Synod on Marriage: Will the Spirit of Vatican II people destroy this one hope for the Church?
It was St Augustine who while he was living a life of sin saw the Church as a contradiction of his way of life. While sex and sin abounded the members of that Church remained unsullied by adultery and divorce. They were faithful to the teachings of Christ. Today when it comes to that text where Jesus speaks about divorce and remarriage how many priests find themselves now murmur things about Catholics being broken and fragmented as though this was some excuse they were giving to God for the unfaithfulness of his people. As I watched young Catholic girls growing up and becoming single mothers through divorce or just sex outside marriage it broke my heart. Would that one had only asked "Is this a people living the Gospel?" There is no subject on which Christ was more outspoken yet that Church of Augustine no longer exists because its members no longer see that `living the word of Christ` not just following our own subjectyive image of Christ is what loving God really means. Rather than taking up the Cross we turn to Jesus and say "Lord, we are only human". Then our famiy say "You are only human", the priest says "You are only human" and even Bishops sat "You are only human". But am I marginalising the Divorced and Remarried? God knows there is hardly a family where the evil of divorce or a pregnant daughter has not destroyed its happiness yet out of this total failure to live as Christ wanted us to live the Church has to defend the teachings of Christ and hold herself up to be totally mocked. St Augustine would certainly have never turned Christian if he was living today.
Perhaps this is why Pope Francis is calling the Synod.on Marriage. You can speak the word Evangelise as often as you like but when Catholics live their lives no better than the rest of the population it becomes an empty word.
By now to avoid thinking of what I have written some readers will be opting out by using words like "Judgemental", `"Uncharitable", or just "Hmm, he is nobody". But they know I am standing with Christ on this issue and in the crowd that heard him speak on the issue many would have been saying the same.
Yet, there are many good second marriages There are parents in this irregular position who do everything the can to raise their children. They bring their children to Mass, they raise their children as best they can in the Catholic Faith and they create loving homes with a caring environment for their children. Christ loves them very much. So what is the problem? The problem is that for the Church to be the true Body of Christ it must be seen to be faithful to Christ in everything and deny him nothing. We must also as a Community take responsibility for the mess that many young people are now living in for not just refusing to live the words of Christ but actually rebelling against them and building our own Church. So whom do we throw out first? That is not of course the solution. The Divorced and Remarried must accept the Church and Christ in its entirety. OK, they may not be able to receive Holy Communion but they should not join in any rebellion against the Church, their refusal of Holy Communion is a sign to the young that Marriage is important. Do not join the ranks of those who would tell you that you are only human and God will understand. In a way Marriage is now your mission, especially to your children.
The Synod will be an opportunity for the Church to reflect on the Church of St Augustine and the church of today and to put right the wrongs we have done to our young people.
unity
Perhaps this is why Pope Francis is calling the Synod.on Marriage. You can speak the word Evangelise as often as you like but when Catholics live their lives no better than the rest of the population it becomes an empty word.
By now to avoid thinking of what I have written some readers will be opting out by using words like "Judgemental", `"Uncharitable", or just "Hmm, he is nobody". But they know I am standing with Christ on this issue and in the crowd that heard him speak on the issue many would have been saying the same.
Yet, there are many good second marriages There are parents in this irregular position who do everything the can to raise their children. They bring their children to Mass, they raise their children as best they can in the Catholic Faith and they create loving homes with a caring environment for their children. Christ loves them very much. So what is the problem? The problem is that for the Church to be the true Body of Christ it must be seen to be faithful to Christ in everything and deny him nothing. We must also as a Community take responsibility for the mess that many young people are now living in for not just refusing to live the words of Christ but actually rebelling against them and building our own Church. So whom do we throw out first? That is not of course the solution. The Divorced and Remarried must accept the Church and Christ in its entirety. OK, they may not be able to receive Holy Communion but they should not join in any rebellion against the Church, their refusal of Holy Communion is a sign to the young that Marriage is important. Do not join the ranks of those who would tell you that you are only human and God will understand. In a way Marriage is now your mission, especially to your children.
The Synod will be an opportunity for the Church to reflect on the Church of St Augustine and the church of today and to put right the wrongs we have done to our young people.
unity
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