Father John J. Lombardi
Is Christ King-Royal
Leader and center of our culture? Of our
world?-of our country? It sometimes seems not.
The Lord, Religion and moral life are gradually
being displaced in our country today. It's as
simple and assaultive as the removal of prayer
from our schools; displacing the Ten
Commandments from public discourse and
courtrooms; possibly removing God's Name from
the Pledge of Allegiance. And now, the assault
on marriage and biblical morality thru approving
and advancing sexual aberrations.
Step by step, morals and
the Mystical Body of Christ are being exchanged
for Mammon and the mystification of moral
relativism. There are plenty of issues-moral,
spiritual, doctrinal we Catholics need to face
in today's world. We need to wake up: It's the
twenty-first century. The German philosopher
Nietzsche prophesied that humanity would descend
into nothingness, trying to take hold of its own
destiny without God. True? . "Sleeper, awake,
rise from the dead. " (Eph 5:14).
Years ago I went to
seminary to learn about priesthood. I took a
moral theology class with an excellent teacher
and fine gentleman-priest. Trouble was, he was a
dissenter from Catholic teaching. He was for, in
some cases, extra-marital-sexuality and
homosexual relations in "loving situations and
with good intentions;" he also questioned the
Church's position on contraception. This is
called consequentialism and situation ethics.
Further trouble was: this seminarian was
influenced (with free choice) by the teacher.
When Rome invited the professor to recant his
positions or remove himself from being an
authentic Catholic moral theology teacher, the
seminarian and others supported him, dissenting
from the Church. The professor was eventually
removed from the University and the seminarian
eventually converted. Converted to what?- "Veritas
Splendor"-the splendor of Catholic truth. It
took a while, but.
Those relativist ideas
planted by the moral theology professor are
sprouting. I read the headlines screaming in
this past Wednesday's New York Times lead story,
loud and laced with bias: a high court in
Massachusetts struck down a law which banned
homosexual marriages or unions. This is a
watershed event. So are two earlier ones this
year: a Texas court struck down sodomy laws in
that state, and a month ago, an Anglican
priest-divorced and openly practicing a
homosexual lifestyle-was "ordained" a bishop of
that community. Three decisive events in one
year. Marriage, the Catholic and Christian
Faith, the family and United States culture are
in for challenging times-Culture Wars Continued.
Christians have been too naVve
and un-prophetic in these last decades. Why?
Because of over-comfortability with the culture;
lack of moral realism (naiveté)
and prophetic, counter-cultural sense---false
peace (saying "Peace when there is no peace"-
Jer 6:14). Upshot: Christians have accommodated
too much.
Regarding the
Massachusetts decision there are many
interweaving issues which are disturbing and
challenging to Catholics and others. First,
Homosexuality.
Basically, homosexualism (distinguishing a
movement from individuals who may be trying to
lead chaste lives) is being "engineered" into
our culture-as an acceptable lifestyle and
alternative to traditional marriage. It is
steamrolling along. Some Christian churches,
too, are accommodating-by fiat or silence.
Further, some progressivists and moral
anarchists pose a seeming moral illusion to
Catholics and Christians-"You can't have it both
ways. You can't say homosexuality is wrong, (an
aberration, as the Church teaches) and be
compassionate to individual persons with this
condition." Cultural engineers are preaching
that you are prejudiced, rigid and homophobic if
you merely question any of their agenda. You are
labeled--that's it. Response: You can both
challenge immoral legislation and "group-think,"
and be compassionate towards persons who are
homosexual. Just as God loves a homosexual
person so should we give respect
analogously---while questioning homosexualism's
wrongful aspects. Native Marylander and black
writer, Frederick Douglas, both challenged
slavery and also had compassion toward white
people. You've heard the saying: "All evil needs
to exist and continue" is for good people to do
nothing"... For legitimate information regarding
homosexuality, contact Courage, a Catholic
healing ministry : St. John the Baptist Church,
210 E. 32st Street, New York, NY 10001, email:
Nycourage@aol.com, internet: www.couragerc.net,
phone: 1-212-268-1010.
Exodus International
groups can offer genuine, Christ-centered
alternatives to current cultural
coagulation...PO Box 540119, Orlando, FL 32854,
phone: 1-888-264-0877, internet:
www.exodus-international.org
"Judicial activism"--This
clunky phrase means that judges and courts are
acting like legislators-making laws from their
courtrooms by their "active-aggressive" rulings,
instead of interpreting existent laws, thus
changing the culture by not-so-subtle fiat.
Don't think so? Think of the Dred Scott
Decision-in 1857 which legitimized slavery;
think of Roe v. Wade which sanctioned abortion
in 1973. Culture was radically changed because
of these so-called laws Also: the Boy Scouts as
a private organization were almost required by
courts to deny God (which is part of their honor
code), and accept openly homosexual and
atheistic persons. Some American courts are now
not above the times, prejudice, bias and
impartiality as they are called to be. Immoral
laws are being passed, enacted or created, and
Christians should be aware of this. Read Vatican
II: "At all times the Church carries the
responsibility of reading the signs of the times
and of interpreting them in light of the
Gospel." The culture is getting more hostile.
Response: We need more
St Thomas Mores to help. He was a lawyer,
chancellor of sixteenth century England, a daily
Mass communicant who stood up to King Henry when
he asked for illegitimate legislation (a
divorce). His Courage and Love shows us how to
defend the Faith, Pray for legislators, lawyers
and government officials; write to them, impel
them to defend traditional morality and
principles of family, and cultural life.
