'The kingdom of God is at hand for you.’
(07-04-2010)
WE sort of live in two kingdoms—in the world—and of it and the tensions of knowing what the real kingdom of God is to be. Expressing this tension –between two worlds—is as old as Christianity—rendering to Caesar-rendering to God. As we celebrate the great gift of “Independence” on this Fourth of July weekend, I wanted to reflect on the foundational challenges in matters of living Catholic faith in two kingdoms. As our previous Pope John Paul II and our present Pope Benedict XVI have pointed out one major challenge in our nation is the sanctity of all life-natural conception to the tomb. Within that paradigm of fostering respect includes the continued evasion of immigration reform in our Nation—(reform does not equate to amnesty). Both perspectives come together for me in Luke’s Gospel for this weekend --the call and response to discipleship. "The harvest is abundant but the laborers are few;
so ask the master of the harvest to send out laborers for his harvest.”
I use the following quote (from the second century) to help us discern, pray, and grow in our understanding of living lives of Christian disciples in the world. How is it we respond to the call of Jesus to be his witness, give his testimony, and stand up for his values-- in light of all the worldly challenges in daily life—in the so called “real world”—the kingdom this side of heaven?
“Yet while Christians settle in both Greek and non-Greek cities, as each one's lot is cast, and conforms to the customs of the country …They take part in everything as citizens. . . . To say it briefly: what the soul is in the body that the Christians are in the world.”
Life for Christians continued to be dangerous long after their response to follow Jesus; long after his crucifixion, death and resurrection. However, Christians did not separate themselves from the society in which they lived. They were active "citizens." Today, however, some have seem to take separation of church and state to mean separation of the soul from the body; that my moral and conscience formation is null and void in certain situations of how I live as a US citizen. That is not being Christian. For being Christian is a matter of personhood—who I am and what I do. Jesus warns: ‘Let your yes mean yes and your no mean no’.
The Church's teaching on political responsibility is linked to the development of what Pope John Paul II called "the Church's ‘social doctrine,' ‘social teaching' or even ‘social magisterium'. Fundamental to the doctrine is its view that the political community is to sever the common good and that "The common good is always oriented towards the progress of persons."
As Christians in the world, we are to work toward achieving the common good for all and to witness what that common good means in light of being Christian. Our ideal way of living Christ in the world is founded on his values truth, built on justice, and apparent by the love and dignity we offer every human person.
We are to reflect a virtuous life in our decision making and be open to debate and involved in seeking justice. Our doctrine and catechism tells us that allegiance to one's political party should be tempered. Partisanship is understandable, but it should not come at a price of sacrificing our Christian foundation of human dignity and justice. We cannot live as a "Republican through and through" or "Democrat first, Catholic second." Such labeling and divisions, only further the same sort of labels and divisions in our Church. Right-wing Christians—leftist yellow belly do gooders—conservative, liberal, and so on.
A few years back our US bishops provided political life insights in their paper: Living the Gospel of Life: A Challenge to American Catholics. The bishops pointed to special virtues that we need to live daily if we are to witness discipleship in Christ with his gospel of life:
· Courage and honesty to speak the truth about human life,
· Humility to listen to both friend and opponent,
· Perseverance to continue the struggle for the protection of human life,
· Prudence to know when and how to act in the public arena.
Our bishops have stated: "Faith not in moral or political abstractions, but in the personal presence of God; hope not in our own ingenuity, but in his goodness and mercy; and love for others, including those who oppose us, rooted in the love God showers down on us."3
As we respond to the Gospel of Life in the call to discipleship, as we celebrate the blessings of being a part of this Great Nation, we must remember our individual and collective responsibilities to stand up in all ways and all times for the human good and human rights—no room for equivocation in Christ. Be His disciple first. Blessings, Fr. Gordon
2nd Century-Epistle to Diognetus, Chapters 5 and 6 Quotes from this Epistle are based on Johannes Quasten, Patrology, Vol. I: The Beginnings of Patristic Literature (Westminister, MD: The Newman Press, 1950), 250-1)
Vatican II Documents: Gaudium et Spes, (GS) nos. 74, 75; also, no. 31. Also see, CCC, nos. 1905-12.
Living the Gospel of Life: A Challenge to American Catholics. Statement of the U.S. Catholic Bishops. USCCB. Wash., D.C., 1998.
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