It’s not all about you
Editor’s note
: The following appeared in the Feb. 2 edition of The Catholic Northwest Progress, Seattle’s archdiocesan newspaper. It was written by Stephen Kent, executive editor.The first major teaching document written by Pope Benedict XVI, published Jan. 25, met an all too predictable reaction in the United States.
The headlines were typical: "Pope Speaks of Love and Sex." The jibes of pundits were all but anticipated: "What does he know about sex?" A brief article appeared on an inside page of one Seattle metro daily. There was no mention of the document in the other.
The reaction ranged from "Here we go again," to just another scolding by a public figure who is out of touch. It’s too bad, for the encyclical is rich in understanding and advice for the human condition.
The encyclical, "God Is Love," is not a Catholic thing; it is not the work of a leader of a sectarian group sending instructions to his followers, of interest and utility only to them.
It is an accessible teaching that defines and distinguishes the nature of two forms of love, and seeks a balance between them.
The encyclical is not something that can be covered in a 250-word wire service article, or a one-minute television spot. Neither is it a scholarly and erudite document, available only to philosophers and theologians.
In the encyclical, Pope Benedict distinguishes between eros, the erotic love between man and woman, and agape, self-sacrificial love.
It is this distinction that helps us understand the logical, rational basis for the teachings of the church on abortion, birth control, same-sex marriage and divorce.
There is much in this culture to be said "no" to, and perhaps that is why the church’s image is one of a scolding spoilsport.
Pope Benedict recognizes this, saying the church, with its commandments and prohibitions, is seen to "blow the whistle" on erotic love. But for good reason, he argues; sex has become a thing, a commodity.
The solution the pope offers is to rediscover a balance between the ecstasy of eros and the unselfish love of agape.
He calls on individuals to let unselfish love animate all activities: with the family, the community, at work, in political choices and in serving others.
One practical point is that love of neighbor means "I love even the person whom I don’t like or even know." Great! I can’t stand the son of a gun, but that doesn’t interfere with or block love. The same is true, of course, of the love for the Pakistani quake victim living in a tent, or an Iraqi civilian living in a bombed-out house.
The encyclical is a good counterpoint to the glandular gospel of our age. Unfortunately, it will fall on many deaf ears.
Importantly, the pope is not "imposing beliefs" so feared by our culture, but rather explains the "why" of how we should live.
Likewise, he challenges the repetitive mantra of the consumer economy in a materialistic age: "You deserve a break today," and "It’s all about you."
What the pope is saying is that love is about the other. Imagine, if every person in the world were someone’s "other," what a difference there would be.