Meister Eckhardt wrote about this, and if YOU don't know about THAT Dominican brother, you are missing a treat.
Lemme 'splain:
IF you trust God's promise of the protection and guidance of the Holy Spirit, then even if your particular prelate is a bozo (as is often the case), his very boso-osity is a gift in the form of a chance to step out in trust that God's Spirit it going to make it come out all right despite local bozos.
This is an AWESOME spiritual challenge and exercise --simply awesome. Sometimes it's hard to obey a boss whom we think to be right.
It's REALLY hard to obey a boss whom we know to be a bozo, because we trust God's promise (as we think it to be) to protect the Church even with bozos like Peter and most of the subsequent Popes.
The Catholic experience provides the faithful with many many opportunities daily to make a conscious, purposeful commitment of trust to God.It's a real blessing. It's as if God were saying to each one of us, "Okay, do you trust me when I give you a bishop who is a poltroon and a dolt?"
We have it easy. Job said, "Though he slay me, yet will I trust the Lord.
Catholics say, "Even though He obviously looked long and hard for the biggest horse's patootie He could find,and made him our bishop, Yet will I trust the Lord."
and at the end of the difficult and frustrating day we weep with relief because God Himself has once again proved Himself worthy of trust and love.
Yes.
I agree. Trusting God in such cases is an exercise in growing in Faith, big time. Been there. Done that.
Now lettest Thou thy servant depart in peace. Thou hast fulfilled Thy promise. Mine own eyes have seen Thy Salvation which Thou hast prepared in the sight of all peoples, a light unto the Gentiles, and the glory of Thy people Israel.
All y’all, that’s from the gospels. Heh.