On January 30, 2017 I wrote a Post about Jesus' statement to render to Caesar what is Caesar's and to God what is God's. I pointed out that this was not Jesus telling his followers to stay out of politics. It was a statement of how much he despised the Romans' cruel and heartless occupation of Israel. He knew that the Romans would slaughter the Jews if they failed to pay their taxes.
For Jesus to stay out of politics would be for him to stay out of his own humanity. He came into the world as a fellow human to show us how to live, and this includes how to get involved in politics as Christians.
House Speaker Paul Ryan's firing of Jesuit Chaplain, Fr. Pat Conroy, was a perfect example of how a Christian--in fact, a Catholic--should not express his politics. And it is a disheartening example of the ignorance of our Faith that afflicts so many American Catholics and other Christians today. Ryan's action was a sad capitulation to the low-level political wishes of some members of the House, including members who are Christians. In their dangerously limited consciousness they could not see past their own political interests, which they limit to the preservation of their own jobs, with no care for the Great Reality within which they live and work.
Speaker Ryan says he is a Catholic. In fact, one writer called him a devout Catholic. He should then see the Greater Reality of Truth that energizes his commitment to serve the people's general interest. The Chaplain's prayer that the Republicans' Tax Bill be fair to all people, especially to those in the lower income levels, meant nothing to Ryan and most of the Republicans. It meant everything to Jesus.
The religious leaders in Jesus' time were also the political leaders and the wealthy of the land. Jesus never hesitated to tell them what a bad job they were doing, most especially how they were oppressing the poor. He went so far as to call them shining mausoleums filled with dead men's bones. How's that for a political editorial today!
Jesus' humanity placed him fully within this world. He was not a mythical figure floating above the ground and never touching it. He got so deeply involved in caring for the ordinary people, especially the poor, that the leaders couldn't tolerate him and finally had him crucified by the Romans. How far is that from Ryan's telling the Chaplain not to get too close to politics?
The question is not that we should be involved in politics but how we should be involved. First of all, we should understand that the American separation of Church and State means that the Church organization and the State organization have the right to exist and carry out their own business without interfering with each other. It guarantees our freedom of religion and the the freedom of our government to carry out its business. It does not mean that Christians cannot be involved in politics. If that were so, then we should not even vote.
A great problem is that there are many American Christians who are not just involved in our political life but are trying to take control of it. Some would turn America into a Theocracy with themselves in charge. This is neither Christian nor American. As Catholics we should humbly and strongly tell these Christian brothers and sisters of ours that they are a real danger to our country.
So, how should American Christians get fully and effectively involved in our politics? In general, our involvement as Christians should include that we fully expect our government to work for the fullness of our humanity in all things, e.g., our right to freedom and justice, especially in our economic activity, which includes the government's obligation to tax the people fairly and justly. The shortages of money for such things as Medicare and Social Security are totally the result of the failure of government officials to do their job.
Also, our government should provide excellent education for our children, keep our infrastructure in good repair, and choose diplomacy and peace in our inter-connected, inter-related and inter-dependent world. Our government should be merciful and give special preference for the poor, sick, vulnerable and outcast. It should be truthful and intelligently and maturely face all challenges, successes and setbacks.
The prayer that Fr. Conroy said about the Tax Bill is a good example of how Christians should be involved in our political life. He spoke the truth. Speaker Ryan, however, does not seem to realize that politics is meant to protect, serve and elevate our humanity in and through truthful legislation. He does not seem to understand, as every Catholic should, that everything we do in this world, including our politics, should be aimed at building up the Kingdom of God on earth, i.e., the Reign of Overflowing Love, that Jesus prayed for, "Thy Kingdom come...on earth." He, and all Christians, need to note what St. Irenaeus said in the 2nd century, "The glory of God is people fully alive." American politics can and should be dedicated to helping our citizens and all peoples to be fully alive in good will and love, whether they are people of faith or of no faith.
Certainly, it is all right for Christians to be Liberals or Conservatives, as long as we are all dedicated to the building up of our nation in justice, peace and love. But the angry, contentious tone of today's politics is a disgrace to Christianity and makes a mockery of any Christian's claim to be acting in Jesus' name.
Before we make the next contentious remark in Jesus' name, let us get on our knees, ask his forgiveness for misrepresenting Him, and start working ever more vigorously to raise our consciousness closer to that of Jesus. And then as Catholics, i.e., as people with a universal view, let us proclaim and implement the Good News of the overflowing love of Jesus for all our American brothers and sisters, as well as all the peoples of the world.
