Wednesday, October 28, 2020

FOR THE VIOLENT BEAR IT AWAY

Several days ago, the archbishop of Agana, Guam, Archbishop Michael Byrnes, issued a letter in response to comments made by Pope Francis in support of civil unions for same-sex couples. 

In the letter Archbishop Byrnes rightly and correctly stated that the pope's comments do not change Church teaching. 

Apparently, certain persons on Guam took offense to the Archbishop's comments and KUAM ran an article titled: "Guam LGTBQ members share thoughts on archbishop's same-sex marriage stance"

Yesterday, radio talk show host, Bob Klitzkie engaged the KUAM article on his afternoon show "Tall Tales," and I (Tim Rohr) called in. 

You can listen to what I said, but the gist of what I said is that what Archbishop Byrnes said is NOT his "stance." 

Neither the Archbishop nor the Pope has the authority to change Church teaching. 

More after the video.

The challenge in these days of poorly catechized Catholics (and even clergy) is defining what is meant by "the teaching of the Church." 

The Catholic Church is the only Church which can and does trace its "deposit of faith" to Christ and the Apostles, i.e. "one, holy, catholic, and APOSTOLIC faith.

Other "churches" trace their "deposit of faith" to the Bible, and more specifically, to one individual's particular interpretation of the Bible, which is why there are more than 30,000 "churches."

And this is why so many churches these days (e.g. Episcopalians) believe themselves divinely empowered to not only embrace homosexual marriage, but also authorized to ordain openly homosexual men and women into the ministry, the priesthood, and even the bishopric.

So when Archbishop Byrnes says that the pope's comments don't change Church teaching (capital "C"), he is functionally saying that not only do some off-hand comments by the pope in a documentary NOT carry any "ecclesial weight," Archbishop Byrnes is also saying that the pope has NO AUTHORITY to change that which was handed down from Christ through His Apostles and continues to live before us today.

I'm glad I listened to this next video till the end because I almost turned it off. It appeared that Archbishop Byrnes was caving. A certain Glenn Lujan had just said "God loves us all and he forgives us...

Before I tell you how Archbishop Byrnes responded, let's be clear, God does love us all, God does want to save us, God does want to bring us home to heaven, and God DOES want to forgive us. BUT WE MUST REPENT AND PROMISE TO "SIN NO MORE." - Jesus, John. 8:11 

So it doesn't matter if we are in a same-sex union, an adulterous union, or an intentionally contraceptive union; unless we "firmly resolve with the help of thy grace to sin no more" (the Act of Contrition), there is NO forgiveness. NONE.

Now, back to what Archbishop Byrnes said.

In this radio segment, it appeared at first that Archbishop Byrnes was making this about his personal beliefs and not the Apostolic Faith; and that Mr. Lujan was getting the better of him. However, Archbishop Byrnes shifted gears and said "Sin is Sin." 

We don't know what happened after that because KUAM cut the interview at that moment, but not before Mr. Lujan's face showed that he didn't have an answer. 

Perhaps that's why KUAM cut it?


Jesus said a lot of strange things, and this is one:

"And from the days of John the Baptist until now, the kingdom of heaven suffereth violence, and the violent bear it away." - Matthew 11:12
Look it up if you want. There are many interpretations. But Jesus himself showed us what it means to sacrifice your body when he permitted his own Sacred Body to be subjected to the most torturous violence ever allowed by God: the Sacred Passion and Death of Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. 

And having paid that price, Jesus now sits "at the right hand of the Father" and will come to "judge the living and the dead." 

For the violent bear it away.

5 comments:

  1. I have nieces and nephews who are into "same-sex-union", and I have told them about my feelings of this acts, and I have also told them I still Love and Respect them as my relatives and as "Children of God"..., I just don't like the same-sex-union.

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  2. Above we read: "...unless we 'firmly resolve with the help of thy grace to sin no more' (the Act of Contrition), there is NO forgiveness. NONE. But then there is James 2:13, “Mercy triumphs over judgment.” How do you reconcile James with the Act of Contrition?

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    1. Jesus was crucified between two thieves. Which one did he show mercy to?

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  3. The one who said, "Remember me..." I don't see in the thief's words an explicit act of contrition. It is rather an acknowledgement of Christ's kingship.

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    1. 39 Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, "Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us."

      40 The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, "Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? 41 And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal." 42 Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."

      43 He replied to him, "Amen I say to you today you will be with me in Paradise." LK 23:39–43

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