Truly Accompanying Others and the Synod on Synodality

Walking with others and accompanying them on their journey in life is seen by the world as loving them just the way they are and accepting them. In Christianity, however, we are called to challenge the beliefs of others and speak the truth in love, leading others to God and to their true purpose of serving Him in life. When we water down the Gospel in order to fit in and try to make others like us and want to join us, we harm our own relationships with God and we lead others astray and further away from God as well. Standing up for the truth of the Jesus Christ and His Church is not easy, but it’s necessary if we wish to truly lead others to God and have our reward in heaven. The Synod on Synodality, beginning in October, threatens to lead many astray, even those within the Faith, with discussions on LGBTQ issues and how to “welcome” those in that community and other issues contrary to the moral law of the Church. Once we open the door to these things and let the world dictate how we teach God’s law, it becomes the world’s law instead of God’s and it is very hard to turn back without first suffering serious repercussions.

The Synod seems to be opening the door to trying to change Church teaching on things that cannot be changed, such as homosexuality, by using the terms “dialogue” and “walking with LGBTQ people” as a gateway that is in danger of ultimately accepting those people just as they are. This is particularly evidenced by the decision to let laypeople in on the discussions of the Synod, instead of sticking with bishops and others within the Church hierarchy who have formal training in theology and the moral law. Letting others come in and voice their opinions and actively listening to them and considering them is not the job of bishops and priests; their job is upholding the doctrine of the Church as taught by Christ and the apostles which has been handed down to us. The truth of human sexuality has been taught from the very beginning, with God creating them male and female and telling Adam and Eve to be fertile and multiply (Genesis 1:27-28). Acting as though we can possibly change this is usurping God and making our own law. If we want to truly walk with the LGBTQ community, we have to point out their sin and accompany them back to union with Christ and His Church. And that is the job of these synods, not bringing people who are uneducated about or disinterested in the moral law in to try to “expand” the Church’s thinking on certain modern issues. This cannot be done anyway, as Hebrews 13:8 tells us “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.”

Please pray and also fast if you can for the Synod and its participants, that they may come to realize their purpose in the Church and what they are supposed to be teaching to the faithful. May this Synod end up bearing good fruit and through the intercessions of St. Peter, St. Joseph, and St. Michael, may the Church be kept from evil.