RCIA October 23
Faithful Citizenship
In a few weeks a very important time in our lives will come. November 8. V-Day; voting day. This is something that everyone is talking about and signs are everywhere. “I’m so gonna vote” sound familiar to anyone? Voting is a right that we are all given as soon as we turn 18 and it is something that we should diligently participate in no matter what we are voting for. We have a right to voice our opinion and thoughts and we will be able to do that soon.
There have been several elections before this year that were important, but because our United States (and please, let us highlight united) are so divided, this election is going to be very contentious. Either the world will rejoice or the world will sob. No matter which candidate or issue you have an opinion or vote on, your voice will be heard. But because your voice matters, it does not mean that you can sway or persuade people on how to vote or who to vote for. The same goes for the Catholic Church as a whole.
My favorite dinner joke that my husband and I tell is that we are the two things you never talk about at a dinner; religion and politics. I know, it is not that funny, it actually makes people feel very awkward. Now what do we talk to them about? Let’s do a slow exit and pretend to see someone we know. Or they are so excited because they leave all their opinions, thoughts, and grievances at our feet expecting us to fix them on both sides of religion and politics. Now, this year we have been together for sixteen years, and while I do love all the gossip my husband shares when working with different candidates and politicians, we hardly ever discuss our political views and who we vote for or what issues we vote on, but we do vote, and we do vote together. Call it date night if you will, and now it is a family affair, where our children come with us because we want to share with them that voting is important.
An important aspect to our relationship is that we do not share our opinions or try to sway each other in voting, and the same goes to you. It is not my job, nor the Church's job, to tell you how to vote or who to vote for. But it is my job, and the Church’s job, to educate you on how to make a conscious decision, one you will feel good making, and one that you can defend if someone ever does question your political views. So how do we help you form your conscience?
Well, as all things in the Catholic faith, let’s start with prayer when you're forming your conscience. It is important to begin with prayer because you are able to become one with the Trinity and allow your opinionated thoughts to pass by you as on a raft on a river. When we feel so passionately about one issue, it is important to let the passion behind it go and look at the facts. Once you are in a prayerful state, it is time to begin looking at all the key issues and look at each opponent and their solutions. If you stay biased and passionate (think your blood pressure begins to rise) towards one, you are not in a good space to make a prayerful decision. Reset and try again.
After you are in a prayerful state, where you do not feel your blood pressure rise, it is time to put on your prudential judgment glasses, and look at the issues. I really appreciate how the Paulist Fathers ask us to begin to look at the issues…
If we use as our discernment principles:
the inherent and abiding value of every human life
equal justice under the law
the overarching goals of love and justice how might we evaluate the “signs of the times” for this 2020 election cycle?
The best way to look at the issues is through the teachings of human dignity. If we cover all humans, then we are able to vote on the issue, or the person, that matches with how we think all humans should be treated. This means immigrants, racial discrimination, working and living wages, before and after life, health care, gender and sexual orientation discrimination, family life, etc. We all know that what one person says to win an election may not be what their life is really like, or how they have voted in office before. It is up to us to use due diligence to look at the topic and see how the person has voted on it, or has commented on it, in the past. You want to make sure that what this candidate is trying to sell us now, aligns with what they have sold before running for this office.
Human dignity also covers equal justice under the law. 2020 has been such a year where true colors have come out and reform is being called for. Do our equal justice thoughts on the law align with one candidate or issue? Does it match with how humans in general should be treated? Are we able to support our local law enforcements, wars that are going on around the world, and our national army/navy/marines/air force? I personally never thought I would ever have to question all of the above, but this year has me praying on what is right for our country and world moving forward. Again, an important topic to think on that we may never have considered before.
Finally, I love that the Paulist Fathers ask us to look at the goals of love and justice. As I have shared before, St. Austin Catholic School is all about love this year, and loving courageously. Are you able to do this? Are you able to love courageously and does your love align with the goals of a certain candidate or issue? If we cannot do all things in love, then what good are we doing?
Our votes will not align. When the world wakes up on November 4, and the election is over, we need to make sure that we can come together in love. We need to make sure that we come together in respect. We need to make sure that no matter the outcome, we come together and stand united. While we may not be united in our vote, we may not be feeling harmonious, and we may not be feeling as one, God created us all equal and at the end of the day we all come together through our love for each other and the common good that each of us do.
Resources for Voting
Video from Paulist Fathers on Voting
Paulist Fathers on Moral Issues