Election Consolation

I, on purpose, do not typically write about politics here on the bliggity-blog and especially not on facebook.  While we’d love to think that our blog posts or status updates are going to change ALL our friends minds, opinions are not normally changed through mass social media. If I want to convince everybody to be pro-life like me, I have a much greater chance of explaining truth when I am face-to-face, in a one-on-one conversation. I certainly don’t refrain from sharing things near & dear to my heart, hoping to plant seeds for someone who stumbles upon a linked article, or a quote but I personally don’t see the value in angry-political status updates every 2 minutes-I’m right You’re wrong type of campaigning which has likely graced your facebook, blogs you read, twitter feeds, etc. Granted, many people have shared there opinion with tact & grace and we certainly have a moral obligation to be politically aware & active. All politics aside, I’ll happily talk ‘til I am blue in the face about my faith :)

 

Being a passionate Catholic, during a time where our faith is mocked & our freedom threatened, it is no surprise I supported the man {& the political party!}  of a more conservative moral backbone.  I prayed for this election, pleading with God to restore core American values and protection of the most innocent.  Rightly so, I was among many of the disheartened Republicans on Wednesday morning and I mourned for our country.  What I was not prepared for was the overwhelmingly angry, fearful, despairing reactions I encountered the next day. Not to underplay the gravity of what 4 more years of a radically immoral President could bring, but many of us have seem to forgotten our true identity.

 

We are citizens of a different Authority. A Heavenly one. God is bigger than this election, than Obama and the damaging decisions he makes.  My priest summed it up best when he reminded “"My Kingdom is not of this world." {John 18:36}

 

Does this mean we ignore the repercussions of the election & walk around blissfully ignorant, because God is in control?  Instead, we are called to action again. This political trial is an opportunity for us to profess truth and work tirelessly for the Gospel.  Obama is not a figure to hate or fear, but instead a man who needs dire prayers for his conversion. We are not to be threatened by him, but who and what he represents. What does he represent?  Check out this prayer by Paster Joe Wright, urgently prayed in front of the Kansas House of Representatives {back in 1996!!}

Heavenly Father, we come before you today to ask Your forgiveness and to seek Your direction and guidance. We know Your Word says, "Woe to those who call evil good,," but that is exactly what we have done. We have lost our spiritual equilibrium and reversed our values.

We confess:

We have ridiculed the absolute truth of Your Word and called it Pluralism.
We have worshipped other gods and called it multiculturalism.
We have endorsed perversion and called it alternative lifestyle.
We have exploited the poor and called it the lottery.
We have rewarded laziness and called it welfare.
We have killed our unborn and called it choice.
We have shot abortionists and called it justifiable.
We have neglected to discipline our children and called it building self-esteem.
We have abused power and called it politics.
We have coveted our neighbor's possessions and called it ambition.
We have polluted the air with profanity and pornography and called it freedom of expression.
We have ridiculed the time-honored values of our forefathers and called it enlightenment.

Search us, Oh God, and know our hearts today; cleanse us from every sin and set us free.

Guide and bless these men and women who have been sent to direct us to the center of your will. I ask it in the Name of Your Son, the living Savior, Jesus Christ.

Amen.

 

It is true, we are living among a people who value perversion, laziness, privilege, ambition, “progression” and the like. And I am sure I am not without guilt.  Our society is ill and the President is simply a reflection of that, not the cause of it.  With this election, we have all been commissioned. God is calling us now, more than ever, to defend truth, and to live out the love of Christ. That means being actively involved in ministry, praying in front of abortion clinics, tithing and giving, writing your congressmen, praying earnestly, asking God to change hearts using us, being bold & outspoken in defense of the poor, hungry, unborn, and the aging.  We are not to walk about defeated, scared or “Oh, well..” That is precisely what The Enemy wants. Instead, remembering & calling upon the unfathomable mercy of our Father, “always be ready to give an explanation to anyone who asks you a reason for your hope” {1 Peter 3:15}  We have been given an awesome undertaking & responsibility.  Anger & cowardice will only impeded our mission to work for souls.

 

I think Scott Hahn says these things better than I could…

“...from an eternal perspective, it didn't matter last November whether the Republicans kept the White House or the Democrats got it back because, no matter who won that election, or no matter who wins the next one, Jesus Christ is still the Lord of lords, He's the King of kings, He's in charge of our country and every other, and He directs the course of HIStory; and if we want to effect change, before you go to City Hall, go to the Sanctuary because the throne of Heaven is what we approach, and the King of kings is Who we receive, and it's the power of almighty God that is released in our lives, and in our homes, and our parishes, if only we could tap the power, and the glory, and the beauty."

 

Still in need of Consoling? Pray over Psalm 27, appropriately proclaimed at masses everywhere yesterday

Psalm 27

The LORD is my light and my salvation;

whom should I fear?

The LORD is my life’s refuge;

of whom should I be afraid?

When evildoers come at me

to devour my flesh,

These my enemies and foes

themselves stumble and fall.

Though an army encamp against me,

my heart does not fear;

Though war be waged against me,

even then do I trust.

One thing I ask of the LORD;

this I seek:

To dwell in the LORD’s house

all the days of my life,

To gaze on the LORD’s beauty,

to visit his temple.

For God will hide me in his shelter

in time of trouble,

He will conceal me in the cover of his tent;

and set me high upon a rock.

Even now my head is held high

above my enemies on every side!

I will offer in his tent

sacrifices with shouts of joy;

I will sing and chant praise to the LORD.

Hear my voice, LORD, when I call;

have mercy on me and answer me.

“Come,” says my heart, “seek his face”;

your face, LORD, do I seek!

Do not hide your face from me;

do not repel your servant in anger.

You are my salvation; do not cast me off;

do not forsake me, God my savior!

Even if my father and mother forsake me,

the LORD will take me in.

LORD, show me your way;

lead me on a level path

because of my enemies.

Do not abandon me to the desire of my foes;

malicious and lying witnesses have risen against me.

I believe I shall see the LORD’s goodness

in the land of the living.

Wait for the LORD, take courage;

be stouthearted, wait for the LORD!