Rousing Her Radiance: Day 27
Author: Andrew Comiskey
November 06, 2023
Overcoming
Domestic Violence
‘Without a firm understanding of our biological sex and the God-given purpose of men and women to love, support, and protect each other, we are lost and cut off from the goodness Jesus wants for us all.’- Garrett D. Johnson
The
Christian mom who had just poured out her heart to the pastor about her ‘out-and-proud’
son responded to his counsel incredulously: ‘You mean I must embrace him as ‘gay’
because that’s who he is and that’s how God made him?’
For
parents with a conscience, such counsel is nothing short of domestic violence. Sure,
I know like any parent that kids venture through a lot in search of identity and
intimacy. But as coauthors of a son or daughter, we have a vested interest in
that child’s fruitfulness. We cannot agree with a label that caps his or her
creativity. It does violence to a young life; it does violence to parents who naturally
want more for their children.
If a
child discloses conflictual desires with a parent, what a sacred trust! We hear
him or her with tenderness and gratitude for such trust. But we don’t even
consider defining him or her according to disordered desires. We tune our love
according to their needs, dignifying a person by confirming the gift of his manhood
or her womanhood.
That’s
why the Church needs to be crystal clear on radiant Jesus who leads all His members
into chastity: integrating one’s sexual gift and growing (as we all must) to
give that gift well. That’s why our leaders must embrace chastity and resist
decisively the temptation to name a person according to mere desires.
We
name him son, her daughter, of one Father and summon that one in the authority
of a good Mother Church who provides the one remaining refuge from LGBTQ+
madness. The enemy is cunning here: pastors may think they are advocating for
the child, defending his or her ‘true’ self and even preventing an early death
by suicide. No, we tenderly yet firmly behold and bless the real man or woman
behind the rainbow veil. This is our call as members of one Church.
Let’s
raise up these foundations now, good Church. If we don’t, there will be hell to
pay. Again, heed those churches that confirmed LGBTQ+-identified persons in
Jesus’ name. Heed the fallout of endless discussions on what ‘gay’ couple
deserves blessing, why your Catholic middle school can’t have a ‘gay’ club, how
to manage the marriage that blows up when Jim is free to be Jane. If we let it,
that error will divide individuals, families, churches, schools, universities, and
seminaries.
In
the end, it will empower pastors to confirm our children as LGBTQ+ Christians,
as did the pastor in my opening example. As a father who understands same-sex
attraction well, I wouldn’t let such a pastor near my child.
Take
heart. Parents are getting the memo and upping their game to guide kids well.
Last week a fine Christian father introduced himself to me after Sunday
service. A teacher at a Catholic school, he recounted how 20 years earlier God
put on his heart ‘that if the Church doesn’t teach chastity well now, our kids
will be lost to sexual disorder in the future. To my concern but not surprise, I
just noticed two persuasive promotions for LGBTQ+ gatherings on campus.’ But he
added: ‘I love chastity more than ever. And my son who struggles with his
sexuality does too. We are learning together how to integrate the gift of our
masculinity.’
He
asked how else he could help his son. Easy answer: ‘Your humble accompaniment
of your son toward chastity is the answer to the domestic violence provoked by LGBTQ+
stuff.’ What a guy. What a father. My spirit soared home from Mass.
‘Thank
You Jesus for raising up mothers and fathers who can cast a clear vision of
chastity for their children! We who co-created them can highlight the path and encourage
them to take it. Give us faith, hope, and love for our pastors in this hour,
that we might encourage them too. They have authority to confirm real personhood;
may each one do so with conviction and compassion.’
‘Father,
we thank You for Jesus who established the Church on a Rock against which hell
will not prevail (Matt 16:18). We pray for every Christian leader to build on
Her firm foundation of sexual clarity and integrity. Father, unmask the
deceiver and divider of Christians and unite us in one Spirit. As weak members
of Christ, we ask for truth to guide our pursuit of sexual wholeness, for grace
to sustain it, and for spiritual power to transform us. May we reflect the
chaste radiance of Jesus (2 Cor. 3:18) as we “shine like stars in the universe,
holding out the word of life” (Phil. 2:15-16) to a lost and hurting world.’
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