Catholic Infighting

How many of my fellow bloggers have visited sites and found arguments (note that I did not use the word debates) going on about the Novus Ordo Mass and the Traditional Latin Mass?  I keep accidentally stumbling upon blogs that bicker about this subject quite frequently. Why all this Catholic infighting? I do not know but I will say this:

Read the Nicene Creed and particularly note the words, We believe in one, holy, catholic, and apostolic Church.

This Catholic infighting, especially when it becomes disrespectful, causes disunity in the Church and at times harms the faith of others. To make matters worst, it surely grieves the Holy Spirit who is constantly at work bringing us to union with one another in Christ. Some sites go as far as to suggest that the Novus Ordo Mass is invalid. In all honesty, those who insinuate such a thing are walking on very thin ice indeed - for at that very Mass that you mock .... the Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity of Christ is offered and it is no small thing to call this ultimate Sacrifice invalid. I would go so far as to say that you should bow your head in shame for even suggesting such a thing.

I don't get angry easily, but this Catholic infighting not only angers me, I am actually horrified by it.  It doesn't bother me that people may prefer one Mass over the other - both are beautiful because of their intrinsic value. My Parish celebrates both the Novus Ordo Mass and the Traditional Latin Mass. While I may personally feel that one is more reverential than the other, I would never even THINK to suggest to anyone that either Mass is not valid.

This infighting brings me to ask this question:

Have people forgotten the law of love? Fighting doesn't solve anything. Those who argue over this issue are unwittingly being used as tools of the evil one to bring disharmony in Christ's beloved Church. Better to focus on the love your neighbor has for the Mass than to stand there and tell him what is wrong with the Mass he is attending! With so few going to Church these days we should be applauding every person who goes,  not criticising them for what Mass they attend. It's also good to keep in mind the way the devil thinks - if he can keep Catholics busy bickering with one another there is less of a chance they'll draw others to Christ.

In 2 Timothy 2:14-16, St. Paul warns about these useless disputes. Jesus, himself, had strong words for the Pharisees and scribes (see Mt 23: 4-27 and Mt. 15: 1-20) but the words that strike me the most when it comes to Catholic infighting are these ....

"You shall love your neighbor as yourself."          Mt. 22:39