The greatest persecution of the Church does not come from external enemies, but is born from sin in the Church. And, therefore, the Church has a deep need to relearn penance, accept purification, learn forgiveness, but also the need for justice. Forgiveness is no substitute for justice. Pope Benedict XVI.
“What can Jesus’ third fall under the weight of the cross tell us? Perhaps it makes us think of the fall of men, of how many move away from Christ, of the tendency toward secularism without God. But shouldn’t we also think about what Christ must suffer in his own Church? How many times he abuses the sacrament of his presence, and the emptiness and evil of heart where he often enters. How many times do we celebrate only ourselves without realizing it! How many times is his Word distorted and abused! How little faith there is in many theories, how many empty words! How much filth in the Church and among those who, through his priesthood, should be completely devoted to him! How much arrogance, how much self-sufficiency! How little we respect the sacrament of Reconciliation, in which he awaits us to rise from our falls! This is also present in his passion. The betrayal of the disciples, the unworthy reception of his Body and his Blood, is certainly the greatest pain of the Redeemer, the one that pierces his heart. We have nothing left but to shout to him from the depths of our soul: Kyrie, eleison – Lord, save us” (cf. Mt 8:25).
I purposely wanted to begin this article with a fragment taken from the Via Crucis meditation written by the then Cardinal Ratzinger for the event held at the Colosseum in 2005. Which I consider very current for the times we are already living in and others that are sadly approaching.
It happens more frequently today that Christians are very concerned about the religious, social, cultural and political consequences and now as a result of the problems caused by some reflections of the Synod of Synodality and recently the document “Fiducia Supplicans”. They don’t keep waiting. And it seems valid and positive to me, because freedom of opinion, always based on responsibility, brings benefits to build and not destroy the human race. After having read and meditated on the last document in question, I dare to present in conscience and before God what I think briefly about it.
Firstly, I start from the etymological meaning of the Word: Blesswhich comes from Latin: to blesswhich means, to invoke or ask for divine protection on behalf of a person or thing.
I firmly believe that the action of the Holy Spirit always sustains and will sustain the Church until the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ for the second time. Now, every time the Church tries to illuminate a specific human reality, it always tends to create controversies and serious criticism about it from within and from without, some in favor and others against. Even more so, when it comes to issues related to the determination of gender identity groups, homosexuality, couples in irregular situations, etc. That goes against the moral principles of the Church and its doctrinal teaching.
It turns out that the ministers of the Church have always blessed people and things. I believe that conflict and controversy arise when irregular couples approach us to request the blessing. What to do? How to act in the face of this reality? In this situation or others, we must always be faithful to conscience and to God to do the greatest and best possible good. I could highlight four points that would help us address the issue and heal it:
- The blessing performed by an ordained minister is valid and its divine purpose is not limited by being in a specific space or place. The blessing is Christ’s command to his disciples to confirm his brothers in the faith.
- People with different existential realities, sins and faults come to our temples and our Christian communities, not to continue in them, but to change, live and proclaim the grace of renewal of life. Blessed are those who seek Him and find Him with a sincere heart.
- God wants all men to be saved and come to the knowledge of the truth (1 Tim 2,1-8)
- How much arrogance, how much self-sufficiency! How little we respect the sacrament of Reconciliation, in which he awaits us to rise from our falls! This is also present in his passion. The betrayal of the disciples, the unworthy reception of his Body and his Blood, is certainly the greatest pain of the Redeemer, the one that pierces his heart.
To be honest, in real life, the church full of sins and shadows, still pending to illuminate and purify, does not stop causing scandals and sadness, me first, but we must also highlight the work of Divine Grace and its gifts to sanctify and relieve in the name of the Lord those who come tired and burdened by the wounds of life.
We cannot help relieve others if we are not first able to heal ourselves with the balm of charity; no one gives what they do not have.
Life in Christ will never end and he is the Lord of human history and Divine Redemption: To each their own – They will not prevail (“To each his own – The gates of Hell will not prevail”)
May the Lord grant us the grace of true communion, personal and pastoral conversion not to scandalize, but so that in following Jesus Christ we achieve coherence in our actions and actions for the good of all generations.
