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God is a God of Surprises: The Synod & Cura Personalis

BY ALYSSA PASTERNAKOctober 14, 2014

“They did not understand that God is the God of surprises, that God is always new: he never contradicts himself, never says that what he had said was wrong, ever, but he always surprises us. And they did not understand, and closed themselves in this system created with the best of intentions.”     -Pope Francis

2913412172_b0a37aaa9c_oGod is a God of Surprises. This is not news to those of us with children, especially young children. My life at home with my children is filled with small and large surprises daily. To start, I have two daughters with whom I stay at home. Surprise! I have returned to my home state. Surprise! My older daughter woke her younger sister with a happy embrace this morning. Surprise! In God’s game of peek-a-boo, God’s face is revealed to us momentarily, unexpectedly, and then often concealed again for what can seem like an endless amount of time.

For those of us following the Extraordinary Synod on the Family even casually, we are witnessing a slight glimpse of the God of Surprises. For one, Francis, the bishop of Rome, called the synod a year ago to discuss controversial topics relating to the family. Secondly, based on the mid-term report, it appears that listening and open dialogue actually may be happening. (surprise!) Reading through the report, I hear implicitly a few Jesuit values; one is cura personalis, a theme that probably sounds familiar to those of us influenced by the Jesuits.

Generally speaking, cura personalis refers to the care of the whole person – emotionally, socially, spiritually, intellectually, physically. Interpreted through the Spiritual Exercises, care of the person also means making room for the Holy Spirit to work in the life of the person. Cura personalis affirms human dignity, as creatures made in the image of God for the purpose of  “praising, reverencing and serving God.” In my experience as a college student, care for the whole person also included a sense of belonging and worth within the greater community.

Whether or not this Jesuit phrase rings a bell, most of us in our families practice cura personalis. My husband and I hope that the context of our family can be a place where persons flourish. Certainly, we strive to foster the whole development of the unique soul of each of our children
(who really are growing up way too fast…). The same is true for the spousal relationship, where mutual giving and receiving show care for the whole person.

In many of our families, this care of persons extends beyond the ‘traditional’ model of family. How many of our families include couples who are cohabitating, homosexual couples, children conceived outside of marriage, divorced couples, people who are divorced and remarried, and so forth? This certainly characterizes my extended family. In our family we hope to show care for the whole person as she or he is, trusting that God is at work in life of the person, affirming dignity and extending belonging.

However, my husband and I experience a serious disconnect between this value of cura personalis and the way that many faith communities fail to welcome and care for the diversity of families. It’s probably not news to the reader, for instance, that the teaching of Roman Catholicism in these ‘non-traditional’ cases has been one of condemnation. ut the God of Surprises has allowed this statement to come from the mid-term report: “It is necessary to accept people in their concrete being, to know how to support their search, to encourage the wish for God and the will to feel fully part of the Church, also on the part of those who have experienced failure or find themselves in the most diverse situations.” To my ears, this sounds like cura personalis. Accept people. Trust that the Spirit is at work in their lives. Provide a sense of authentic belonging. This is good news for families of all types.

The family – the domestic church, the cell of human society – needs the larger Body of Christ to show mercy, love and care for the whole person and for all families. It is impossible to know how this mid-term report will unfold in the upcoming week and in the year leading to the Synod in 2015. Perhaps in God’s game of peek-a-boo, there will be another long silence. Nevertheless, we wait with expectant faith for the God of Surprises.

1 reply
  1. Patricia
    Patricia says:

    This time in our world more people are judging others.
    They think they have a right over all others. I try so
    hard not to judge and if the person is praying to our
    LORD and Blessed Mother in earnest and truly
    loves with the believe, faith and endurance to try
    to be the best “they” can be God I feel looks down
    with love. We are all different in color, education
    and if we live to the best following the pathway
    of our LORD we will be saved not by the humans
    but our LORD. Peace be with everyone!
    Patrica

    Reply

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