How Are We to Respond? 

How are we to respond when a politician says or does something we disagree with? 

The same we respond to anyone, as a disciple of Jesus. 

No, I am not trying to be political.  I am thinking about people who tell me how statements and actions made by our politicians trouble them.  I know politicians say things that upset me because they are contrary to our faith and/or good character.  Actually, sometimes other people say things that upset me but when the politicians do it, it makes the news. 

What must govern our heart as we respond to their comments? 

Love. 

Jesus tells us to love our neighbor (today’s gospel reading).  In the Parable of the Good Samaritan (Luke 10:29-37), Jesus shows that our neighbor is not just the person next door or people who believe the same thing as us.   

You might want to say, “But these politicians are our enemies because their ideals are in contrary to what Jesus teaches.”  That does not matter when it comes to a loving response for Jesus explicitly says, “Love your enemies” (Matthew 5:43-48). 

I know I am repeating myself from past articles but if we want to change the world, we must love rather than hate. 

If we want to politicians (or anyone else) to change for the better, we must heed the words that Paul writes to Timothy, “First of all, then, I ask that supplications, prayers, petitions, and thanksgivings be offered for everyone, for kings and for all in authority, that we may lead a quiet and tranquil life in all devotion and dignity.  This is good and pleasing to God our savior, who wills everyone to be saved and to come to knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:1-4).   

The struggle may seem hard.  We must “Pray without ceasing” (1 Thessalonians 5:17).  We can always have hope for nothing is impossible for God. 

David, even though he was a sinner like us, rose to be a great king through the grace of God at work in him.  His son Solomon started as a wise king but human weakness began to take over.  The people, including many of the kings of Israel sinned.  When the people sinned, things became very bad for them.  God made sure there was always a remnant who would repent and cry out to him for help.  God kept his promise that an heir to David would sit on his throne. Jesus is the fulfillment of that promise. 

God always cares for his people.  The problem is we do not always listen.  Do you let God work through you? 

God can work through anyone.  When God brought the Babylonian Exile to an end and returned his people to Israel, He even worked through a pagan king (Cyrus) to rebuilt the temple (see Ezra 1). 

Those God calls to shepherd his people have not always shepherded His people in accord with God’s Will.  We saw this in this past Wednesday’s first reading (Ezekiel 34). 

When we have bad “rulers”, we need to pray for them just as much, if not more, than the public rulers we like.   

When they tax us too heavily we heed the words of Jesus, “Then repay to Caesar what belongs to Caesar and to God what belongs to God” (Matthew 22:15-22). 

When they seek to establish policies contrary to God’s Will, we must advocate for the Lord’s Will.  When they do not listen to what our faith teaches, we shake the dust from our feet (see Matthew 10:14), leave the judgment to God, and seek to do our best to follow God’s Will.  

When they do not listen to us or to others, we always have hope.  What is the reason we can offer for our hope (see 1 Peter 3:15)?  God is.   

There are good examples of people, even kings, who have sought to govern in accord with our Lord’s Will.  On August 25^th, we celebrate the optional memorial of St. Louis IX, King of France.  He saw his kingship as a calling from God to help others and to stand for our faith (see the end of my article, “Knowing Our Patron Saints”). 

When our public officials do not act in accord with God’s Will, we are called to offer spiritual works of mercy.   

For those who have doubts, we offer the first Spiritual Work of Mercy, “counsel the doubtful.” 

For those who do not know what our faith teaches, we are called to the second Spiritual Work of Mercy, to “instruct the ignorant.”   

When they mess up, we are called three more Spiritual Works of Mercy, “admonish sinners” (see Ezekiel 3:17-21), to “forgive others” and to “bear wrongs patiently.” 

We cannot fix everything on our own but we can allow God work through us to make things better.   

When politicians (or anyone else) do not listen to one another, we need to pray that they seek real dialogue (see Pope Francis’ encyclical, Fratteli Tutti and my article “Seeking Real Dialogue”). 

When we see in the news that a politician has said or done something that upsets us, it does not help for us to yell at the TV, to throw things, or to change the channel.  We must pray and we must set a good example of Christian living.  We must bring the Light of Christ to the world.  Please do your part to build God’s Kingdom and then God can multiply your efforts thirty, sixty, or a hundred-fold. 

I would like to end with a quote from speech given by Daniel Webster to the Historical Society of New York on February 23, 1852 (as quoted in God’s Promises for the American Patriot by Dr. Richard G. Lee and Jack Countryman.  Nashville, TN:Thomas Nelson.  2011. 70). 

“If we and our posterity shall be true to the Christian religion, if we and they shall live always in the fear of God, and shall respect His commandments, if we and they shall maintain just moral sentiments and such conscientious convictions of duty as shall control the heart and life, we may have the highest hopes of the future of our country…But if we and our posterity reject religious institutions and authority, violate the rules of eternal justice, trifle with the injunctions of morality, and recklessly destroy the political constitution which holds us together; no man can tell how sudden a catastrophe may overwhelm us.” 

Peace, 

Fr. Jeff