The Gospel, Jesus and homosexuality. Dialogue with biblical scholar Alberto Maggi

Text taken from the episode of “Zia's Shots” in which Edoardo and Raffaele dialogue with the biblical scholar Father Alberto Maggi in the "G. Vannucci" Biblical Studies Center in Montefano (Marche)

“Colpi di zia” is a traveling program created online to break the silence and taboos that exist in both christian and lGBT environments. today we have An Exceptional guest: father alberto maggi, Biblical Scholar, Servite friar, and scholar of the gospels for Fifty Years. with him we talk about acceptance, love, The gospel and homosexuality. No labels, just people.

Welcome to the fifth edition of "Colpi di zia". We are Edoardo and Raffaele, two friends, a bit like the "aunts" of the neighborhood, because every now and then we give unsolicited advice that we have never followed either. We're here because we think identity and sexuality can go together in the same conversation and in the same person. (…)

Raphael:We are here with Father Alberto Maggi in "G. Vannucci" Biblical Studies Center of Montefano (Marches). As a young man, Maggi worked as an engineer in the municipality of Ancona, then at the age of 22 he entered a convent. He became passionate about the Gospels, he studied them at the Gregorian University, at the Biblical Study in Jerusalem. He wrote many books and collaborated with the Vatican. His basic idea is that “the good news is for everyone”.

Edward:First question. If Jesus entered a parish today and saw a gay couple, what would he say?

Alberto Maggi: The message of Jesus is that every person is a project of god's Love. Saint Paul says that even before creating the world, the Lord thought of it. Why? Because He is immense and needs to manifest himself in new, original, creative forms.

Since man has existed, there has not been one individual identical to another. Everyone is different because God wants to manifest himself. Every person is a visible manifestation of God. The people we meet and welcome are a gift from God who says: "Look how much I love you, look who I made you meet". In the Gospels there are no such differences. There is the human being in his freedom.

Edward:You mentioned st. Paul. When It comes to homosexuality, our detractors always cite leviticus and The letters to the romans, Almost never the gospel. Why Do you think?

Alberto Maggi:There is a very important episode: the Transfiguration. Jesus manifests himself in glory, Moses, the legislator, and Elijah, the prophet, appear next to him. They talk to Jesus, they have nothing to say to the disciples. When Peter intervenes, Moses and Elijah disappear, and the voice of God says: "This is my son, listen to Him". This is fundamental. The Bible is an immense treasure, but for the Christian community everything that is in harmony with Jesus is valid. What deviates from his teaching cannot be a norm of behavior.

Certain norms of Leviticus are cited inappropriately. It's not about sexuality, it's about procreation. He says “a man cannot lie with another man” – we can agree – but why doesn't he say anything about women? Because the problem was not sexuality, but generating children, which was sacred.

As for paolo, He wrote at various stages of life. there is A sublime Paul when he says "before god There is neither man nor woman, neither slave nor free, neither jew nor greek". then There are other letters, perhaps written by him or interpolated, where the culture of the time comes out.

But be careful: at that time the concept of homosexuality, which was born in the nineteenth century, did not exist. Paul rebukes those who, to experience new emotions, went with others, but does not speak at all about the topic of homosexuality. Therefore Paul cannot be quoted out of turn. And why do they never quote the Gospel? Because in the Gospel there is the image of a God who loves his children, who desires their happiness.

Jesus says that what makes the person impure are the bad feelings that come out of the heart. Not all the other things. In the Gospels there is the full freedom of the individual, called to be what he feels he should be. The good news excludes no one.

Raphael:So, to understand, Paul was speaking a little to the "heterocurious". But in the Gospel, Jesus always pays attention to those considered impure, outside the norm. What can this say to us today?

Alberto Maggi:I have a hard time talking about labels. There are people, there are believers. Sexual orientation is a personal matter. The Lord asks us to account for how we direct our lives, not who we go to bed with. If we want to go deeper, think about the discussion of the vine and the branches. Jesus says: “I am the vine, the Father is the vinedresser, you are the branches”. The branch that bears fruit, the Father purifies. This is very important.

