The story of the bronze serpent in the Bible is strange. Moses did not intend for it to become a magical symbol (although in subsequent history it seemed almost an idol) but rather to confront the people with their sinfulness. They needed to look at what was bothering them square in the eye if they were to have healing. Anyone who had been bitten by a serpent
looked at the bronze serpent, he lived. This might serve as a reminder that things don’t get better if you ignore them, or hide them, or pretend they are not a problem. The Church experienced this when it did not confront the clergy abuse crisis. Our nation is going through a similar tragedy by trying to erase the sin of slavery and racism from the historical record. On a personal and family level whenever we are in denial of what is happening things only get worse. The Church has the sacrament of penance as a reminder that only by facing the ugly and dark parts of our story can genuine healing come.
