We’ll soon turn our attention to another
portion of the midterm report from the Extraordinary Synod on the Family that
raised eyebrows: how it spoke of “positive aspects of civil unions and
cohabitation.” But first we need to understand three foundational principles of
ministry that were spelled out in this document:
1. We must keep our gaze on Jesus and
imitate his gaze.
2. We must operate from the “law of
gradualness,” not “gradualness of the law.”
3. We must discern and affirm the values
present in wounded families and irregular situations, then work from there.
Let’s briefly visit each of these
principles.
1. With regards to imitating Jesus, Pope
Francis says we must practice the “’art
of accompaniment,’ which teaches us to remove our sandals before the sacred
ground of the other.” This means we recognize the dignity of every human
being as a child of God made in his image and likeness and treat them
accordingly, no matter their situation.
2. The “law of gradualness” recognizes
that nobody goes from their current state of imperfection to the fullness of
the divine image in one leap. Everyone grows in stages--some grow more quickly
than others, some may be able to skip some steps while others move one at a
time, some fall back a step after taking two forward, etc. The law of
gradualness calls for patience, and trust in the varied ways God works in
people’s lives.
This is not to be confused with
“gradualness of the law,” the fallacy that the law does not apply to people who
have not yet reach the stage where they can follow it, that the law should be
adapted according to each individual’s ability to follow it.
3. Discerning and affirming values
present in irregular situations means we find the good in a situation and build
upon it, rather than condemning the situation outright. Instead of using an
approach that says “You’re wrong, you’d better change your lifestyle or you’re
going to hell” (which immediately builds walls of defensiveness and alienation and
accomplishes nothing), we use an approach that begins with
“You’ve got some good things going for you, I can see where God has been
working in your life,” which builds the trust and openness that is the
foundation for a respectful examination of other things that need to change.
Such an approach is reminiscent of
the words of St. John XXIII in his opening address at the Second Vatican
Council:
“The Church has always opposed these errors, and often
condemned them with the utmost severity. Today, however, Christ’s Bride prefers
the balm of mercy to the arm of severity. She believes that present needs are
best served by explaining more fully the purport of her doctrines, rather than
by publishing condemnations.”
With those principles established,
we’ll examine some of the “irregular situations” the Synod discussed in my next
post.
