Piercing the Darkness, Rousing Her Radiance

‘The light shines in darkness and the darkness cannot overcome it.’- John 1:5

The only good thing about Pope Francis’ confusing suggestion that the Church bless same-sex unions is clarifying his ‘gay’ agenda. That applies to the synodal gathering occurring this month in Rome, a peculiar group of advisors inclined to Francis who will ‘discern’ together what the Spirit is saying to the Church concerning, among other things, recognition and inclusion of LGBTQ+ persons.

Well, at least we know where this synod is heading. What can we do as the last bastion of moral sanity on the planet mobilizes to fly the rainbow flag? We pray.

And take heart that the Light of the Church is Jesus, not a pope who, however winsome, has become an unwitting foe of vulnerable people seeking chastity amid a world hell-bent on seducing them with a host of sexual indignities. I say that soberly. If Joe Biden wants to confirm and defend my queer immorality, that’s one thing. But the Pope? I gasp but am grounded in the truth that Jesus shines brighter than Francis’ deepening confusion.

His suggestion that we discern which ‘gay’ couples deserve our blessing (some may not, apparently) is based on the presumption that ‘we cannot become judges who only reject, deny, or exclude’ people, however immoral they may be. Francis’ counsel denies two things: the dignity of human choice (we can exclude ourselves through sexual idolatry) and the call of every Christian to make sound moral judgments. The only judgment Francis is entrusting to the faithful is the impossible task of parsing good ‘gay’ couples from not so good. That’s wacky.

I suffer most for young Catholics facing same-sex attraction who aspire to sexual wholeness. Francis cannot father them. Hear me friends: Jesus will never confuse, only clarify, His narrow way for you.

A few years ago, I was at the Cape of Good Hope at the very tip of Southeast Africa. Shipwrecks abounded along the foggy, rocky coastline until a megawatt light was dug into a wall of rock to guide ships around the treacherous cape. Surprisingly, visitors to the Cape (me included) were led to believe that the fairy-tale lighthouse we hiked uphill to see was the real deal. I knew its small light couldn’t guide me to the bathroom. I went off the beaten path and discovered the light dug in rock, mightily positioned to save lives.

I take heart today. Francis and Father Martin and a host of synodal ‘progressives’ may well be congratulating themselves as they traipse toward the fake lighthouse. They may even mistake their confusing agenda for spiritual clarity. None can stop the Light that beams from the Rock, keeping safe and strong those whose hearts won’t bend to Baal.

Please join our prayer fast this Wednesday as we ‘Rouse Her Radiance.’ Anyone within driving distance to our offices is welcome to join us at 3pm CST every day through Sunday Nov. 17th. Timely, eh?