Understanding Truth

"The Church seeks to enable every person to live out the universal call to holiness. Persons with a homosexual inclination ought to receive every aid and encouragement to embrace this call personally and fully. This will unavoidably involve much struggle and self-mastery, for following Jesus always means following the way of the Cross...The Sacraments of the Eucharist and of Penance are essential sources of consolation and aid on this path."

USCCB

The human person has infinite worth in the eyes of Jesus. He has deemed His creatures most special and irreplaceable, that in order to redeem them from their fallen state, He willingly chose to suffer unspeakable torments and then die for the salvation of humanity. Therefore, we have been purchased at an unattainable price and it is our duty and our joy to give our lives to the Lord and to follow His commands and truly, "His commandments are not burdensome."*

God has created the human heart to love and to be loved. This deep desire of the human heart can only be fulfilled and find it's climax in the Lord Jesus. Peace of mind and soul can only be attained in following Christ's commandments. God has designed marriage to be between a man and a woman. He took the rib of Adam to form Eve, and desired Eve to be Adam's sustainer, his beloved through all of life. Throughout history, homosexuality has been a grave issue of humanity. By giving into carnal passions, the results of these immoral actions are chaos and discord both within the soul of the person, and within the nation. An example of this is in the Old Testament, when Sodom and Gomorrah were utterly destroyed because of the havoc and chaos of sexual sin. Whenever we take what God had initially designed for our good and distort it to fit our own passions and desires, i.e. marriage, the fruits produced are rotten.

"Be at peace with your own soul, then heaven and earth will be at peace with you."

St. Jerome

Due to our fallen nature and the result of original sin, we are imperfect creatures and have to suffer the consequence of sin. People who suffer from an inclination towards same sex attraction, must understand that this is an affliction. It was never a desire that God had given to the human person, rather it is a result of sin and of our fallen nature. Same sex attraction is not to be celebrated or revered as something praiseworthy, rather it is to be understood as a weakness that can only find it's strength in Jesus Christ. Solace and strength from this affliction can only come from God. People who suffer from this and do not act upon their inclinations, can unite their struggle to Christ's Passion and Death and thus gain merits. However, for those who give into their carnal passions, they separate themselves from the Fount of all Goodness, Jesus Christ, and incur guilt upon their souls.

"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? For you have been purchased at a price. Therefore, glorify God in your body." *

Holy Matrimony is called to mirror the Holy Trinity, a life-giving union of love that brings forth life. The vocation of marriage is to love and bring forth life. To understand why God has designed marriage to be between a man and a woman, it suffices to know that only by conjugal love can another life be brought into this world. Only by a man and a woman can God further expand His family on earth.

"The matrimonial covenant, by which a man and a woman establish between themselves a partnership of the whole of life, is by its nature ordered toward the good of the spouses and the procreation and education of offspring; this covenant between baptized persons has been raised by Christ the Lord to the dignity of a sacrament."

CCC*

God is faithful and His desire for all of humanity is for them to live in peace; "Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you."* Peace is what the heart desires, but only by living in obedience to God's Laws and Commandments, will the soul ever attain this sweet solace. When the soul comes to know the irresistible and infinite love of God, seeking to bring Him greater glory and honor will consume the soul. The love of God surpasses every desire, and coming to know the Lord will the soul truly understand that He has their best interest in everything. God wishes to satisfy the human heart, but He is unable to do so when the soul chooses to give into carnal passions, when the soul chooses to spurn grace and submit to homosexual inclinations.

There is hope for the thirsty soul, and God wishes to bring healing and happiness to all who come to Him. Jesus does not wound the soul when He draws close. Let us draw close to Him and allow His Divine Gaze to penetrate our inmost desires and be transformed. Let us offer our love and prayer to Jesus, the Divine Healer, for all the sins of homosexuality committed against His Most Sacred Heart.

Let us receive His healing and merciful love, and be His recipient of peace to all.

St. Jerome, pray for us.

Notes:

1 John 5:3

Catechism of the Catholic Church

1 Corinthians 6:19

John 14:27