1 Sm. 16:1-13; Mk. 2:23-28

When one hears “Amoris Laetitia” what comes to mind?  Perhaps to the world it has no meaning.  Others know it is an encyclical from Pope Francis but not much else.  Some understand the encyclical is about “love” especially the love of neighbor.  In church circles there is much focus and discussion on one particular chapter which appears to imply that it is possible for persons divorced and remarried without an annulment of the first marriage to receive communion.  This is an interpretation that some within the church seek to have a clarification from the Pope.  Cardinal Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State has called this section of the encyclical a “paradigm shift” and a “new spirit”.  Others fear this teaching is outside of the church doctrine on adultery and the law of God.

In today’s gospel Jesus comes and his acts are considered outside the law of God.  The Pharisees see that by picking the heads of the grain they violate the laws of the temple and church tradition.  Jesus announces two important points in his response to the Pharisees.  First “The Sabbath was made for man and not man for the Sabbath.”  Second, the “Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.”   Looking at the first point he reminds the Pharisees that the law of God is for the good of humanity.  How the law is applied has to have a universal good if we all belong to the same body of God.  When the body is attached by cancer the cancer cells are living off of the body causing the body to suffer and die.  The cancerous cells live for themselves and not for the whole body.  If the law of love gives life to the universal body of God then it is a good but if it lives for itself and the universal body suffers then the interpretation is not from God.  The second point is of same importance.  The Son of Man, Emmanuel, God with us in Jesus governs the law.  He then gives the example where David violates the law of the temple to do a good to meet the need of hunger.  Here we see a conflict between the personal need and the body of faith and how Jesus judges what is good.

The Church universal speaks to the fact that the act of sin is always judged the same.  While the act remains a sin it also much judges the intention, the understanding, and the free will to commit the act.  This does not indicate the act was not a sin but the circumstances also are a factor.  This reminds me of a Spanish saying translated as “all cannot be covered with the same blanket”, thus all are not judged the same.  You must judge the universal good and the personal good together so that love may be fruitful.

This encyclical reminds me when the Vatican II documents were published.  The interpretations led some to understand the documents to mean a change of paradigm and a new spirit.  There were changes such as the priest turning to face the people during mass instead of giving his back.  Mass began to be held in the local language instead of Latin.  Statues of saints were less displayed in the church to catechism began changing to themes more applicable to social life and not memorization of doctrine.  The outcome was mixed.  The people understood more the rites and participated more in the mass.  There was greater awareness of the church body obligation to participate in the gospel message and in evangelizing others to the faith.  There is the recognition that there are large number of Catholics who do not know their faith, don’t study their faith, and don’t come regularly to mass with a desire to worship in thanksgiving but in silence seeking to receive more than to give.

We see the law of God is universal and personal because it exists both in the church and in the human heart.  It must live and give fruit in both.  Thus in the first reading of Samuel we see how God works is not with human eyes.  Samuel sees with human eyes and believes God picks Eliab for king to rule the people.  Eliab was of “lofty stature” and his appearance must have been of a strong leader.  From all the seven sons God selects David, the youngest and sheep herder and says, “There – anoint him, for this is he! …and from that day on, the Spirit of the Lord rushed upon David”.

We all receive through our baptism the oil of catechumens and the oil of charism that God will increase our understanding and the Spirit descend and remain with us.   May we lead our people, our homes according to his will and our lives be free from sin y filled with the grace of his love.

The hope of God in David and in us is for a response in faith to God as our Father, our strength, our salvation united as one body and not divided by the law.  He judges our actions and knows our hearts and fulfills the law in our hearts.  Some wish to take Amoris Laetitia to say the new spirit accepts and blesses relationships committed to homosexuality.  Others interpret it to include the need to accept some level of artificial birth control.  Careful with taking liberty that some seek to have that brings confusion where the devil manifests itself.  It is not of God who is the God of truth, goodness, beauty, and love.  May the God of love triumph!