7th Friday - Real Marriage vs Homosexual Non-marriage

  

 In the Gospel, Our Lord speaks about marriage and He quotes from the book of Genesis. Jesus said, “…from the very 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.”

Marriage is a mutual self-gift. On the wedding day, each spouse totally gives oneself to the other. Both mutually promise to live all the days of their life in sickness, and in health, for richer for poorer, in good times and in bad. This promise lasts until death, until do they part. Marriage is designed, so that each person helps the other, on their journey toward heaven. Every day from the moment of the marriage until death, they are called lay down their life, for the sake of the other, and to give themselves totally to the other.

Marriage is a reflection of the mutual self-gift of the Blessed Trinity. God the Father gives Himself totally to the Son. Jesus gives Himself totally to the Father, and the love between them is so great, that there is another person, who is the Holy Spirit, who totally gives Himself to the Father and the Son.

Today, there are some who are advocating homosexual marriage. But homosexual marriage is no marriage at all because there can not be a total gift of one self to the other. And there can be no children-the fruit of total gift of oneself. It is also clear in scripture that homosexual acts are serious sins. Recall that God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah because of homosexuality. St. Paul in his letter to the Corinthians said, "Or do you not know that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals."

Pope John Paul II spoke about marriage. He said, “Marriage, which under-girds the institution of the family, is constituted by the covenant whereby "a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of their whole life", and which "of its own very nature is ordered to the well-being of the spouses and to the procreation and upbringing of children". He said, “Only such a union can be recognized and ratified as a "marriage" in society. Other interpersonal unions which do not fulfill the above conditions cannot be recognized, despite certain growing trends which represent a serious threat to the future of the family and of society itself.”

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops said, “Marriage is a basic human and social institution. Though it is regulated by civil laws and church laws, it did not originate from either the church or state, but from God. Therefore, neither church nor state can alter the basic meaning and structure of marriage. Marriage, whose nature and purposes are established by God, can only be the union of a man and a woman and must remain such in law. In a manner unlike any other relationship, marriage makes a unique and irreplaceable contribution to the common good of society, especially through the procreation and education of children. The union of husband and wife becomes, over a lifetime, a great good for themselves, their family, communities, and society. Marriage is a gift to be cherished and protected.”

We need to also remember those who suffer from homosexual inclinations often times cannot help these kinds of thoughts. The Church teaches that homosexual acts are gravely sinful. One who has these tendencies are to strive to live chaste lives, to turn away from these kinds of thoughts. Only when one embraces a sinful thought does it become a personal sin. The Catechism of the Catholic Church teaches in 2358 “The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God's will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord's Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition.” And CCC 2359 states: “Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection.”

We pray Mary and Joseph will intercede for families and help us to defend the true meaning of marriage and pray for those who suffer from homosexual inclinations.