Today I was reading in the Catechism about how the laws of God (in this case, it was referring to the Natural Law or Natural Order) are immutable and eternal. Thanks be to God for that!
I was thinking over a few recent events:
The mayor of Houston is requiring all pastors and priests to submit their sermons and homilies to someone she appointed to make sure that no one is speaking out against homosexuality.
A man was fined $150,000 for discrimination for refusing to make a wedding cake for a homosexual couple.
Wendy Davis is running for Governor of Texas and, while I don't think she'll win, would probably build a Planned Parenthood on every corner if she does win.
The threat of an ebola epidemic causes chaos, my diocese stops serving the Precious Blood at Mass and requires the faithful to receive the Lord in their hands.
Hillsong United, a popular Christian band, is coming out with a movie. In the preview a line says "they have changed the world, but the world hasn't changed them." As irony would have it, all this is after they recently announced that they are not standing behind the Biblical definition of Marriage any longer.
Someone I know told me that if they found out they were going to die soon, they'd start going to church. I asked if they thought it would be too late to which they responded, "no, that's the best part about my religion... it's never too late. Besides, I don't really do anything bad... except... (list of all the things this person thinks they do that are "bad".) It's fine though. I can do what I want now and don't have to follow any rules and then later I'll just start going to church and it'll be all good." (Someone please help me think of an appropriate response to this line of thinking, I encounter it all the time.)
God's mercy is ever ancient, ever new.
How much do you have to love someone to love their eternal soul more than you love their present happiness? More than their desires? More than their physical urges, their need to feel supported, their desire for acceptance?
I think the answer is a whole hell of a lot.
The Church is the only place on earth where I am loved even though I am a sinner, not because of it. That is an important distinction. Society loves the sinner, this is true. But society loves the sinner because the sinner makes it feel better about its own sinfulness. The Church loves the sinner because when the sin is washed away, She sees Jesus.
People have always had disordered desires. I can't help but wonder why now? Why now do we choose this issue to live and die by? What is going on in the world that we are so freaking concerned about two men or two women becoming legally bound to one another? How can we not see that homosexual acts are explicitly contrary to natural law? Why are we so blind?
If natural law is written on the heart of every man, what are we doing to erase it?
I can't help but think of Sodom and Gomorrah. If NOTHING else, why aren't we scared that God will do something like this to our entire country? Has the Holy Spirit withheld the seventh of His gifts which is Fear of the Lord? Do we think that the God of the New Testament is just a big softie?
On another note, I saw the movie "A Good Lie" this weekend. It was phenomenal, I highly recommend it. It really showed me that I have more important things to worry about.
I also realized in Mass that I used to be so much better at discernment. Even little things like when some line of thinking which seemed harmless was contrary to the teachings of the Church, or when certain things were appropriate in certain situations. I think my conscience is slightly dulled. Pray for me!
Saint Pope John Paul II, pray for us!
No comments:
Post a Comment