In each of us there are negative elements, tendencies, attitudes that are wrong. But it is absolutely forbidden for us to try to eliminate these negative aspects, because we risk tearing a thread that holds our entire personality. Jesus says: “The Father purifies him”. If there is something negative in us, don't touch it. Neither you, nor the others, not even Jesus. The Father, who is the vinedresser, takes care of this. And if he doesn't eliminate it, it means that in his eyes it wasn't that important.

The author of the First Letter of John says: “Even if your heart reproaches you for something, God is greater than your heart”. We are educated by current morality, but that changes. Certain things that were frowned upon in the past are no longer frowned upon today. So even if your mindset reproaches you, God is greater. You are only concerned with directing your life for the good of others.

Edward:One more thing. They often tell us: "Okay, welcome homosexual people, but don't welcome relationships." It's like asking a tree not to flower. Can you ask a tree not to flower?

Alberto Maggi:An episode comes to mind. Years ago, in Milan, there was a program on homosexuality. They called me because an important theologian had been invited but hadn't come. I accepted. The journalist wanted me to admit that being homosexual is fine as long as it doesn't show itself. I replied: “But it's like saying to a plant: I allow you to grow but you can't flower”. This is indeed against nature.

Three days later I received a letter from Lugano. A thirty-year-old boy wrote to me that that morning, after a sleepless night, he had decided to hang himself. He was not accepted by his Catholic family, he was in difficulty with his partner. He had turned on the television to avoid making noise, he had the noose in his hands, and he heard my words. He burst into liberating tears. He thanked me saying that I had saved his life. Think of the fantasy of the Eternal Father.

If you allow me, the doctrine of the Church was clearer before the Second Vatican Council. Previously it was said that “sodomites” were sinners and went to hell. Of course, there was no discussion. The problem began with the Council, with the opening. Then people came to say: "It is not a sin to be homosexual, it is a sin to show it. You are called to celibacy, to chastity." But I, as a friar, chose celibacy, I chose chastity, and I can tell you how demanding it is. But I can't impose it on those who haven't chosen it.

The Church has the ability to give new responses to new needs. However, when she gets scared and gives old answers, people don't listen to her. The Church must overcome two obstacles: the problem of homosexual people and that of divorced people. Today, in the Church, the sin of divorce is more serious than that of murder. If someone kills, he confesses and goes back to communion.

If he gets divorced, no. But is it possible that it is more serious to divorce than to kill? Leaving aside the ridiculousness of this position, people understand that it doesn't stand up.

Raphael:There is a phrase in the Gospel of John that is dear to me: “Love one another as I have loved you”. What does this commandment really mean for relationships today?

Alberto Maggi:Notice that Jesus says this in the past tense: “As I vii haveLoved". He does not say "how I will love you" on the cross. Then we must go and see where Jesus loved. In chapter 13, it is said that Jesus took his love to the maximum. We would expect an extraordinary speech. Instead he gets up and washes the disciples' feet. Here is love: service. And one important thing: he does itwhile they had dinner. Not before. Dinner is the Eucharist. Why does he do it during? Because the meaning is this: you don't have to purify yourselfforParticipate in the Eucharist, but it isparticipatingTo the Eucharist that purifies you.

The Church has done great harm in the past, saying you had to be pure to approach. But Jesus says: you participate, and that participation, that taking of the bread which is Jesus who becomes food, commits you to loving others. In this dynamism of love there is your purification. And then, God does not love people for their merits, but for their needs. You receive the Eucharist not because you deserve it, but because you need it.

(…) Our Sunday celebrations should make people leave happier than when they entered. In our church people now come to live together, homosexuals, divorced people: it's the norm. Next month I will celebrate 50 years of priesthood. Already 50 years ago I gave communion to everyone, even to categories for which it was forbidden. I have never refused God's caress to anyone, because I am not the master of it. I have to be that caress.

Already 25-30 years ago I blessed the first union. It was beautiful. I still do it, in a confidential way, not to hide, but because society is not yet capable of understanding this love and could dirty it.

I remember the ritual, I said "When the Lord created you, he thought: what can I do to make him even happier? And he made you meet this person. It is God's gift for your happiness. Guard it like gold which acquires value the more time passes".

Here, this means transmitting the good news. No one can feel excluded.