25A 2014 BOYNES
I'm gonna be brief because we also have the blessing of our catechists during Mass today...
You may have caught this in the news since last weekend: Pope Francis certainly has people all worked up again! Last Sunday, he married 20 couples in a joint ceremony in Rome. Turns out, some of them had lived together or had children before getting married. Now this happens all the time in Catholic parishes. Its not the ideal, but it is allowed under Church law...especially if they've gone to Confession and been Reconciled.
As you can imagine, there was strong reaction on both sides of the issue. The major networks reported it as another sign that Pope Francis is a 'rule breaker', as if this was something that was not allowed within the Church. They brought up other issues that they hope he will change, to be more 'with the times.'
The news broadcast I heard was even expressing the hope that divorced Catholics would be allowed to receive Communion someday.....well, they already can! Its only an issue if they marry again without having the first marriage annulled. Then they are out of communion with the Church. But divorce in itself does not prevent anyone from receiving the Eucharist.
Please share this with people who may think otherwise...there is too much misinformation out there, and too many people are away from the Church when they don't need to be.
Back to the Pope and these 'controversial' weddings. There was also a strong reaction from some Catholics, but in the opposite direction. I read comments that claim he's ruining the Church, or that he's not worthy to be called Catholic! Do they assume the Pope doesn't know Church law? Do they assume that these couples have not gone to Confession and been Reconciled with God and with His Church? Makes me sad.
Pope Francis was making a public gesture, he was sending a message. He's not saying that cohabitation or having children out of wedlock is ok. He's encouraging those who are outside the grace of the sacraments to turn around, to be reconciled, and come home.
This actually ties in really well with our Gospel reading today. Jesus tells a parable about a landowner and some workers in his vineyard. The landowner keeps hiring more workers, right up to the last hour of the day. The twist is, even those who were hired last still got a full day's pay. Of course, those who worked all day were not happy...even though they got "the usual daily wage" to which they had agreed.
The point of the parable is that God's love and mercy are not limited. It's not like a pie - where more people sharing means each one gets less. It's a bottomless well, an endless banquet.
We should rejoice when people come back to the table.