By: Sarah Gutekunst
I have no doubt all of you are aware of the Supreme Court decision, legalizing gay marriage. My first thought was, “Wow, what a crazy time we live in!”
I then started thinking about a book I have been reading, Unbroken. It is the true story of a man born in World War II who witnessed and experienced horrific events as a Japanese P.O.W. It is a story of his conversion and forgiveness. I think of St. Maximilian Kolbe, who lived to give his life for another during the Holocaust. I think of Mary Magdalene, who witnessed the degradation, abuse, and crucifixion of our Lord. I think of Mother Teresa and her time in Calcutta with the poor. I have no doubt they had the same thought at some point, “Wow, what a crazy time we live in!"
I think of those holy men and women and realize God chose those men and women to live for a specific purpose during a specific time. We too have been divinely picked to live during a specific time and see the unfolding of specific events in human history. We have witnessed the legalization of abortion and the loss of millions of babies’ lives. We watched the September 11th attacks, followed by the war on terror, resulting in the loss of many lives to war and the emotional toll of PTSD for many of our soldiers. We can all recall mass shootings at elementary schools, movie theaters, and churches. And 50 years from now, we will be able to recall the day the United States legalized gay marriage.
I said a Rosary today. As I was meditating, I thought of the disciples in the upper room after Christ had died. What fear they must have felt! They knew the truth but the truth was so counter-cultural. Speaking the truth would only bring them ridicule, label them as outcasts, and likely cost them their very lives. But God provided! God gave them the strength they needed by pouring the Holy Spirit into their hearts and with that strength they went out into the world and baptized nations!
There is a very SPECIFIC reason that YOU were put in this world during THIS time. God has a purpose meant solely for you to fulfill and he didn’t leave you without the appropriate weapons for battle. We have our Church and its teachings. The Church is a gift to us from Christ himself and is a source of truth. The Church teaches us that marriage is a sacrament between a man, a woman, and God. There may be a civil union between two same sexed people, but it will never be a sacramental marriage. It cannot. It is impossible.
Many people are joyous for our gay brothers and sisters, stating that no one should be denied the gift of married/sexual love, no matter the form it takes. This reaction is full of compassion, but the Church teaches us that this thinking is misplaced. YES, we want happiness for everyone including our gay brothers and sisters, but living in accordance with God's commandments is what brings lasting happiness and peace. Jesus both forgives us and calls us to conversion, to a change in life (John 8:11). We are ALL called to chastity, no matter our sexual inclinations.
This is a truth that is hard to share. It is tempting to go into hiding, to stay quiet, to let the world do as it wishes with the souls of this world. But God did not put you here for that purpose. He put you here to be fishers of men. To speak truth to people through our words and our actions. To be a living example of a sacramental marriage and to help others to the truth. As Catholics, we must stand up for traditional marriage. You represent the faith through your words and actions and it is our job as Catholic Christians to share the truth with all of the souls of this world. I will pray for all of you and your sainthood as you discern God’s purpose for placing you in this world at this specific point in history.
“There is no other subject on which the average mind is so much confused as the subject of tolerance and intolerance. Tolerance is always supposed to be desirable because it is taken to be synonymous with broadmindedness. Intolerance is always supposed to be undesirable, because it is taken to be synonymous with narrow-mindedness. This is not true, for tolerance and intolerance apply to two totally different things. Tolerance applies only to persons, but never to principles. Intolerance applies only to principles, but never to persons. We must be tolerant to persons because they are human; we must be intolerant about principles because they are divine. We must be tolerant to the erring, because ignorance may have led them astray; but we must be intolerant to the error, because Truth is not our making, but God’s. And hence the Church in her history, due reparation made, has always welcomed the heretic back into the treasury of her souls, but never his heresy into the treasury of her wisdom.” ~ Fulton Sheen
Some resources to further educate yourself on the ruling:
USCCB Statement on the ruling
Maintain witness to Marriage
Catholic, Gay, and Feeling Just Fine
How to Talk to Your Children about Homosexuality The Catechism on Marriage
The Catechism and Homosexuality
I have no doubt all of you are aware of the Supreme Court decision, legalizing gay marriage. My first thought was, “Wow, what a crazy time we live in!”
