Amoris Laetitia and Veritatis Splendor on the “Object of the Act”

Abstract

On taking up a text, it is good to remind ourselves that our reading of this encyclical must be a real dialogue in which both reader and document have a part. A minimum of openness and good will is indispensable if we are to welcome and grasp any writer’s thought, discover his message, and draw profit from it. The suggestion of the apostle St. James is also relevant: “Be quick to listen and slow to speak.” In other words, we first have to read it attentively, a little as if we were listening to a friend. We need to take time out too, for reflection, to make sure we really hear what it is saying. Then we shall be able to make an informed judgment and perhaps later some pertinent comments. Given the rich fruits of the two-year Synod process, this Exhortation will treat, in different ways, a wide variety of questions. This explains its inevitable length. Consequently, I do not recommend a rushed reading of the text. The greatest benefit, for families themselves and for those engaged in the family apostolate, will come if each part is read patiently and carefully, or if attention is paid to the parts dealing with their specific needs. I introduce the article with these two quotes, both referring to documents of the Magisterium, to make a simple observation. While they were written twenty years apart, the two authors are making exactly the same point. In fact, one would be justified in thinking that they might be considering exactly the same document.