Is this bad timing or it it me???

Revised Vatican norms to cover sex abuse, attempted women's ordination

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- The Vatican is preparing to update the 2001 norms that deal with priestly sex abuse of minors, in effect codifying practices that have been in place for several years.

At the same time, it will include the "attempted ordination of women" among the list of most serious crimes against church law, or "delicta graviora," sources said...

OK...I understand - if not completely agree with - the Church teaching on the ordination of women. But to equate the seriousness of instances of "attempted" women's ordination with the sexual molestation of children by clergy and religious; I don't know, but does this seem out of whack to anyone else? Women who wish to serve in persona Christi, who feel called to serve so strongly that they seek out ordination. This call to serve (legitimate or not) is a serious crime, "delicta graviora", on the same level as sexual predation of children and mentally impaired adult who cannot defend themselves, by priests?

Really???

And to roll this announcement in with new codification for clerical sexual abuse penalties...bad PR to say the least. The Vatican wants to show the Church and the rest of the world that they are taking action on the abuse scandals. WHY would they roll this classification of women's' ordination in the same announcement, all but guaranteeing to overshadow the action on child abuse??? I don't know, it's as if our bishops are adamant about shooting themselves in their collective feet.

Christ have mercy.

Daily Mass Readings
Hosea 14:2-10
Psalm 51:3-4,8-9,12-14,17
Matthew 10:16-23

A new field

“Sow for yourselves justice, reap the fruit of piety;
Break up for yourselves a new field, for it is time to seek the Lord,
Till He come and rain down justice upon you.”
-Hosea 10

Sometimes when I pray with the daily Mass readings, a verse will strike me. Usually it's a Gospel reading; I'm pretty much a New Testament man. However this time it was Hosea. Break up for ourselves a new field...I've heard many metaphors for starting a new habit, beginning a new course of action, etc. But preparing a stony field to bear fruit is something I'd not considered before.

I'm not really a farmer/gardener...pretty much born with a black thumb. From what I understand, ground that has not been used for farming before needs to go through many processes before it will bear fruit. It takes hard grunt work, like breaking up the ground. It takes proper composting (usually with scraps and castoffs of previous fruits and veggies). It takes precise watering. It takes care. It takes time. And most of all it takes patience before the fruits of our labors are realized. Then the seasons change and we must begin all over again.

It's not enough to break ground, however. We must labor in the fields before the harvest comes in.

Dear Jesus, give us courage to break new ground, the patience to tend the fruits of our labors for our betterment and the betterment of our world, and the perseverance to continue this always. Help us recognize the worth of everything from past harvests that we may "compost" for the future.

Amen.

Daily Mass Readings
Hosea 10:1-3,7-8,12
Psalm 105:2-7
Matthew 10:1-7