Magister: A Letter From the Apostle Paul to the Synod

Edit: it will probably appear soon enough in English, but sometimes the practice is good.  Besides, Magister's observation about the readings at the Synod are cutting, if not prophetic.

(Rome) Currently, the Synod Fathers are discussing the divorced and remarried, and homosexuality.   Sandro Magister points out how the readings of Holy Mass gives an answer to the controversial questions posed by the  Synod Fathers.  This happened in relation to homosexuality the past few days. 

The Word of Apostle Paul --- without Censure  

By Sandro Magister

Since the Synod Fathers have begun with the discussion of the third part of Instrumentum laboris, that one with the controversial statements, the Masses for each day contain a section from the Letter to the Romans, the theological masterpiece by the Apostle Paul.  

Also here, as it so happens, was on Sunday, the 4th of October with the opening Mass, as it is in all the churches throughout the world, the words of Jesus in the Gospel of Mark were heard: "What God hath joined together, let no man put asunder. " (See Erste Rede bei Bischofssynode hält der Heilige Geist – Exklusiv der vollständige Wortlaut ) 

What a Coincidence: Holy Scripture Gives the Answer to Homosexuality 

However, the coincidence between Synod and order of readings had nothing to do with the indissolubility of marriage, but with another hot topic: the homosexuality.

On Tuesday, the 13th of October, the first chapter of the Letter to the Romans included a reading if verses16-25. 

Paulus says therein: "For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and injustice of those men that detain the truth of God in injustice:  Because that which is known of God is manifest in them. For God hath manifested it unto them. For the invisible things of him, from the creation of the world, are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made; his eternal power also, and divinity: so that they are inexcusable."

And further: " Because that, when they knew God, they have not glorified him as God, or given thanks; but became vain in their thoughts, and their foolish heart was darkened. For professing themselves to be wise, they became fools. And they changed the glory of the incorruptible God into the likeness of the image of a corruptible man, and of birds, and of fourfooted beasts, and of creeping things. Wherefore God gave them up to the desires of their heart, unto uncleanness, to dishonour their own bodies among themselves. Who changed the truth of God into a lie; and worshipped and served the creature rather than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen."

The Reading Itself Ended Here But Not Paul's Letter 

In the Mass of the 13th of October the reading ended at this point and continued the next day with the second chapter of the letter to the Romans. 

Indeed, the first chapter of the letter of Paul to the Romans did not end  at this point. The reading bashfully omitted this passage, of which the Synod Fathers themselves can't be ignorant.

Paul continued and clearly said what he meant with this reference by "impurity,"   „to dishonor their bodies among themselves."

It is there with the unsettling completion of the first chapter in the Letter to the Romans: 

  For this cause God delivered them up to shameful affections. For their women have changed the natural use into that use which is against nature. And, in like manner, the men also, leaving the natural use of the women, have burned in their lusts one towards another, men with men working that which is filthy, and receiving in themselves the recompense which was due to their error.  And as they liked not to have God in their knowledge, God delivered them up to a reprobate sense, to do those things which are not convenient; Being filled with all iniquity, malice, fornication, avarice, wickedness, full of envy, murder, contention, deceit, malignity, whisperers, Detractors, hateful to God, contumelious, proud, haughty, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, Foolish, dissolute, without affection, without fidelity, without mercy. Who, having known the justice of God, did not understand that they who do such things, are worthy of death; and not only they that do them, but they also that consent to them that do them.

Catechism of 1997: Homosexuality is a sin that "cries to heaven."  

If Paul says that, then it is clear that the Synod Fathers, who are aiming to alter the doctrinal and pastoral paradigms of the Church in matters of homosexuality, will surely have some difficulties to bring their proposals into agreement with the "Word of the living God", as it shows at the end of a reading in Holy Mass.

It is even more increasingly clear that in substantial parts of the Church that the portrayal of practicing homosexuality as a sin is disappearing as a relic of the past. And although the Catechism of the Catholic Church, not that of the celebrated Pius X of 1905, but the "new" one of 1992 in the Editio typica of  1997,  just as before, "the sin of homosexuality" is among the "sins crying to heaven," together with murder, oppression of the poor and withholding the payment of just wages. 

Those who wish to endorse  homosexuality can be contradicted  with the argument that it would be praeter Scripturum,   that it's not only outside of scripture, but would even be  against Holy Scripture. This is what Waldensian pastor  Paolo Ricca  did in 2011 and countered his Protestant confreres who were endorsing homosexuality.

Even in the Catholic world there are no lack of Catholic theologians and bishops who are prepared to maintain, that Saint Paul is not to be taken literally, but in the  historical "context" of his time, which had been heavily prejudiced, "patriarchal", and full of "ethno-religious condemnation," which today would be unacceptable. 

The Franco-German "shadow synod," which took place last May in the Gregoriana, whose main actors sit in the real synod, themselves maintain exactly this modern "reading" of Holy Scripture in the light of predominant modern thought.  

Translation to German: Giuseppe Nardi

Photo: Settimo Cielo

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com

AMDG