THESE two should be together, like an unbreakable, organic pair, or
like the two sides of the same coin, or like marriage where the
principle of “what God has put together let no one put asunder” has to
apply.
They need each other, establishing a relationship that should be
worked out and enriched along the way. It is therefore a living,
dynamic relationship, not an inert, passive one.
But to be realistic, we have to learn to distinguish between the two
and to admit that some tension is always involved in their
relationship. The ideal has to be pursued in the context of the
concrete conditions and circumstances of the parties involved, and
always in reference to God’s will.
The relationship should not just be a matter of one’s good intentions
and estimation of things. It has to be forged by dint of prayer,
study, personal contact with people, continuing monitoring of
developments, etc.
Especially these days when the Pope is pushing for what is called the
Church of mercy and compassion, and when some proposals, like those
raised in the recently held synod on the family, sparked a raging
controversy as to how to wed charity with truth, mercy with justice,
we need to know how to develop this relationship properly.
The challenge is right in front of us. We cannot avoid it or ignore it
for long. Life has moved on to another level of development with their
corresponding good things and the inevitable problems, issues and
questions, if not, clearly bad things also coming out.
The thing to remember as a basic guideline to tackle this matter is
that the ideal relationship between doctrinal orthodoxy and pastoral
charity can only be found in the mind and the ways of God. We can only
reflect and approximate that proper relationship to the extent that we
are willing to identify ourselves with God’s mind and ways.
Of course, the will and ways of God can be discerned not only from the
doctrine and dogmas so far defined by the Church, nor only from the
rich traditions and established practices developed through the years
in the Church, but also from the continuing developments in the world
through which God also continues to speak to us.
The Spirit of God continues to intervene in our lives, no matter how
we shape and develop our lives. We always need to be perceptive of his
promptings that can come to us like the wind.
We have to be ready to go along with these promptings that can demand
of us to go farther from the current state of our beliefs and
practices. While it’s true that the objective body of faith is already
given to us, our subjective understanding, appreciation and
application of it will always be an endless process.
We also need to understand that the will and ways of God are not
confined only to some letter, to some doctrine or dogma, to some
theories and principles. They are mainly spiritual and supernatural
that go beyond, without nullifying, what we can humanly articulate.
Our usual problem is that we tend to absolutize what in fact only have
a relative value, since they are always subject to many factors that
can vary, like the historical, cultural, social, not to mention the
personal that can be quite unique to each one of us.
Our generalizations, otherwise valid and necessary, can also overstep
their limits. This is when our laws and traditions degenerate into
isms, frozen and blind to the real and concrete needs of the people
and deaf to the promptings of the Spirit. This is when we would have
legalism, traditionalism, rigorism, etc.
We should not be afraid to continually review and examine how things
are with respect to the proper relationship between doctrinal
orthodoxy and pastoral charity, and much less afraid to do the
necessary corrections, purifications, adjustments and adaptations.
Aside from having a general assessment of things and people, what is
actually more needed is to have direct personal knowledge of the
people. Thus, individual personal spiritual direction is most needed.
We also need to understand that the ultimate and culminating doctrine
of our faith is that Christ assumed all the sins of men by offering
his life on the cross. Our doctrinal orthodoxy should go to that
extent. Otherwise we would not be orthodox enough.
Christ preached and clearly told us what is right and wrong. But in
the end he perfected his redemptive work by dying on the Cross. That’s
where doctrinal orthodoxy and pastoral charity become one.
like the two sides of the same coin, or like marriage where the
principle of “what God has put together let no one put asunder” has to
apply.
They need each other, establishing a relationship that should be
worked out and enriched along the way. It is therefore a living,
dynamic relationship, not an inert, passive one.
But to be realistic, we have to learn to distinguish between the two
and to admit that some tension is always involved in their
relationship. The ideal has to be pursued in the context of the
concrete conditions and circumstances of the parties involved, and
always in reference to God’s will.
The relationship should not just be a matter of one’s good intentions
and estimation of things. It has to be forged by dint of prayer,
study, personal contact with people, continuing monitoring of
developments, etc.
Especially these days when the Pope is pushing for what is called the
Church of mercy and compassion, and when some proposals, like those
raised in the recently held synod on the family, sparked a raging
controversy as to how to wed charity with truth, mercy with justice,
we need to know how to develop this relationship properly.
The challenge is right in front of us. We cannot avoid it or ignore it
for long. Life has moved on to another level of development with their
corresponding good things and the inevitable problems, issues and
questions, if not, clearly bad things also coming out.
The thing to remember as a basic guideline to tackle this matter is
that the ideal relationship between doctrinal orthodoxy and pastoral
charity can only be found in the mind and the ways of God. We can only
reflect and approximate that proper relationship to the extent that we
are willing to identify ourselves with God’s mind and ways.
Of course, the will and ways of God can be discerned not only from the
doctrine and dogmas so far defined by the Church, nor only from the
rich traditions and established practices developed through the years
in the Church, but also from the continuing developments in the world
through which God also continues to speak to us.
The Spirit of God continues to intervene in our lives, no matter how
we shape and develop our lives. We always need to be perceptive of his
promptings that can come to us like the wind.
We have to be ready to go along with these promptings that can demand
of us to go farther from the current state of our beliefs and
practices. While it’s true that the objective body of faith is already
given to us, our subjective understanding, appreciation and
application of it will always be an endless process.
We also need to understand that the will and ways of God are not
confined only to some letter, to some doctrine or dogma, to some
theories and principles. They are mainly spiritual and supernatural
that go beyond, without nullifying, what we can humanly articulate.
Our usual problem is that we tend to absolutize what in fact only have
a relative value, since they are always subject to many factors that
can vary, like the historical, cultural, social, not to mention the
personal that can be quite unique to each one of us.
Our generalizations, otherwise valid and necessary, can also overstep
their limits. This is when our laws and traditions degenerate into
isms, frozen and blind to the real and concrete needs of the people
and deaf to the promptings of the Spirit. This is when we would have
legalism, traditionalism, rigorism, etc.
We should not be afraid to continually review and examine how things
are with respect to the proper relationship between doctrinal
orthodoxy and pastoral charity, and much less afraid to do the
necessary corrections, purifications, adjustments and adaptations.
Aside from having a general assessment of things and people, what is
actually more needed is to have direct personal knowledge of the
people. Thus, individual personal spiritual direction is most needed.
We also need to understand that the ultimate and culminating doctrine
of our faith is that Christ assumed all the sins of men by offering
his life on the cross. Our doctrinal orthodoxy should go to that
extent. Otherwise we would not be orthodox enough.
Christ preached and clearly told us what is right and wrong. But in
the end he perfected his redemptive work by dying on the Cross. That’s
where doctrinal orthodoxy and pastoral charity become one.
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