FR. TIM’S REFLECTION: VIEWING NEWS (AND LIFE) IN THE LIGHT OF GOD’S DESIGN FOR US
“The Pharisees approached Jesus and asked,
‘Is it lawful for a husband to divorce his wife?’ . . . .
Jesus told them, ‘. . . from the beginning of creation, God made them male and female.
For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother
and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’
So they are no longer two but one flesh.
Therefore what God has joined together,
no human being must separate.” Mark 10:2, 6-9
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The question put to Jesus by some Pharisees was intended as a test, which He deftly handles, exposing the hypocrisy in their seeking to limit the scope of God’s law regarding marriage. Quoting Genesis, Jesus affirms the sacredness of the marriage bond, rooted in the creation of man and woman for a compact of mutual love and respect, a key principle that underlies our understanding of human sexual relations.
THIS IS A MESSAGE WE NEED TO HEAR
In a time when our society and Church are intensely focused on crimes and sins involving the abuse of human dignity by sexual exploitation and assault, we recall the basis of Catholic teaching on sexuality, acknowledging a template built into our nature by God Himself. Our essential dignity as human beings demands reverence for our own bodies and those of others, and forbids attitudes and behaviors—thoughts, words or deeds—that reduce another to an object for one’s sexual use or pleasure. Reforms in Church and society need realignment on just such a firm footing.
RESPECT FOR LIFE MONTH
Our Bishops call us again to observe October as Respect Life Month, to reinforce our commitment to be witnesses in defense of the sacredness of all human life, from conception to natural death. Our culture suffers from a debased attitude toward the fundamental dignity we share as human beings, exalting ‘me and my interests’ as the determinant of what is ‘good’ or ‘right’. This puts ‘the other’ second, and easily leads to indifference or dehumanization in relations with others.
In contrast, the Gospel calls us to love others as we love ourselves, recognizing our shared identity as God’s children. Genesis says ‘relatedness’ is essential to our identity: “It is not good for the man to be alone.” We apply that to understanding the nature of the male-female relationship in marriage, but it points to our essential social and inter-relational capacity as creatures made in the image of our Triune God.
Surveying the ways human life is devalued in our society’s public policies challenges us to speak a truth that many wish to mute, in favor of ‘freedom’ to live without moral boundaries. Lessening respect for any life, especially the most vulnerable, imperils our own. We adhere to the Gospel of Life!