Wednesday, May 11, 2011

The Bread of Life

One of my last stops before returning to the Catholic church was at a historic protestant church where the founders of our country once worshiped.  Even though I referred to myself as a "recovering Catholic" and essentially thumbed my nose at the place from which I came, there was a lot that simply struck me as wrong and no amount of pretending not to see could ease my conscience.

One particular Sunday, a former Catholic priest gave the homily.  The rector of the church announced at the end of the service that this former Jesuit had sought and was granted admittance into this protestant church as a priest.  Not long after, one of the assistant priests referred to this same ex-Jesuit as his husband from the pulpit.  I happened to really like this assistant priest because he was a gentle person and he gave stirring homilies.  He had a beautiful singing voice and was approachable and kind.  But he was destroying himself just the same and  preaching from the pulpit that his lifestyle was somehow normal and acceptable meant he was leading others down that dark alley with him.

St. Peter wrote of Christ that "no deceit was found in His mouth."  Jesus was a straight-shooter in today's parlance.  He didn't parse words and get caught up in minutiae. He told it like it was.  When He spoke with the Samaritan woman at the well, He told her that she was right not to refer to having a husband in the singular because in fact she had had many husbands.  He didn't tell her it was ok to have had so many husbands.  He didn't tell the woman caught in adultery "if it feels good, keep doing it"  He forgave her and bade her to sin no more.

Some of our brothers and sisters are headed down that dark, dirty alley where they are lead to believe that the depravity in which they are engaged is normal, acceptable and moral.  Sometimes, I get angry because I'm trying to raise children in a world where they get conflicting messages.  They hear things that try to lead them to believe that if they reject the depravity of homosexual behavior that they are being hateful and judgmental.  The world would like them to believe that charity means anything goes, so long as no one is being murdered (that is, of course, unless the lives of the unborn are being snuffed out, in which case the world thinks murder is perfectly acceptable.)

One of the Center City churches I occasionally visit is most easily reached by traveling through a very seedy part of town where the street signs all have rainbows on them.  It saddens me to see so many young women who have butchered themselves in an attempt to look like men, walking hand in hand with other young women.  I think of the terrible destruction of God's creation when I see young men who have completely emasculated themselves, conversing with their arms around each other's waists.  I finger my little wooden Rosary and pray that they might be lead to conversion before it's too late.

Jesus told us that He is the Bread of Life.  He spoke of marriage between a man and a woman.  He ate with sinners, but  with the admonition to go and sin no more.  To pretend that it's ok for two people of the same sex to marry one another in the name of charity and love is anything but.

4 comments:

  1. Wonderful post..would you like to post occasionally on our new blog:

    http://associationofcatholicwomenbloggers.blogspot.com/

    Please email me

    rosary@blueyonder.co.uk

    ReplyDelete
  2. I still identify as, "queer", though
    that does not mean I am gay or bi. It
    means that I once was confused and I
    found solace among people who felt like
    they did not have any place in society.

    I dream about being married to a pretty
    lady but my mental health condition
    makes it almost impossible. Yes, God
    will make it possible for me to be
    married if He wishes, but personally I
    cannot see it happening.

    You have seen people like me in your
    work as a nurse: we are burnt fuses,
    and our nervous system is shot like a
    worn out electrical system.

    My point is, that the Church forgets
    that some people are destroyed by
    certain circumstances and cannot be a
    part of it's moral ideals, no matter
    if they come from Christ himself.

    God can rejuvenate people through His
    will, and even the gayest fellow in
    the land can be married, but usually
    it will not happen because satanic
    forces are brutal and sadistic. They
    love to mess God's children up and do
    lots of nasty things.

    I accept Catholic moral teachings be-
    cause I accept the truth of Christ, but
    I am also shutting the door on many
    years spent on the fringes of society
    where people do the best they can to
    feel wanted and loved....and that means
    accepting solace from deep sinners who
    are not going to rise out of depravity.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yes, secular society does send conflicting messages to our young people. I have a 16-year old niece and the confusion she expresses through her comments regarding homosexuality is troublesome. It comes from the "acceptance" curriculum taught at her public high school. Her mother (my SIL) has tried to explain the difference between accepting/condoning homosexual behavior versus treating others kindly and with respect, but not accepting their lifestyle, but in her 16-y-o wisdom, she thinks we are "mean" and "cruel".

    A very confused generation we are raising...

    ReplyDelete
  4. Pete, please explain what you mean by this:

    "My point is, that the Church forgets
    that some people are destroyed by
    certain circumstances and cannot be a
    part of it's moral ideals, no matter
    if they come from Christ himself."

    I am interested in your perspective based on your comments about your own journey. Thanks and God Bless.

    ReplyDelete

Comments which reflect true Christian charity are always welcome. Comments which attack the Pope, the Church, priests or other bloggers will go in the dustbin, especially if they are anonymous. Thank you and God Bless you!