us the desire for conversion.”

Sometimes I just need to carry the cross, be more sympathetic and be quiet! It could be that some failure on the part of another is my call to outdo someone in charity to give glory to God. I don’t know what is always going on in those around me. I can’t assume they are having their best day. But rather than pointing at others for not getting things done like I want, perhaps I am being called to step up myself and Do what needs to be done rather than complain and blame others. Maybe someone didn’t load the dishwasher because they were worried or tired. Maybe someone didn’t fill up the gas tank because they wanted to be home with the family. How much better with the world be if I just quietly unloaded the dishwasher instead of complaining and blaming and if I just stopped to get gas when the tank is empty?

The phrase "See how they love one another" is a quote attributed to Tertullian, an early Christian writer, who used it to describe the inspiring love and unity among early Christians, especially when contrasted with the animosity and hatred prevalent in the surrounding Roman society. Perhaps this is our call as disciples of Our Lord. Maybe our mission is to exchange the animosity and hatred that we don’t like today with the love and mercy of Jesus Christ who never blamed anyone for the suffering He endured but rather used that suffering as anecdote for sin.

God Bless,

Fr. Don Kline