Marriage Equality and Relational Justice

The decision to legalize same sex marriage in Ireland has started to resound around the world and has reignited the discussion of marriage equality in Australia. Currently in the Marriage Act of 1961 marriage is defined as, “means the union of a man and a woman to the exclusion of all others, voluntarily entered into for life”. What seems to be most at question is whether we are discussing marriage equality or relational justice? Equality of its essence means having similar status, rights opportunities as other citizens, justice on the other hand has elements of respect that each person should be treated the same. There is an equivalence to these two essentials to human life but they also have distinct differences. A person can be recognized as a person’s equal in their rights before the law but unequal in their opportunities to express that equality. Law of its essence can do so much, it can recognize inequality and seek to remedy it but it does not ensure justice. Justice is essentially an element of humanity which provides respect and dignity to the other.

What appears essential to this discussion is not only the equality and justice for the couple with same sex attraction but also the equality and justice for their children. We know of the difficulties that have been present in other marriages where the rights of parents need to be balanced with the rights of children. This is especially evident in cases of divorce and remarriage. There is also the need to balance the rights of the third party who either through surrogacy, fertility programs or adoption have rights which also need to be respected. What is evident is not only a spirit of equality between two people but also a spirit of justice. In all relationships, law can be a blunt instrument which can only state what it intends. What is needed is also a spirit of justice which seeks to balance these competing goods between all the parties to a marriage.

As Christians how can we value the dignity of sacramental marriage between a man and a woman which seeks to naturally preserve the good of the couple and the goods of children while also showing our respect to couples with same sex attraction? There are no easy answers to this question as it touches on belief, tradition and practice. Many of the images of marriage speak of the relationship between God and humanity. There is also an essence of the Trinity in which all relationships are called to be mutually faithful, creative and productive. A giving and receiving of one for the other. How can we preserve the dignity of sacramental marriage when it could potentially differ from marriage recognized by civil law? Can we live with difference and diversity? What impact would this have on how religious celebrants preside at marriages which are currently both civil and sacramental celebrations?

Called to walk with Jesus not work for him

I think sometimes in our ministry we can fill a little bit like Phil in Groundhog Day. We can seem to repeat the same day over and over again and seem to make little progress. We can often work hard in our parishes to make a difference to people’s lives. We are active in our schools, we celebrate the sacraments, and we seek to live the liturgical year. But are we caught up in a time loop which seems to keep bringing us back to the same starting point. There is a sense in which our lives can become if we let it to be an endless line of activities. In our own lives as Diocesan clergy it can be easy to see how we can be tempted to become managers of God’s graces rather than participants. We can start to care more about buildings and processes rather than about people. We can know more about policies than the Gospel. We can become more concerned about numbers rather than hidden wealth. We can speak from what others have told us rather than living it for ourselves.

Yet at the heart of our lives Jesus seeks to guide us to become closer to God the Father. He seeks to consecrate us by his word that we may live no longer for ourselves but for him. It is a deeper truth that seeks us out and seeks to enliven our lives. As Pope Francis said those given leadership in the church are not called to be managers but servants that imitate a Jesus who deprived himself of everything and "saved us with his mercy." In many ways he gives us the contrast presented in every life where, on the one hand each person can struggle to think only of himself and seeks to take advantage of his situation as opposed to the considering the needs of those around him and gives of himself. Pope Francis stresses that Christ the pastor is a thoughtful guide that participates in the life of his flock, not searching for other interests, not having other ambitions than those of guiding, feeding, protecting his sheep."

In our own life and ministry we are called to search for this deeper truth which will allow us to become people of mercy not sacrifice; to become people of Easter Sunday not Good Friday, to welcome people by discovering the one who welcomes us. Our pilgrimage of faith is one which seeks the truth of the matter that our lives have eternal value and in living from that truth we discover Jesus who calls us to walk with him not work for him.

Be a light for the world

At night time it is possible to ponder the stars and to be amazed by the immense beauty of creation. We can sit back and contemplate the light that is received. Yet scientists would tell us that this light that we see now actually puts us in touch with a history which has since passed, It is the paradox that we can present to a history which is alive and active in our present. This is actually the reality that we experience in the story of the ascension. It is a historical event which touches us deeply in the present. It would be easy to become paralyzed by this very realization much as the disciples were. They became present to the resurrected Christ but wanted to pin him down to a certain point in history whereas his mission was for all ages. The light he shines on the heart of creation reaches out to the cosmos. We are called to be in touch with his creative life which transforms our own. It calls us to become those pinpricks of light which are called to bring beauty and life to our world. We are called to radiate and magnify that life to others. We are called to be a people on mission who proclaim the Good News to our world by the lives we live.

We become what we love!

The Gospel message from this coming weekend talks to us about remaining in the Father's love. The reality of falling in love is one of the greatest dimensions of human life. It allows us to be fulfilled and creative at the same time. The importance of choosing how we love and whom we love marks out our existence as human beings. It allows to give expression to a deeper sense that we have been called into existence by somebody who has loved us into being. This weekend we give special recognition to our mothers who have carried us and walked with us. They have helped at the most intimate and fundamental part of our lives. They have helped to shape and form us into those early years of our life. The fact that we are here today allows us to give thanks for the lives that we can share with others.
Today we can give thanks for our mothers and our ability to shape the lives of others. They help us to understand more deeply the love of God which forms us to be people capable of loving others. As Christians we are called to be people who are shaped by that Word which creates and recreates us each day. May we follow that commandment to love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength and to love our neighbour as our ourselves.