Pope Francis recently caused a stir in a number of Catholic circles by stating that transgender people can be baptized and act as godparents or witnesses to a wedding in the Church. This statement exacerbated an already tense situation with some conservative Catholic bishops in the United States who have objected to the Pope’s attempts to welcome members of the LGBTQ+ community to the Church. Is the Pope moving the Church away from some of its basic teachings, or is he trying to bring the Church to be more welcoming to all without judgment? Let’s take a look.
What Does Jesus Say about Judging Others?
Jesus has been clear in scripture how He wants us to act towards each other:
Matthew 7: 1-2 – 1 Stop judging, that you may not be judged. 2 For as you judge, so will you be judged, and the measure with which you measure will be measured out to you.
Luke 6:37 – 37 “Stop judging and you will not be judged. Stop condemning and you will not be condemned. Forgive and you will be forgiven.
Luke 6: 36 – 36 Be merciful, just as [also] your Father is merciful.
John 8:6-9 – 6 They said this to test him, so that they could have some charge to bring against him. Jesus bent down and began to write on the ground with his finger. 7 But when they continued asking him, he straightened up and said to them, “Let the one among you who is without sin be the first to throw a stone at her.” 8 Again he bent down and wrote on the ground. 9 And in response, they went away one by one, beginning with the elders. So he was left alone with the woman before him.
2 Timothy 4:1 –1 I charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who will judge the living and the dead, and by his appearing and his kingly power.
Jesus tells us He is the judge of the world. We will all have our time with Jesus to account for ourselves and our actions. In the meantime, we are asked not to judge, but to accept others for who they are, to love them and take care of them. The Bible is also clear about the definition of marriage, and the Church’s position on homosexuality, but our job is to love all people as our neighbor and to fulfill the responsibilities that Jesus asks of us in Matthew 25: 31-46. As a Church we should be welcoming to all no matter their political views, sexual identity, sexual preferences, or how they live their lives, or even the team they support – Philadelphia Eagles fans (jk).
We Need to do Less Judging and More Loving!
Too often we tend to ostracize those we do not agree with. You see it in our everyday lives – the division between us on everything from politics and race, through sexual preference and sexual identity. The decisions that all people make in their lives is between them and Jesus. I believe that Jesus is asking us to welcome everyone and treat all like the children of God we are. Let’s do that. Let’s try in the coming week to put aside any pre-determined feelings, opinions, or bias against anyone and just treat them like God’s children. We need to figure out how to bridge the gap in society today and come together as a people. I believe the division is fueled by the main stream media (MSM), and social media. Maybe we need to take a break from anything that separates us and just treat people the way you want to be treated. Please share your experience if you do make a conscious effort to look past the division and focus on the person. I am also interested in your thoughts and feelings related to this specific issue, and how we can be more welcoming as a Church in general. I will respond to your comments as quickly as I can.
God Bless
Ad-Free & Subscriber Log-In