31st Sunday in Ordinary Time

Dear Parishioners,

     The shooting at the synagogue in Pittsburgh last week reminds us once again of the divisions that we have in our country.  We have religious divisions.  We have political divisions.  We are divided because of race and economics.  The divisions are exacerbated by the volatile campaign rhetoric.   I do not know about you, but I have dreaded looking in the mailbox each day because it will be filled with political material. Much of it was deceitful and of little use when it came to choosing between people running for political office.

     It used to be that one candidate or the other would try to take the high road.  And that might be the person I would vote for.  Now, there does not seem to be any restraint.  The motto is that if you get down and dirty I will have to do the same.  If you stoke irrational fears than I must as well.

     Much of this is the voter’s fault.  If we took time to check facts and demand truth I wonder what would happen?  I also wonder if democracy can survive in an atmosphere where telling the truth is treated as something only a naïve person would do. 

     This week we go to the polls.  We might ask what in our Christian belief can guide us?  One guideline might be that we try to the vote for the candidates who seem to desire the common good for all citizens and for all peoples in the world.  Jesus preached that we need to love our neighbors and our enemies. If we sense a candidate is trying to tell the truth and wants to and recognizes the danger lying causes our democracy maybe that is the person, we should vote for.

     Let’s support people who want to restore civility to our civilization. Let’s vote for people who steer away from violent language that demonizes others. That might narrow the field quite a bit. I will pray for all of us as we make our choices.

Blessings,

Fr. Mark