Normally I don't like the gender asterisk, really not at all, but today it has to be. Today I put it out of respect for the 125 Catholics who came out as "queer" at the beginning of the week, you could follow it in the media. Those who have seen the ARD documentary "Wie Gott uns schuf" will be shocked by the fates of those affected. (For those who missed it: be sure to go to the Mediathek and watch it!)

This is also about labor law - but much more about all of us. Because the church is not just an employer, otherwise the people concerned would not want to stay there against all the odds. The church is first and foremost the community of believers who gather to encourage one another in the faith and in following Jesus. And that's where it suddenly comes down to each of us, because I'm sure we all know queer Catholics. Often we just don't know it because they don't dare to talk about it openly. I now know quite a few, often highly committed employees or volunteers. How do we meet them? How do we talk about them?

The percentage of gay priests is estimated at 20-50%. At first this seemed exaggerated to me. But after 20 years of religious life, I can say: I have really met a lot of priests and I agree with this estimate. Why do we make this taboo and put these men in additional hardships with our hypocrisy?

It seems to me that we are still stuck in a pattern of behavior that is already described in this Sunday's Gospel (Lk 4:21-30): Jesus comes to his hometown, and the people think they know him well. When he is different, does not meet their expectations, they do not change their minds, but they react angrily and drive him out of town.

Even today there are Catholics who know the Catholic doctrine very well. When someone tells them that God could be different, that the Bible could be read differently, that church laws can be changed, they often react angrily and aggressively.

Where does this lead? In the Gospel, Jesus walks through the angry crowd and leaves the city. He goes off and calls the first disciples. This conflict is only the beginning of something new, the break with the traditionalists becomes a departure into the future.

And today?

#outinchurch