With the recent “blessings” taking place by priests in Germany, contradicting the Vatican, Pope Francis, and the Universal Magisterium of the Church I have a few thoughts and suggestions for the faithful.
The 1st is to not react. Reacting, in the sense that I mean it here differs from “responding.” What I am suggesting is not to become silent on the matter either. Rather, just to ensure that any sinful disposition such as “wrath” or even “glee” (depending on what side of this issue you fall), that we do not allow our emotions to lead the way – as they are often tied into other attitudes, such as tribalism, woundedness, and so many other things. If we are to respond, may we do it with a heart that is fixed on the Sacred Heart of Jesus and care and concern for the priests, bishops, and and all those who experience a same-sex attraction.
The 2nd is more important than the 1st, but goes hand and hand: Pray. Discern how God wants YOU to respond – not necessarily fixating on how others should respond. What is God calling YOU to do. If we don’t ask ourselves this question, its with hypocrisy that we inordinately focus on others. If you are already doing what God asks, then ask yourself what else He wishes to concern you with this matter. Finally, I believe God is asking all the faithful to do reparation for the clergy, as well as those invested in same-sex unions.
The 3rd is to act and pray from a place of love, not anything else. Love is to will the good of the other, for their own sake. Sometimes when unorthodoxy occurs, we are offended, we are isolated, we are undermined. And thus, from this place we supposedly speak the truth out of anxiety for the pain we are in. But this isn’t love. Truth is loving when it is genuinely spoken with a will oriented towards the good of another for their own sake. Be sure to integrate this into the interior disposition of whatever you do, otherwise we may find ourselves presenting the Church’s teaching on disorder, in a spiritually disordered way.
The 4th is like the 3rd, but to begin from a place for a love for God. Human sexuality is an incredible gift from God, it is His ingenuity that has inspired the complementarity between the sexes, and when we look at His art work, we should not take fire to it, or cut at it with scissors and reassemble His art work to our own relativism. Rather we should stand in awe before what He has done between man and woman, and see that together they create an incredible masterpiece. I can’t imagine us condemning what is disordered being itself properly ordered if we don’t start from a place of affection for the design God has created between men and women.
The 5th suggestion is to develop disinterested friendships with those who have a same-sex attraction or experience or endorse any other form of sexual relativism. Its important to help others accept the teaching but by way of authentic accompaniment. Indoctrination and moral arguments don’t suffice when they are delivered by people others do not trust; and this is true for every other subject. As a Church, we should be willing to build relationships with anyone, regardless of their sexual orientation, race, or faith, because we embody Christ who universally wants an explicit relationship with each man and woman.
Finally, take into consideration your own sinfulness and approach clergy, those acting on a same-sex attraction, and all involved in this humble reality. We approach each other as fellow sinners, not to diminish our ability to discuss these matters clearly, but to couch them in a context of compassion, meekness, and gentleness. Finally, encourage those who are already living the Church’s teaching in this regard. Likely by these acts of German priests, they will be incredibly discouraged and feeling as though the Church has turned its back on supporting the trial of faithfulness in their own life.
If anyone is interested in doing some reparation in the month of June to the Sacred Heart, let me know.
Photo: Public Domain
1 thought on “A Few Words on the Recent “Blessings””
Dear Father, I appreciate your approach.
The Catholic Church has certain teachings based on what God revealed and what Jesus taught when He spent time on earth as incarnation of the Heavenly Father. So when the authorities themselves go against them, the ordinary faithful has to react. The reaction need not be violent, but peaceful. The sum and substance of the teaching about sex is that sex outside marriage is sin. Whether it is this attraction or that attraction, this rule cannot be changed by us. Jesus Christ is the only One who said when one looks at a person with lust , already adultery has been committed in the heart .
These German BIGS argue that anything in the name of love is love. This will go naturally to a conclusion like this – – if a married woman loves her neighbour man so much they help in all works and everything. The man also loves her very much. So why not their sexual acts defined as Love ? Jesus wants us to love our neighbour as yourself. In this case they love each other in the same degree, though they love their legal life partners too.
Excuses galore can be made to justify our disregard and disobedience of God’s Commandments. Catholic Church founded by Jesus Christ has been entrusted to Peter to feed the sheep. The Pope and every one of the sheepfold must pray that the wisdom of the a Holy Spirit May be poured out on us all.