Recently I read an
article this summer and it caught my attention:
"When deviant behavior gets respectable." It
detailed the new book, "The Politics of
Deviance," by Ann Hendershott, who documents
that issues such as improper sexuality, drug
abuse and pedophilia were being legitimized by
scholars in past decades. She also profiles how
the American Psychological Association revised
its diagnostic manual so that neither child
molestation nor pedophilia would be termed
psychologically bad. Point: deviant behavior is
being legitimized-by smart, powerful, pushy
people.
Truth: The Chief
Justice of Massachusetts said in this week's
ruling: "Our obligation is to define the liberty
of all, not to mandate our moral code." And yet
that is what is happening-they are evangelizing
a new ethic. Judges today are mandating
morality-thru a ruse, thru subtlety--just as in
slavery thru Dred Scott and abortion Roe v Wade.
The Supreme court ruled this in Pennsylvania v.
Casey years ago when it said everyone could
define happiness as they wanted, and thereby
continued Roe and the abortion culture. This
was, again, judicial activism-runaway courts.
The Chief Justice also
said that this new sanction for "homosexuality
unions" would not threaten marriage. We are
being told that immorality is not wrong, that
opposite models of morality (as in marriage)
will not hurt traditional models. We've heard
this before--like the "Pro Family, pro- child,
pro-choice" bumper sticker morality, and studies
now showing that TV. violence does negatively
affect children. Here's a saint's response to an
analogous ruse of reasoning--on abortion: Mother
Teresa said: You can't kill children thru
abortion and pray for peace at the same time.
Ergo: You can't promote homosexual unions and be
a biblical believer or family preservationist at
the same time. P.S.: not all homosexual persons
are for this and some are as upset as the rest
of us, showing us we can challenge wrongs (homosexualism)
and still be compassionate towards individuals.
(cf. David Kyle Foster: www.gospelcom.net)
Tom Perkins, of the
Family Research Council said in the New York
Times: "It is inexcusable for this (Mass.) court
to force the state legislature to fix its state
constitution to make it comport with the
pro-homosexual agenda of the court justices."
President Bush has said emphatically that he
will defend the sanctity of marriage-which he
defines and defends as between a man a woman.
Response: "Truth can turn" today. In January, a
Bishop in California challenged the
pro-abortionist-Catholic, past-Governor, Gray
Davis, to re-think his position and refrain from
Holy Communion. Senator Tom Daschle was
challenged to remove Catholic references to his
self-promotion since he is pro-abortion.
Regarding homosexuality,
review these important distinctions for
Catholics. Notice-they are not mutually
exclusive points:
Homosexuals are loved
by God and should be respected by all of us
(Catechism of the Catholic Church- # 2358).
Homosexual persons can move toward perfection
and chastity (#2359). Homosexuality is
"objectively disordered" (#2358). Catholics
should be wary of lawmakers who introduce
legislation toward the approval or legitimacy
of homosexuality as normal, equivalent to
marriage-legislators have the serious moral
obligation to oppose it (Vatican Document).
Our country is so
paradoxical: at the World Series "America the
Beautiful" is sung and cheered to; meanwhile,
abortions are procured. Most Americans go to
Church on Sunday and yet prime time TV mocks
purity and prudence. Is Christianity
transforming the culture or is the culture
transforming Christianity?
When in that moral
theology class years ago, this priest read a
famous book, by R. Neibhur, called: "Christ and
Culture." It presented models of how to
evangelize our world. Which one do you think
best to make Christ the King today? Christ
against culture ("Do you think I came to
establish peace. No, rather division"- Jn.
12:51-this Sunday's Gospel). Christ over culture
("My Kingdom is not of this world"-Jn 18:36,
Christ with culture ("Render unto Caesar. .").
Christ transforming culture ("Be not conformed
to the world, but be renewed by the
transformation of your mind" Rm 12:2). There are
advantages and disadvantages to each model, but
one point is clear- Christ must be part of the
equation!
How to Respond:
Know, Love and Defend
your faith-study your Religion-Bible and
Catechism; be able to give answers and reasons
for your hope (I Pt. 3:15). Defend and Love Your
Family-a building block of the civilization of
love and a "domestic church"-nothing can replace
this. Make Christ King and center of your heart
and world.
Briefly Noted
Abortion-Last week we
got a call from an irate Catholic (thank God!).
She said there was an airbrushing story of a
Catholic politician who is pro abortion. What's
new, you ask? Well, the Catholic paper gave him
a full-spread two pages, glowing pictures and
three paragraphs to explain his side of
legitimizing the killing of children (in MD.
many abortions are repeats). The story closed
with a warm picture of him thinking of heaven
and all the good he had done. One person said
she was devastated when she read it. Our Lady,
Mother of God: Pray for US!
Remember: every abortion
can be forgiven and healed (Call Project Rachel:
phone 1-800-286-4224 or 1-410-354-6900.)
Thanks giving-what are
you thankful for? Everyday count three blessings
God gave you during your day. A spiritual
alphabet:
Altars for sacrifice.
Body and soul. Catholicism. Divine
Office/Liturgy of the Hours-Psalms to meditate
upon. Eucharist-Jesus Himself!...Faith. Gospels
of Jesus Christ. Holy People. Images and Icons.
Jesus Christ. Kingdom of God ("within us"-Lk
17:2) . Liberation from sin. Mystical, inspiring
saints like Catherine of Siena, . Nativity of
Jesus/Christmas. Oratio=prayer. Paradise-a hope
to long for. Queen of Heaven-Virgin Mary.
Reconciliation. Silence. Twelve apostles who
answered The Call. Unity of God in Three Divine
Persons. Viaticum-"food for the way". Worship.
Francis Xavier-great preacher. Zion-Holy Beacon.