For Jesus to stay out of politics would be for him to stay out of his own humanity. He came into the world as a fellow human to show us how to live, and this includes how to get involved in politics as Christians.
House Speaker Paul Ryan's firing of Jesuit Chaplain, Fr. Pat Conroy, was a perfect example of how a Christian--in fact, a Catholic--should not express his politics. And it is a disheartening example of the ignorance of our Faith that afflicts so many American Catholics and other Christians today. Ryan's action was a sad capitulation to the low-level political wishes of some members of the House, including members who are Christians. In their dangerously limited consciousness they could not see past their own political interests, which they limit to the preservation of their own jobs, with no care for the Great Reality within which they live and work.
Speaker Ryan says he is a Catholic. In fact, one writer called him a devout Catholic. He should then see the Greater Reality of Truth that energizes his commitment to serve the people's general interest. The Chaplain's prayer that the Republicans' Tax Bill be fair to all people, especially to those in the lower income levels, meant nothing to Ryan and most of the Republicans. It meant everything to Jesus.
The religious leaders in Jesus' time were also the political leaders and the wealthy of the land. Jesus never hesitated to tell them what a bad job they were doing, most especially how they were oppressing the poor. He went so far as to call them shining mausoleums filled with dead men's bones. How's that for a political editorial today!
Jesus' humanity placed him fully within this world. He was not a mythical figure floating above the ground and never touching it. He got so deeply involved in caring for the ordinary people, especially the poor, that the leaders couldn't tolerate him and finally had him crucified by the Romans. How far is that from Ryan's telling the Chaplain not to get too close to politics?
The question is not that we should be involved in politics but how we should be involved. First of all, we should understand that the American separation of Church and State means that the Church organization and the State organization have the right to exist and carry out their own business without interfering with each other. It guarantees our freedom of religion and the the freedom of our government to carry out its business. It does not mean that Christians cannot be involved in politics. If that were so, then we should not even vote.
A great problem is that there are many American Christians who are not just involved in our political life but are trying to take control of it. Some would turn America into a Theocracy with themselves in charge. This is neither Christian nor American. As Catholics we should humbly and strongly tell these Christian brothers and sisters of ours that they are a real danger to our country.
So, how should American Christians get fully and effectively involved in our politics? In general, our involvement as Christians should include that we fully expect our government to work for the fullness of our humanity in all things, e.g., our right to freedom and justice, especially in our economic activity, which includes the government's obligation to tax the people fairly and justly. The shortages of money for such things as Medicare and Social Security are totally the result of the failure of government officials to do their job.
Also, our government should provide excellent education for our children, keep our infrastructure in good repair, and choose diplomacy and peace in our inter-connected, inter-related and inter-dependent world. Our government should be merciful and give special preference for the poor, sick, vulnerable and outcast. It should be truthful and intelligently and maturely face all challenges, successes and setbacks.
The prayer that Fr. Conroy said about the Tax Bill is a good example of how Christians should be involved in our political life. He spoke the truth. Speaker Ryan, however, does not seem to realize that politics is meant to protect, serve and elevate our humanity in and through truthful legislation. He does not seem to understand, as every Catholic should, that everything we do in this world, including our politics, should be aimed at building up the Kingdom of God on earth, i.e., the Reign of Overflowing Love, that Jesus prayed for, "Thy Kingdom come...on earth." He, and all Christians, need to note what St. Irenaeus said in the 2nd century, "The glory of God is people fully alive." American politics can and should be dedicated to helping our citizens and all peoples to be fully alive in good will and love, whether they are people of faith or of no faith.
Certainly, it is all right for Christians to be Liberals or Conservatives, as long as we are all dedicated to the building up of our nation in justice, peace and love. But the angry, contentious tone of today's politics is a disgrace to Christianity and makes a mockery of any Christian's claim to be acting in Jesus' name.
Before we make the next contentious remark in Jesus' name, let us get on our knees, ask his forgiveness for misrepresenting Him, and start working ever more vigorously to raise our consciousness closer to that of Jesus. And then as Catholics, i.e., as people with a universal view, let us proclaim and implement the Good News of the overflowing love of Jesus for all our American brothers and sisters, as well as all the peoples of the world.
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