Ordinary 15

The Fifteenth Sunday of Ordinary Time

Amos 7:12-15; Psalm 89; Ephesians 1:3-14; Mark 6:7-13

The second in a series.

In light of the Biden, Bishops, Communion debate, last week I began a conversation and raised questions on what it means to be a Catholic Christian in a pluralistic society. Specifically, what does it mean to be a Catholic elected official in a society with citizens who hold different and even contrary values to those of the Gospel? What is our responsibility to bring our Christian moral values and beliefs about the dignity of the human being and the common good into the public forum?

Catholics have always been mistrusted in this culturally Protestant country being seen to have divided loyalties. We’ve had to ask ourselves, which comes first: church or country? Why are not other Christians and people of faith mistrusted in this manner? Yet, Catholics, like no other group, have been made to feel like we have to make a choice between commitments.

Governing is the art of compromise and forming coalitions. But what if the issue is a matter of the sacredness of life in which we believe there can be no compromise. How do you compromise over the issue of the protection of innocent and vulnerable life?

First let us address our hypocrisy on this matter.  We need to ask ourselves how and why we will not compromise on abortion but…

…we will compromise on protecting refugee children at our southern border;

…we will compromise on the care of children living in poverty, 13 million of which go to bed hungry every day in our country;

…we will compromise on the protection of American children where 60% are exposed to violence, crime and abuse;

…we will compromise on the care and protection of abused women, the homeless and people suffering from mental illnesses;

…we will compromise on the protection of our infirm, sick and elderly in healthcare facilities;

…we will compromise in the murder of children and youth in mass shootings.

No nation on earth nor the Catholic Church is the fullness of the Kingdom of heaven but we must do better.

The issue would seem to be not our righteous attitude over abortion but a moral narrowing and spiritual blindness to the broader issues of life. And I have not as yet mentioned euthanasia, incarceration, the growing violence in our streets, the death penalty or war which some Catholics believe are possible moral choices for a Christian.

Do not misunderstand me, I am not lessening the evil of abortion but rather broadening our horizon to include other issues around the value of human life as equally important because we are dealing with something sacred.

Do we or do we not believe that the human being is sacred and the dwelling place of God at all times along life’s journey?

Does a person ever loose that dignity, goodness and holiness before God and humanity? And be careful how you answer that question because it includes you. If at any time we believe a person can lose that intrinsic dignity and sacredness, then so can any one of us. Are we willing to disavow our belief in reconciliation, redemption and forgiveness for others, excepting ourselves? We are all sinners. The degree of sinfulness is irrelevant.

In this light, a role of bishops in our church is to be teachers. They are to present clearly the consistent teaching of our Christian Faith and its insightful deeper understandings. Yet there is a healthy tension between bishops, theologians and the insights among the people of God as together we search for truth. Bishops, as suggested by John XXIII, must be persuasive not only to the world but to the members of the church.

Another role of bishops is to be prophetic. Being a prophet is a precarious call from God. It is filled with internal struggle, is uncertain, and entails rejection. Last week God spoke to the prophet Ezekiel, “I am sending you to the Israelites, rebels…hard of face and obstinate of heart…but you shall [speak to them…]” Today Amos is expelled from the sanctuary at Bethel because of his prophetic utterances. Next week, the prophet Jeremiah will speak against the shepherds who mislead and scatter the flock of God.

Will the bishops be able to be prophetic and persuasive in this proposed document on the Eucharist?

The American Catholic Church and its bishops are just as divided as our society and the teaching credibility of the bishops has been hampered by their handling of the sexual scandal within the Church. Knowing this document will be perceived and interpreted in ways not intended, how do the bishops avoid looking like they are guiding the politics of our country or being politically partisan? I fear this decision of the American bishops to write this document is fraught with peril.

I have approached the role of the Catholic elected official in the public forum of a pluralistic society, the Gospel imperative and responsibility of every Catholic to bring the values of our faith to the discussion table and the teaching and prophetic role of bishops within the Catholic community. Next week let us consider questions concerning the Eucharist.