Ideals or Truth?

Someone (?) once said (maybe it was a high level Church clergyman?) that "marriage is just an ideal, and that not everyone can be faithful in marriage". He apparently used this as a justification for allowing those living in adulterous relationships and invalid marriages to receive communion without repenting of their sins. He probably thought this was being helpful because he genuinely wanted people to get to Heaven.

The problem is that "niceness" does not get anyone to Heaven. Truth gets people to Heaven. If we lie to people and tell them that their sin is ok, then we are leading them to Hell, not Heaven. The same applies to parents with children. If parents do not properly discipline their children (as it says in Proverbs, Wisdom, Sirach, and numerous other places in the Scriptures), then they are lying to them about what is right and wrong and encouraging them to sin. The warnings from our Lord about encouraging anyone to sin (especially children) are grave.

Recently, another high level Church clergyman -- Pope Leo XIV -- said something that should help to settle the matter; just in case someone was still holding to that other (non-catholic) idea about sin and the marriage relationship. The Holy Father said recently: "with a heart filled with gratitude and hope, I would remind all married couples that marriage is not an ideal but the measure of true love between a man and a woman: a love that is total, faithful and fruitful."

Did you get that? "Not an ideal", is quite clear. It is possible with the grace of Christ for a husband and wife to be faithful, and for them to overcome the challenges of the sin of adultery. Yes, it can be painful; and, yes, it takes a lot of humility and hard work. Yet, Christ promises to overcome those difficulties with His love and mercy. Either we believe Him and do what He says, or . . . well, you know what happens then.