Rearing Ugly Heads

Brothers and sisters: Be kind to one another, compassionate, forgiving one another as God has forgiven you in Christ. Be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love, as Christ loved us and handed himself over for us as a sacrificial offering to God for a fragrant aroma. Immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be mentioned among you, as is fitting among holy ones, no obscenity or silly or suggestive talk, which is out of place, but instead, thanksgiving. 

Be sure of this, that no immoral or impure or greedy person, that is, an idolater, has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God. Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the disobedient. So do not be associated with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light. (Ephesians 4:32-5:8)

Paul certainly had it quite right: “…Be imitators of God, as beloved children, and live in love… Immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be mentioned among you…” Even more importantly: “…no immoral or impure or greedy person, that is, an idolater, has any inheritance in the Kingdom of Christ and of God.”  This is a lot to consider as we prepare for November 3, and we make our own judgments as to who among those being considered for office meet or at least approximate these Pauline requirements.   Many of us already have voted so we have cast our lots.

We are all supposed to be informed voters influenced by Catholic teaching and Jesus’ commandments.  Paul said, “Let no one deceive you with empty arguments, for because of these things the wrath of God is coming upon the disobedient. So do not be associated with them.”  Have we or are we going to be disobedient?  Are we living as children of light?  Have we been enlightened by God?  

A good way to pass judgment on ourselves is to read and be guided by Pope Francis’ encyclical “Fratelli tutti, on Fraternity and Social Friendship.”  As stated in America magazine, “I invite everyone to renewed hope” Pope Francis writes in his new encyclical letter “Fratelli Tutti,” addressed to his “brothers and sisters all” in this “wounded world” brought to its knees by the coronavirus pandemic and other crises, including poverty, racism and violence…

…Pope Francis also said that the Grand Imam Ahmad Al-Tayyeb, with whom he signed “The Document on Human Fraternity” in Abu Dhabi on Feb. 4, 2019, encouraged him in this enterprise, “which takes up and develops some of the great themes raised in that document.” He also drew inspiration from Blessed Charles de Foucauld, as well as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Desmond Tutu, Mahatma Gandhi, and “many other brothers and sisters who are not Catholics…”

…Francis concludes the chapter by noting that “still today, there are those who appear to feel encouraged or at least permitted by their faith to support varieties of narrow and violent nationalism, xenophobia and contempt, and even the mistreatment of those who are different.” But, he said, “Faith, and the humanism it inspires, must maintain a critical sense in the face of these tendencies, and prompt an immediate response whenever they rear their head.”

Like our Pope, we watch for the "rearing of their heads," the ugly ones especially arising from sewers of lies, racism, violence, and hate.  We are part of a wounded world on it knees and in need of healing.

Deacon David Pierce