The Synod of Bishops has concluded in Rome. Occasionally contentious, it succeeded in addressing a wide range of issues that touch on the family. Most agree that a lot of spunk was shown. Pope Francis will have the final say.
The Holy Father got the Synod off to a good start with his opening homily. The subject was marriage. Here is an excerpt:
“He [God] made men and women for happiness, to share their journey with someone who complements them, to live the wondrous experience of love: to love and to be loved, and to see their love bear fruit in children, as the Psalm proclaimed today says.” The emphasis on the complementarity of men and women is a clear statement reaffirming marriage as a union between the two sexes; the comment on procreation underscores this point.
“This is God’s dream for his beloved creation: to see it fulfilled in the loving union between a man and a woman, rejoicing in their shared journey, fruitful in their mutual gift of self.” Again, the pope’s clarity on this subject leaves no wiggle room for misinterpretation.
Unfortunately, some commentators evinced an ideological agenda by seeking to spin the proceedings their way. They treated the three-week gathering as if it were a Las Vegas event open to bettors.
There is plenty of time to distill the findings when they become available. Fairness dictates, however, that politics should be put aside.
