“God does not show preference for people” (Acts 10:34). In the diocese of Rimini three meetings for the inclusion of LGBTQ+ people
Reflections by Silvia Zucchini
“All included in God's mercy”. This is the theme of the first of a series of three meetings, proposed by the newly formed group of Families on the Journey with LGBT+ children of the Diocese of Rimini.
Speaker p. Pino Piva who generously replaced the biblical scholar Gianluca Carrega, who was unable to participate at the last moment. But who reveals this merciful face of God to us?
Jesus, man of border, which passes into the Galilee of the people, a land of ethnic and cultural melting-pot and religious crossbreeding.
Jesus, man from border, who chooses to live in Capernaum, a border city, a crossroads of goods, trade and merchants. It is here that Jesus is reached by the centurion, a pagan soldier, who begs him to heal his servant (Mt 8, 5-13).
His prayer does not fall on deaf ears and is accepted by Jesus; the centurion's faith causes a paradigm shift in Him: salvation is within everyone's reach, even those who live on the border.
Even more shocking is the encounter with a pagan woman, the Canaanite, an example of an impure humanity distant from the evangelical message. At first Jesus responds to her with such a harsh and contemptuous tone that it seems there is no possibility of a meeting between the two. But even this time the shouted faith and the tenacity in demanding dignity can only bring about a conversion in Jesus: "Woman, great is your faith: let it be done to you as you wish" (Mt 15, 28).
The encounter with those who are far away, especially if they come from the border, triggers a change in Jesus: first of all it broadens his perspective, helps to push his gaze further, then it allows the Son to bear witness to the Father with an inclusive love.
If this is the style of announcing the Gospel, if this was possible for Jesus who allowed himself to be challenged by the cry of those living on the border, it is equally possible today for the Church, if it listens to the voice and life of LGBTQ+ people.
Father Pino in fact presented a series of passages taken from ecclesial documents to trace those signs of innovation brought by the Magisterium of Pope Francis.
In particular, the Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia that in the chapter. VIII, with an eloquent title Accompany, discern, integrate fragility, in n. 297 it states: «It is a question of integrating everyone, we must help everyone to find their own way of participating in the ecclesial community, so that they feel they are the object of an "undeserved, unconditional and gratuitous" mercy. No one can be condemned forever, because this is not the logic of the Gospel!
As for the centurion, as for the Canaanite woman, the unshakable and witnessed faith in spite of every social convention, of every social stigma - we would say today -, if recognized, accompanied and integrated, opens up a path of dignity for each and every one. No one can be condemned forever: sI have done for you as you believed, Jesus says to the centurion; let it be done for you as you wish, Jesus says to the Canaanite woman. This is the logic of the Gospel!
At the end of the meeting, the many questions and interventions from the public highlighted the desire to understand, learn and dismantle prejudices.
A member of "La Tenda di Gionata” illustrated the aims of the association and presented the informative books produced by it.
The next meetings in Rimini will be on 11/22/2024 with Dr. Alessandra Bialetti "The LGBTQ+ world: the paths of love” and 01/17/2025 “People beyond labels, stereotypes and prejudices” with life testimonies of LGBTQ+ people.
