Wednesday, November 9, 2016

2016 Post-Election Commentary (from a Priest’s Perspective)



As I stopped in Wal-Mart today to pick up a few items, the employees were discussing the 2016 Presidential election.  Later, when I drove my car into the church parking lot, some others were doing the same.  Facebook is loaded with all sorts of reactions—from rejoicing, to tears, to uncertainty, to fear, to whatever.  This unprecedented election is certainly being discussed by just about everyone I know.  This evening’s news also showed protests in the streets in some cities.

Although there are those who have already criticized me and told me that I need to be silent as a priest for having an opinion on political matters, political parties and elections, I suspect that they do not grasp the role and charge of the Church and of a priest to preach the Gospel in season and out of season. (See 2 Tm. 4: 1-5) This may include pointing out wrongdoing and injustice within any and all government structures.   Christ might not have been a political activist—being, rather, most critical of the religious leaders of His time.  However, his death on the cross nonetheless was at the hands of an oppressive Roman government.

[As a brief aside, I wonder if critics of vocal priests might have said the same to Pope St. John Paul II as he stood up against communism in Poland, being a force and inspiration for the Solidarity movement.  Or would they criticize Blessed Fr. Jerzy Popieluszko, a priest brutally killed by the Polish secret police for being outspoken against the same communist government at the time of Solidarity.  If my memory serves me right, approximately twelve thousand priests died during the Holocaust—many for being a voice of resistance against the cruel Nazis.  I also think of Sts. Thomas More and John Fisher, and other Martyrs of England and Whales unwilling to submit to the king.  While I can write volumes giving such examples of opposition to unjust governments and their practices, this is not the primary point of my commentary.]

We, as a nation, have been through a rather bitter, definitely unedifying, hard-fought contest for US President.  People have taken sides and, at times, demonized opponents, and shown great contempt and anger towards those who do not share like opinions.  I have heard how people are fearful for the future, motivated to become activists, frustrated or even paralyzed.  Others are praising the new president like a messiah. I try to avoid any of these attitudes.

Here’s where I share my priestly insight:  politics is a thing for this world.  Christian believers are urged to set your hearts on things that are above. (See Col. 3: 1-4)  God is still in charge.  He always has been and will be.  I hope we realized that one of the two major candidates was going to win this election.  I did not endorse either of the two or any other on the ballot.  I was, however, highly critical about what one party/candidate stood for, primarily because I am a strong, openly-declared opponent of abortion.  I think the lives of 60 million unborn children who have been aborted in the US since Roe v. Wade deserve the additional voice that I can give (that they never had) to help stop the madness.  (Maybe my voice and those like me could influence a move in another direction respecting the life of the unborn, just like Sen. Bernie Sanders and his supporters advocated for and seemingly achieved various positions in their party platform more to their liking.)

If we have a deep faith in Jesus, then we can be assured that His will is going to be done.  Maybe not immediately, maybe not in the way I/we will understand.  What I see as tragic are attitudes where politics is more heavily weighted in people’s lives—and I am especially addressing Catholics and Christians here—than their faith.   Faith can motivate one to take a more active role in politics, but politics is never, ever more important than faith in Jesus Christ.  When activist priests stood up against oppressive governments and their policies, it was certainly faith in Jesus Christ, faith in an afterlife, faith in the ultimate power of God, motivating and sustaining them.

We should teach our families, our children and others that no matter what happens, Jesus is still with us.  According to our faith, Jesus is with us in the Most Blessed Sacrament, in the Sacred Scriptures, where two or three gather in His name (the Church), and in the person of the ordained priest.  It doesn’t matter in the end who is president, or king, or emperor.  Nations have come and gone.  Isn’t it strange and assuring that the Church has survived all governments (corrupt, oppressive and otherwise) since 33 AD?

I have no grandiose expectations that President Donald Trump or any other after him will solve all of our nation’s problems.  He can’t because he’s not God.  I will be critical of him if he doesn’t support legislation respecting life in the womb, if he doesn’t protect religious freedom and its expression, if he advocates same-sex marriage, etc.  At least his party did not officially adopt policies in their platform that are blatantly against non-negotiable teachings of the Catholic Church (abortion, same-sex marriage).  I hope his administration doesn’t want the Little Sisters of the Poor to violate their religious beliefs.

Our nation, in the end, will not change in the most beneficial ways for our society, unless we change.  Maybe I will sound a little more like my Protestant brothers and sisters here than the ultra-conservative, Catholic priest, as I have sometimes been erroneously labeled.  (In reality, I am far from that.  I just try to be faithful to what the Church teaches doctrinally.)  My point:  Jesus has to be in my heart and soul.  I have to live and breathe Him.  I have to give my will and my life to Him.  I need a personal relationship with this most-loving Person of the Trinity.  Too many baptized just go through the motions, pick and choose what they want to believe, and never know the peace and joy that comes from being a faithful disciple of the Lord.  Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI called the half-hearted practical atheists.  Their faith never has an effect on the way they live their lives.  Pope St. John Paul II called for a New Evangelization to bring back baptized Catholics/Christians who no longer practice their faith.

To those who are baptized Catholics, I say this boldly:  BE Catholics!  Know and support your Church and its teachings.  Faithfully attend Mass.  If your life is not right with God, take the steps necessary to make it so.  Confession is a good start and a wonderful grace-filled habit to get into.  The Jubilee Year of Mercy, emphasizing the merciful love of God, is nearing its end (Nov. 20, 2016).

Politics is sometimes interesting and occasionally bizarre.  (I never thought I would be saying President-elect Trump.)  However, knowing and living the Catholic faith is life-giving, hope-providing and charity-enabling

No political-pabulum of a slogan (Make America Great Again or Stronger Together) is, in and of itself, going to make anything happen. 

Only God can produce the result He chooses by His WordLet there be light . . . Let us make man . . . . .  Jesus, the Son of God, said: This is My Body.  And it becomes so.

If we want things to happen, real change to occur, then it is only through God’s Word and in cooperation with God’s Will that will make it so. 


O beloved Christian, O Child of God, have faith and trust in Jesus and not some politician.  

Jesus has no term limits as messiah or God.

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