we all know from the Gospel accounts, dined with “sinners.” & As I read this week’s daily scripture readings from Jonah and the story of The Good Samaritan, it At one time or other you may have heard something occurred to me that both were challenging attitudes along the lines “It isn’t only a matter of what you in Israel toward certain others, the essence of which say but how you say it.” I often think of the could be expressed, “Let them be damned!” “Let distinction between the “what” and the “how” in the Ninevites and Samaritans be damned!” terms of the two fancy words at the head of this Apparently, did not agree. column. “Orthodoxy” means “right ,” and Of course, I know that there was and always is a “orthopraxy” means “right conduct.” call to repentance: Repentance is required for A person ought to not only profess belief in the forgiveness. But, there is also a proper way of right doctrines of , but he ought to actually live calling other’s to repentance: If we wield doctrine his life accordingly. Yet, I think another way of like a hammer from a mighty throne of applying these two words would be to teachers and righteousness, we will not be credible witnesses. preachers of the faith. It seems to me there was a This is just egoism; and the priesthood is full of it. time when doctrine was wielded like a hammer; If it is not palpable to people that the priests, the with the severity of a Marine Corp Drill Instructor bishops and the Pope are fellow sinners and at Basic Training. “Comply, or be consigned to the sojourners, our words will bounce off of people like fires of Hell,” was the sort of message many people tennis balls off a brick wall. grew up with. There are those who pine for the good old days when people were responsive to this approach: And this, I think, is a reaction to some of the watering down and sterilizing of the Gospel over the last fifty years. Nowadays, everyone in a Hell to which no one actually goes! As a pastor, I can insist that people “fall in line” and “obey the Church” “until the cows come home,” but I will probably do more to alienate than persuade. I Let us repent together! Indeed, it is not only the believe that my pastoral practice (), would “gay” person whose sexuality is disordered, better reflect who God is if I attempt to meet people (though this word has a special nuance when used where they’re at and tender an invitation to in certain documents); Everyone’s sexuality is out- reconsider the things of faith . . . orthodoxy and of-order! Disordered desire is characteristic of sin! orthopraxy. I don’t speak from some mountain-top of virtue This is a difficult line to walk, and we see Pope because I just happen to be opposite-sex attracted! Francis attempting to walk it in a way that we have No! Lust is a perennial challenge for me and many not seen Pope’s do so. When he welcomes a former others! student who is “gay” along with his lover-partner to Herein, we might find cause to appreciate the the Vatican, there is an appearance of condoning approach of Pope Francis as he conducts his work something which is contrary to Christian of shepherding the flock. Simply put, he is very Orthopraxy, (acting on the impulses of same-sex motivated to “gather” knowing that “he who does attraction). Alternatively, it could be said that the not gather with Christ, scatters,” (Mt. 12:30) Pope is doing something similar to , who, as