EDITORIAL

The Challenge and the Joy of Love

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Last week, the Holy Father released the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation “Amoris Laetitia” — “The Joy of Love.” Principally this document explains the beauty of the Christian understanding of marriage. Based on Sacred Scripture and the Magisterium of recent Popes, “The Joy of Love” reads as a mediation on the positive vision of marriage and family presented by Christ and His Church.

The document challenges us too. It asks if we could do better preparing couples for marriage and supporting them especially early on in married life. It asks if we could do better explaining to the people of our time the beautiful and challenging teaching of Jesus about marriage and family.

Contrary to many media reports, no doctrine has been changed (because truth is unchangeable) and no pastoral practice has been altered. None. The words of Jesus about marriage and family remain the words of Jesus about marriage and family. The joy of the Gospel continues to have a challenge, namely, the call to conversion of life.

But the Pope is asking that we do better — in fact much better — at reaching out to everyone, especially those who feel excluded. This invitation comes with a call to conversion — leaving behind what is contrary to the Gospel.

In our broken world, that might take time. So we have to be patient. Patience and mercy don’t mean we are weak or lax. Like the apostles of old, the Pope wants us to call everybody — in whatever situation — and invite them into the net of the Church. Leave no one behind, the Pope tells us. Invite everybody to the conversion necessary for their worthy reception of Holy Communion. “The Joy of Love” is a challenging text but one that is well worth our while.