JUNE82024

A phenomenon of contemporary life is the large percentage of the population who claim that they are “spiritual but not religious.” They find the “doctrines and dogmas” unnecessary in their own relationship with God. Contrast that with St. Paul’s advice to Timoty: “Proclaim the word; be persistent whether it is convenient or inconvenient; convince, reprimand, encourage through all patience and teaching.For the time will come when people will not tolerate sound doctrine … and will stop listening to the truth.” What St. Paul understood, what the Church has learned over the centuries, is that “sound doctrine” is actually what grounds a genuine spirituality. For example, the doctrine of the Trinity teaches us that the relationship of love is the very foundation of reality and that any attempt to limit or circumscribe God by any set of rules betrays the love which is the basis of everything. The doctrine of the Incarnation, that Jesus was at the same time truly human and truly divine, proves the worth and value of every human being since we have a family relationship with Jesus. Every person deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. The doctrine of Mary as the mother of God demonstrates that women are essential to salvation. Anything which demeans, belittles, ignores or dismisses women’s role is not of God. Sound doctrine is what keeps us on the right path toward God.