I discriminate. So do you. Every day in fact. Yup, we are each guilty of discriminating. And I hope you are proud of it. After all, to discriminate means "to make a clear distinction; to distinguish." The blue tie, or the red tie. Orange juice or apple juice. The car or the bus. Some decisions are clearly far more important than others, but each require us to distinguish between choices. Such discrimination is a good thing – after all, no one wants to be accused of being "indiscriminate" (that is, "done at random and without careful judgment"). Of course, the problem with discrimination is that (like so many things in life) it can be abused and used in an "unjust" manner. "Unjust" discrimination occurs when a characteristic is used as the basis for making a distinction in a situation where that characteristic should be irrelevant.
On June 26, the Supreme Court discovered a brand-new constitutional right to same-sex "marriage." In doing so, the Court held that it was "unjust" for states to use sex (male/female) as a characteristic to determine whom people are permitted to marry. Plain and simple: the Court got it wrong. Although there are areas in which discrimination between men and women can be unjust (such as employment, the right to vote, etc.), the area of marriage is not one of them. In fact, both natural law and our Catholic faith specifically require such discrimination. It was God who created man and woman in His image and commanded them to be fruitful and multiply. It was Jesus on Earth who blessed the marriage of man and woman and made it a sacrament. The Supreme Court simply has no power to re-write God's plan of creation revealed in the distinct differences of the male and female body.
I know there are a lot of Catholics who are uncomfortable with being accused of discrimination. After all, it's a loaded word in today's society. But we can't hide our heads in the sand and pretend that the Supreme Court's decision is meaningless and does not affect us. In 2010, Pope Francis (then Cardinal Bergoglio) was faced with a bill before the Argentine legislature to legalize same-sex "marriage." In a letter asking for prayers, he did not mince words about the issue, calling it a "clear rejection of the law of God, engraved in our hearts."
He said, "Let us not be naive: this is not simply a political struggle, but it is an attempt to destroy God's plan. It is not just a bill (a mere instrument) but a 'move' of the father of lies who seeks to confuse and deceive the children of God."
Strong words. So what is our responsibility as Catholics in response to the Court's ruling?
First, it is to love all of our brothers and sisters, even those who have been confused and deceived on this issue. (The supporters of same-sex "marriage" are not our enemy. The devil is, and we must not lose sight of that in our thoughts and actions). Love for others requires telling them the truth about marriage, but this must be done in a charitable manner so as to win them back.
Second, we must stand firm in upholding the truth and sanctity of marriage in every aspect of our lives. Both St. John Paul II and Pope Benedict (then Cardinal Ratzinger) were involved in a 2003 Vatican statement about same-sex "marriage" which stated:
"In those situations where homosexual unions have been legally recognized or have been given the legal status and rights belonging to marriage, clear and emphatic opposition is a duty. One must refrain from any kind of formal cooperation in the enactment or application of such gravely unjust laws and, as far as possible, from material cooperation on the level of their application."
Third, do not shy away from the persecution which will follow. You will be called a bigot or worse. You will watch as Catholic institutions such as Catholic Charities and Catholic Relief Services are removed from consideration for government grants because they uphold the truth about marriage. You will see business owners fined when they refuse to actively participate in same-sex wedding ceremonies. And you will see strong attempts to remove the tax-exempt status from every Catholic college, school and charity which refuses to recognize and give approval to same-sex relationships. Do not lose heart. Keep in mind that the only thing Jesus promised in this life was the Cross, not happiness, and certainly not an Easy Button. Take comfort in Jesus' words from the Gospel: "Do not be afraid; just have faith" (Mk 5:36).
I'm Catholic. I guess that makes me guilty of discrimination. How about you?
William L. Esser IV is a lawyer, husband, father and parishioner at St. Ann Church in Charlotte.