From Michael Dubruiel, originally published in 2003.
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In the meantime, there are too many who remain silent to protect the clerical world which is crumbling before their eyes. They seek to protect their "place" like Caiphas wished to do when he said "it was better for one man to die than the entire nation perish." They have forgotten who God is and forgotten what the garment they wear signifies.
When the Pope makes a man a cardinal he clothes them in red, a sign of martyrdom. They are to witness the truth even to the point of shedding their blood for the truth. Unfortunately, sometime the red does not symbolize this willingness, in fact it becomes a sign of pride and vanity (the very antithesis of giving witness to Our Lord who was humility defined).
This reminds me of a recent song by Five for Fighting called "Superman (It's Not Easy)." Toward the end of the song there is the verse, "I’m only a man in a silly red sheet." Obviously, the line refers to Superman's cape, but it made me think of the Cardinal's who defy the truth and have turned the red cloth of martydom into a "silly red sheet."
