A Response to "Reflections on Pride"

Pope Francis is fond of using the word “accompaniment.” People in the church are more and more being encouraged to accompany you. So have hope in your church. 

FATHER JAMES MARTIN, SJ

At the outset, I have to say that the Society of Jesus is no longer the same one founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola. I cannot repeat the dreadful things I have heard about the order because they are too scandalous. What I can say is that parents should never allow their children to be around a Jesuit priest. They should also refuse to send their children to Jesuit schools and universities. I also feel for those good Jesuits who serve our Lord faithfully as Jesuits but who may be tarred with this brush. Please pray for your order.

I will begin with this tweet from Father James Martin:

Pope Francis is speaking about gays and lesbians in ways that would have gotten anyone else disciplined, censured or silenced ten years ago.

— James Martin, SJ (@JamesMartinSJ)

Now, Father Martin loves Pope Francis. They are both Jesuits. But in his glee to praise his pontiff, he has confessed more than he realizes. Basically, he has called Pope Francis out for being a closet heretic needing discipline, censure, and silence. Father Martin recognizes what so many others deliberately refuse to see or acknowledge. He does the faithful a favor though it was not his intention.

The Church's teaching on homosexuality is clear. Here is the Catechism of the Catholic Church on the matter:

2358 The number of men and women who have deep-seated homosexual tendencies is not negligible. This inclination, which is objectively disordered, constitutes for most of them a trial. They must be accepted with respect, compassion, and sensitivity. Every sign of unjust discrimination in their regard should be avoided. These persons are called to fulfill God’s will in their lives and, if they are Christians, to unite to the sacrifice of the Lord’s Cross the difficulties they may encounter from their condition. 

2359 Homosexual persons are called to chastity. By the virtues of self-mastery that teach them inner freedom, at times by the support of disinterested friendship, by prayer and sacramental grace, they can and should gradually and resolutely approach Christian perfection.

The teachings of the Roman Catholic Church are clear. Homosexual acts are sinful. They cannot be excused, tolerated, or supported. But they can be forgiven. And those with same sex attraction are called to live in chastity.

Do Jesuits like Pope Francis and Father Martin support homosexual license? The answer is obvious--not yet. But we will get there perhaps in the next decade. This is clearly the hope of Father Martin who never explicitly comes out in support of the wrong until the wrong has been declared right. This is that "Jesuitical" thing they have going on over in the SJ. They affirm church teaching while working to change what can't be changed. Here is the definition of Jesuitical from Dictionary.com:

adjective

1. of or relating to Jesuits or Jesuitism.

2. (often lowercase) practicing casuistry or equivocation; using subtle or oversubtle reasoning; crafty; sly; intriguing.

Now, imagine I were to use Jesuitical methods here. Imagine a religious order that has a majority of its members that were homosexual and practicing that lifestyle in an open way. Imagine an order that goes off to conferences that are merely covers for meeting with gay lovers and engaging in sodomy and orgies. Let that image sink in to your mind. Then, see this order covertly working to undermine the Church's teaching on sodomy to make it more "inclusive" and using words like "accompaniment" to smooth over the harsh truth that gay sex is sinful. But, hey, we're just imagining here. Right?

We can go on and imagine that the members of this order use their various teaching posts and positions in various universities and high schools to push this subtle agenda along with things like religious indifferentism, Marxism disguised as "social justice," and the undermining of national sovereignty under the guise of "climate justice." Saul Alinsky would find much to like in this religious order.

We will leave all of this at the level of imagination for the time being as we dig into Father Martin's latest piece for America entitled "Reflections on Pride." It is basically a Jesuitical pat on the back and an encouragement for active homosexuals that they are winning. Hang in there, homosexuals. We are winning in our battle to bring down the Magisterium. Let's begin with the first paragraph;

This weekend in New York City the LGBT community celebrates “Pride Weekend.” In the wake of the Orlando massacres, this event takes on great significance. Now, not every LGBT person will march in a parade this weekend or this month. Some people prefer to stand on the sidewalks and cheer. Some don’t much like parades at all. Sadly, some still have a hard time accepting who they are, and also struggle with their relationships with God.

