“Unchristian”
Natural law consist of laws of nature in the outdoors, in nature, and beyond. The forests of North America, the permafrost of Siberia, savannas of Africa and the galaxies in the universe are all governed by the same body of natural law. It is universal and unchanging. The natural law produces rain, ice and snow in the water cycle; it feeds the plants, insects, fish and animals of the kingdom; the natural law causes reproduction (sexual activity); it causes birth and death of stars and keeps planets within their orbits so they don’t go bouncing around against each other. These laws of nature create harmony within the kingdom. Where did these laws come from? Humans and legislatures did not enact them. They were created by someone though. I suggest God. Some examples of these laws: fire burns; gravity keeps everything in its place; water freezes at 32 degrees Fahrenheit; light and sound travel at specific speeds; plants require moisture to germinate; nature provides food for the animals since they cannot sow and harvest; and males and females reproduce to perpetuate the species. There are hundreds of other examples of natural laws. Humans had to discover these laws on their own and we are still discovering new ones today in the fields of physics, biology and other branches of science. These laws have always been and will always be fixed and unchangeable.
The other body of law enacted by God and made known to man through revelation is Divine law. It exists today as the ten commandments of the Old Testament, which everyone should know, and the two commandments of the New Testament, love of God with all of your heart, mind, soul and strength and love your neighbor as yourself. These laws only apply to the higher species- human beings. Divine law governs the interaction within and the relationship between humans and, of course, between humans and God. It covers morals and virtues, vices and defects of will, and judgment and grace. Virtues of justice, prudence, temperance, and fortitude lead to the gifts of the Holy Spirit: wisdom, understanding, counsel, knowledge, fortitude, piety, and fear of the Lord (wonder). They are obeyed or broken in this world but enforced in a spiritual realm and with earthly and heavenly consequences. Violations create discord, disgust and debauchery. The violator receives God’s judgment of withdrawal of grace and denied entrance into Heaven and often times penalties from society, for example, divorce and incarceration. Followers of the divine law receive honesty, harmony and hallowedness as a free gift. The human mind and soul obeys because we are fashioned toward goodness. When the will submits to the divine law, God’s grace produces joy and loving-kindness. When the will disregards divine law, the violator receives negative earthly consequences and divine judgment. Studies of the Divine law fall under the guise of philosophy, phycology, sociology and theology but they, just as the natural law, are fixed and unchangeable. Revelation of divine law changes, societies change, even people change but these rules of human interaction between man and man and between man and God are constant and never changing.
Laws are not necessarily made just for the law breakers. Actually, in all honesty, these Laws were enacted for the protection and well-being of those who observe the law. The Church must have these rules not for the sinner, but for the flourishing of brotherly love amongst the innocent sons and daughters of God. God's love is pure and He expects the same type of love in return. A Church steeped in sin cannot foster brotherly love among its members or offer pure love to the Father.
“Love of God and of one's neighbor cannot be separated from the observance of the commandments of the Covenant renewed in the blood of Jesus Christ and in the gift of the Spirit…The present time is instead marked by a formidable challenge to undertake a "new evangelization", a proclamation of the Gospel which is always new and always the bearer of new things…Evangelization — and therefore the "new evangelization" — also involves the proclamation and presentation of morality. The new evangelization will show its authenticity and unleash all its missionary force when it is carried out through the gift not only of the word proclaimed but also of the word lived. At the heart of the new evangelization and of the new moral life which it proposes and awakens by its fruits of holiness and missionary zeal, there is the Spirit of Christ, the principle and strength of the fruitfulness of Holy Mother Church.” VERITATIS SPLENDOR, by POPE JOHN PAUL II, year 1993, the fifteenth of his Pontificate.
So Mayor Kenney, the reason you don’t like the guidelines issued by the archbishop is because you are probably violating one or more of God’s laws, either one or more of the natural or divine. Our present society is becoming radicalized by people like you. If you and others would just take the time to read, study and understand what the natural and divine laws command, humans could exist in a state of joy and loving-kindness. But instead, our society is filled with people going around calling leaders in the Church unchristian, racists and bigots. I hate to say it but the only unchristian in this tiff is the mayor with his unchristian rhetoric and venomous antichristian views.