I then started thinking about a book I have been reading, Unbroken. It is the true story of a man born in World War II who witnessed and experienced horrific events as a Japanese P.O.W. It is a story of his conversion and forgiveness. I think of St. Maximilian Kolbe, who lived to give his life for another during the Holocaust. I think of Mary Magdalene, who witnessed the degradation, abuse, and crucifixion of our Lord. I think of Mother Teresa and her time in Calcutta with the poor. I have no doubt they had the same thought at some point, “Wow, what a crazy time we live in!"
I think of those holy men and women and realize God chose those men and women to live for a specific purpose during a specific time. We too have been divinely picked to live during a specific time and see the unfolding of specific events in human history. We have witnessed the legalization of abortion and the loss of millions of babies’ lives. We watched the September 11th attacks, followed by the war on terror, resulting in the loss of many lives to war and the emotional toll of PTSD for many of our soldiers. We can all recall mass shootings at elementary schools, movie theaters, and churches. And 50 years from now, we will be able to recall the day the United States legalized gay marriage.
I said a Rosary today. As I was meditating, I thought of the disciples in the upper room after Christ had died. What fear they must have felt! They knew the truth but the truth was so counter-cultural. Speaking the truth would only bring them ridicule, label them as outcasts, and likely cost them their very lives. But God provided! God gave them the strength they needed by pouring the Holy Spirit into their hearts and with that strength they went out into the world and baptized nations!
There is a very SPECIFIC reason that YOU were put in this world during THIS time. God has a purpose meant solely for you to fulfill and he didn’t leave you without the appropriate weapons for battle. We have our Church and its teachings. The Church is a gift to us from Christ himself and is a source of truth. The Church teaches us that marriage is a sacrament between a man, a woman, and God. There may be a civil union between two same sexed people, but it will never be a sacramental marriage. It cannot. It is impossible.
Many people are joyous for our gay brothers and sisters, stating that no one should be denied the gift of married/sexual love, no matter the form it takes. This reaction is full of compassion, but the Church teaches us that this thinking is misplaced. YES, we want happiness for everyone including our gay brothers and sisters, but living in accordance with God's commandments is what brings lasting happiness and peace. Jesus both forgives us and calls us to conversion, to a change in life (John 8:11). We are ALL called to chastity, no matter our sexual inclinations.
This is a truth that is hard to share. It is tempting to go into hiding, to stay quiet, to let the world do as it wishes with the souls of this world. But God did not put you here for that purpose. He put you here to be fishers of men. To speak truth to people through our words and our actions. To be a living example of a sacramental marriage and to help others to the truth. As Catholics, we must stand up for traditional marriage. You represent the faith through your words and actions and it is our job as Catholic Christians to share the truth with all of the souls of this world. I will pray for all of you and your sainthood as you discern God’s purpose for placing you in this world at this specific point in history.
“There is no other subject on which the average mind is so much confused as the subject of tolerance and intolerance. Tolerance is always supposed to be desirable because it is taken to be synonymous with broadmindedness. Intolerance is always supposed to be undesirable, because it is taken to be synonymous with narrow-mindedness. This is not true, for tolerance and intolerance apply to two totally different things. Tolerance applies only to persons, but never to principles. Intolerance applies only to principles, but never to persons. We must be tolerant to persons because they are human; we must be intolerant about principles because they are divine. We must be tolerant to the erring, because ignorance may have led them astray; but we must be intolerant to the error, because Truth is not our making, but God’s. And hence the Church in her history, due reparation made, has always welcomed the heretic back into the treasury of her souls, but never his heresy into the treasury of her wisdom.” ~ Fulton Sheen
Some resources to further educate yourself on the ruling:
USCCB Statement on the ruling
Maintain witness to Marriage
Catholic, Gay, and Feeling Just Fine
How to Talk to Your Children about Homosexuality The Catechism on Marriage
The Catechism and Homosexuality