 Let me decode this one for you, Gentle Reader. Basically, Father Martin is giving a shout out to active homosexuals who would like to be more open about their sinful lifestyles but can't because they are CATHOLIC. Let's go to the second paragraph:

So I’d like to offer some reflections for LGBT Catholics, and for LGBT youth in particular, who may be struggling with their relationships with God and with the church.

You thought I was kidding with that first decoding, but you can see it clearly in the second paragraph. He makes it clear that he is addressing those LGBT Catholics. And his "reflections" are merely encouragements to these people living in mortal sin that the Church will soon descend to the level of their sin and remain there. Here is the third paragraph:

First of all, remember that you were created by God. Psalm 139 says about God, “For it was you who formed my inward parts. You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works.”

This is where Father Martin tells us all about the doctrine of the imago Dei. I concur with Father Martin. We are all made in God's image. All human beings possess an inherent dignity, and the way you treat your fellow men and women is the same as how you treat our Lord. We will be held to account for our words and actions to these people. Unfortunately, a Jesuit likes to twist the imago Dei to deny sin. He does this in the fourth paragraph:

Have you ever thought of it that way? God knit you together in the womb. God made you the way you are, and gave you to the world. You are God’s gift to the world. You are, as the psalmist says, “wonderfully made.”

Basically, Father Martin is telling gay people that God made them gay. If God made you this way, how can it be wrong? Besides, everybody's a sinner. Father Martin makes this point in the fifth paragraph:

Second, for those who feel excluded from the church, remember that you have as much place in the church as the pope does, or your local bishop does—or I do. How do I know this? Because you were baptized. With the sacrament of baptism, you were welcomed into the church. At First Communion, you were welcomed around the table of the Lord, and at Confirmation you were sealed with the Holy Spirit.

This is where I agree with Father Martin. The sacraments do make you a part of Christ's body. You can be forgiven. But that's the problem. To be forgiven, you have to be penitent. You have to admit that you are a sinner. If you can't admit that homosexual acts are sinful, then you are not allowed at the table. But Father Martin addresses that objection in the sixth paragraph:

Of course it doesn’t stop there. You need God’s grace, you need to confess your sins and you need to be open to continuing conversion. But so does everyone else. So you’re just as much a part of the church as anybody.

Father Martin doesn't say anything heterodox here, but his subtle message over these two paragraphs are clear. Those priests, prelates, and popes who are orthodox can't tell you to leave. And they are sinners, too. This is where Father Martin is wrong. They can tell you to leave. It's called excommunication, discipline, and the rest. Father Martin knows this as evidenced by his tweet above. But the tell-tell is the term "continuing conversion." Now, I know this as sanctification as we grow to become more holy. For Father Martin, you need to be "open" to continuing conversion. What's the difference? It is St. Augustine's prayer to "make me chaste but not yet." It is a subtle distinction sort of like being open to paying rent to the landlord. For the landlord, what matters is getting his check. He doesn't care about your "openness" on the matter. Good intentions are just the paving stones for the road to Hell.

Father Martin continues with the seventh paragraph:

Third, listen to what Pope Francis says in his apostolic exhortation "Amoris Laetitia," "The Joy of Love." “We would like before all else to reaffirm that every person, regardless of sexual orientation, ought to be respected in his or her dignity and treated with consideration, while ‘every sign of unjust discrimination’ is to be carefully avoided, particularly any form of aggression and violence.”

