Homily: 6th Sun. in Easter, YR C
“Do Not Be Afraid of Being a Faithful Citizen”
May 16, 2004
by Fr. William Holtzinger

When going to a party, what two things should you never talk about? Religion and politics. Well, today I am going to share about both religion and politics. While it may seem a tenuous thing to do, please bear with me. In the world of religion and politics, what are the hot topics today? (seek ideas from congregation)

Today in the Scriptures we hear about the first controversy of the Church: Should non-Jewish Christians be forced to conform to Jewish laws? This first issue drew the Church together for debate. Not all agreed at first. Yet, instead of dismissing the issue, they consulted the Holy Spirit and obeyed the Lord’s prompting. This gathering of the Church has since been called the Council of Jerusalem. Since then, there have been many more gatherings in order to solve issues in the Church. The most recent one was held in the mid 60’s. It was called Vatican II (Yes, there was a Vatican I which was held many years earlier). In each of these grand meetings of the Church, also called Ecumenical Councils, representatives from all parts of Christianity gathered. To this day, an Ecumenical Council is the most authoritative, in fact infallible, voice of the Church. They demonstrate that difficulties have been with the Church from its very beginning. So much for the nostalgic days of the early Church!

Today in our world, our Church, and in our families problems are not new. It is not surprising to see the Church in the headlines and rarely is it complimentary. Again, we should not shrink away from these challenges, but rather meet them with the same faith that the early Church had. We must correct our faults and seek forgiveness for our transgressions.

Unfortunately, today’s climate is quick to polarize every possible situation. Our culture is making it fashionable to describe anyone with conviction to be extreme. We are either too far left or too far right. We too easily label each other and dismiss the greatness and beauty that dwells in each of us. We are too complicated to be summed up in one word. In his 1997 book, What’s So Amazing About Grace, Philip Yancy writes:

"A state government can shut down stores and theaters on Sunday, but it cannot compel worship. It can arrest and punish KKK murderers but cannot cure their hatred, much less teach them to love. It can pass laws making divorce more difficult but cannot force husbands to love their wives and wives to love their husbands. It can give subsidies to the poor but cannot force the rich to show them compassion and justice. It can ban adultery but not lust, theft but not covetousness, cheating but not pride. It can encourage virtue but not holiness. "(p. 251)

This makes the issue of government seem all the more irrelevant. But, while there are limits to a governments’ influence on its people, that doesn’t mean that we are to totally give up on the political realm. In fact, as faithful Catholics, as Christians we must get involved and be that change. Recently, the U.S. Bishops published a document entitled, “Faithful Citizenship: A Call to Political Responsibility.” Here are some key points the bishops want to communicate with us:

"We urge our fellow citizens “to see beyond party politics, to analyze campaign rhetoric critically, and to choose their political leaders according to principle, not party affiliation or mere self-interest” (USCCB, Living the Gospel of Life, no. 34). As bishops, we seek to form the consciences of our people. We do not wish to instruct persons on how they should vote by endorsing or opposing candidates. We hope that voters will examine the position of candidates on the full range of issues, as well as on their personal integrity, philosophy, and performance. We are convinced that a consistent ethic of life should be the moral framework from which to address issues in the political arena. "(p. 11)

"At this time, some Catholics may feel politically homeless, sensing that no political party and too few candidates share a consistent concern for human life and dignity. However, this is not a time for retreat or discouragement. We need more, not less engagement in political life. We urge Catholics to become more involved by running for office; by working within political parties; by contributing money or time to campaigns; and by joining diocesan legislative networks, community organizations, and other efforts to apply Catholic principles in the public square." (p. 3)

"Politics cannot be merely about ideological conflict, the search for partisan advantage or political contributions. It should be about fundamental moral choices. How do we protect human life and dignity? How do we fairly share the blessings and burdens of the challenges we face? What kind of nation do we want to be? What kind of world do we want to shape?" (pp. 1-2)

Then they move quickly through several important themes of Catholic social teaching: Life and Dignity of the Human Person, Call to Family, Community, and Participation, Rights and Responsibilities, Option for the Poor and Vulnerable, Dignity of Work and the Rights of Workers, Solidarity, and Caring for God’s Creation. We must understand these themes and their relative importance to each other and to the whole of creation if we are to make informed decisions.

The bishops offer us this insight that may be lost in the political arena today:
"The central question should not be, “Are you better off than you were four years ago?” It should be, ‘How can ‘we'--all of us, especially the weak and vulnerable--be better off in the years ahead? How can we protect and promote human life and dignity? How can we pursue greater justice and peace?” "(p. 2)

For more information, go to our web site and follow the link regarding “Faithful Citizenship.” I believe it will broaden all of our senses of responsibility as Catholics living in a world hostile to our faith. Other related articles are there too, and are all free.

Something that the Church wants us to remember is the principle of the “common good.” We must recognize our own personal desires and wants and try to understand those who disagree with us. Our faith cannot be relegated to something that we use when it works for our preconceived ideologies. Again, look at the early Church. While there was serious disagreement, they ultimately sought counsel from the Holy Spirit. This same Holy Spirit lives and breathes on the Church today. We are people in relationship with a loving and compassionate God. We are to work to heal wounds and build relationships with others, especially those we don’t like and even call our enemy.

Still, you may feel helpless to stop the violence in the world. You may feel helpless to stop the war in Iraq. I’d like to offer two ways to put into practice faithful citizenship: Make sure to vote and practice your faith at home.

Firstly, make sure you read up on the issues and candidates. Read Faithful Citizenship and ponder deeply on what the implications are for you in your political activities. Discern with your faith as your guide and then vote. Then make sure that you go out and vote by Tuesday.

Secondly practice faithfulness right where we are in our own home. When you have a disagreement, recognize the feelings you have and then monitor how you deal with them. Satan wants to take every advantage and will encourage you to harbor resentments and anger. Know that these harboring are clearly not of God. Spend some time in prayer about it. Rebuke the evil that so much fights for your soul. Seek reconciliation. Abandon yourself to God’s love and grace, and let him in your heart to fill the void left by the absence of the sin. And finally, ask God what you may need to do next. You should ponder on how he wants the situation to be handled and let go of your own will. It is in these small, difficult, yet powerful means that we can sew the seeds of love in our own homes. This is a grassroots kind of thing. While you may not feel that you can have an immediate impact on world events, why not refocus your attention to the trees in front of you and not get overwhelmed by the forest.

Jesus offers us a peace that the world cannot give us. Given to our own fallen nature, we will likely seek revenge or retaliation. But, grace can perfect our nature. This same grace will bring us peace amidst the struggle of our everyday life. Let us be more than people who just go to Church. Be people of the living God who wants you to transform the world one person at a time with His peace. We can be more effective when we wield the instrument of love, the force which brought all things into being