This is Father Martin catching the pass from his Jesuit buddy in the Petrine office. Now, I abhor violence done to homosexuals such as when ISIS tosses a few off of a building or one of their nutjobs shoots up a gay nightclub in Orlando. But should a Christian baker be fined six figures for refusing to bake these people a wedding cake? Should a New Yorker be fined a similar amount for the misuse of gender specific pronouns? I would be interested in some clarification on these issues. For some reason, I don't think I am going to get clarity from these vague Jesuits. On to the eighth paragraph:

You may feel that the church hasn’t always welcomed you but things are changing. Pope Francis is fond of using the word “accompaniment.” People in the church are more and more being encouraged to accompany you. So have hope in your church.

This is Father Martin's money shot here. This is that vague "accompaniment" we heard about during that dreadful Synod on the Family. What does this accompaniment mean? Let me bring some clarity to this vagueness. Basically, accompaniment means when a priest or prelate overlooks your sin and lets you take sacraments while being in an objective state of mortal sin in defiance of our Lord and the teachings of the Magisterium. It's like being a lawbreaker but knowing the judge will ignore the written law and let you skate. The reason this is tossed out there is to acknowledge that the Church's teachings can't change, but you can count on the corruption of clerics. On to the ninth paragraph:

Fourth, try to find a parish where you feel welcomed. I know that can be hard. Many big cities have parishes that welcome LGBT Catholics, but not all of them. In that case, try your best to find a parish where you can worship in peace with your brothers and sisters. Sometimes Sunday Masses run by campus chaplaincies at local Catholic colleges or universities may feel more welcoming.  Everyone should feel welcome in church, including you.

Father Martin is talking about those heretical parishes that host gay masses. The New York Archdiocese is full of this garbage with many gay priests living in open sin. Notice that Father Martin says "big cities." This means you need to stay in the closet if you find yourself in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Father Martin points to the split in the Church between those who are faithful and those who are heterodox in their beliefs. Once the Church changes to their mindset, then it can be unchanging. This is evil worming its way diabolically into every bit of the Church using subtlety and craftiness and "accompaniment." Father Martin continues in the tenth paragraph:

Fifth, remember that Jesus loves you. Often LGBT people feel on the margins in the church. But in the Gospels, we see how Jesus consistently goes out to people on the margins, welcoming them into the community. Jesus always sought out those people who felt excluded and made them feel included.

Father Martin has to sandwich his heterodoxy between two slices of orthodoxy, so this slice of bread is the truth that Jesus loves sinners and forgives them. Yet, He somehow loves the sin of sodomy despite what His church teaches. This is the kind of garbage you will find in those heretical Protestant churches like the Episcopal Church. The love of Jesus is "inclusive" and "accompanies" and all the rest.

I have no use for such a touchy feely Messiah. This is because such a Messiah is unreal. Beware those who sell you a sugarcoated Christ. Jesus loves you, but He still condemns those who do not love Him to eternal damnation. Our love for Him should also be accompanied by the fear of offending Him. Yet, Father Martin continues and ends with the distortion:

So get to know Jesus—by reading the Gospels, spending time with him in prayer, encountering him in the Eucharist and finding him in your brothers and sisters. Jesus understands you. He gets you. So get to know him.

Overall, have pride in who you are: a beloved creation of God, a member of the church, and a brother and sister to Jesus, who loves you more than you can know.

Folks, the Jesus you encounter in the Gospels is not an LGBT agenda supporter. The gospel of Father Martin is that homosexual acts are not sins, and Jesus forgives you anyway. Father Martin is free to correct me on the matter at anytime by simply stating in plain language that homosexual acts are objectively disordered and sinful. For some reason, I don't think I will ever get that correction. What I will probably get will be a lot of warnings about homophobia and all the rest couched with a vague threat about making life difficult for me in the Church. Here is my response to Father Martin and to the Society of Jesus:

But let your speech be yea, yea: no, no: and that which is over and above these, is of evil. 

MATTHEW 5:37 DOUAY-RHEIMS

Christians should speak plainly and without being vague or deceitful. This means that Jesuits should stop being Jesuitical. That is one of the things I like about Martin Luther. He was not given to vagueness or abstraction in his thoughts or speech.